Premier League Schools finals

It was a Merseyside double at the Premier League Schools Tournament final.

Liverpool won the Boys Under 11 event while Everton won the Girls Under 13's section in the finals at Bolton Wanderers, writes Graham Hiley.
The event was bigger and better than ever and with a new format to give even more youngsters the opportunity to live the dream of playing at a Premier League stadium.
More than 800 schools and 6,500 players battled it out for the right to represent each of the Barclays Premier League clubs.
With no regional finals this year, for the first time all 20 were represented on finals day giving 320 children the chance to experience the thrill of being treated like Premier League footballer.
They had the chance to get changed into official kit in the first-team dressing rooms before walking out of the tunnel to play at the Reebok Stadium in six-a-side matches officiated by Premier League referees Mike Dean, Andre Marriner, Mike Jones, Peter Walton, Phil Dowd and Anthony Taylor.

Premier League chairman Sir Dave Richards said: "It has been a fantastic event and a wonderful chance for these youngsters.
"To come to a Premier League ground and to play on the pitch where some of the best players in the world have performed is a bit of a dream.
"They have played with referees they have only seen on television and the memories will stay with them for ever. Some of them find it hard to believe it is real.
"The games have been played in a fantastic spirit, with no swearing or diving.
"It makes me so proud to be part of the Premier League when I come to events like this and see the smiles on the faces of the youngsters.
"This year we have expanded it to give this dream chance to even more children and it is better than ever."
It was a sentiment echoed by William James of Claypool Primary School representing Bolton Wanderers.
He said: "It has been awesome to play on the same pitch as some of the best players in Europe. I have loved every minute."
And Thomas Huntbach of Moorside Community Primary School for Manchester United added: "It has been a fantastic day. We have been made to feel really special."

Referee Mike Dean said: "It is great for us to come and referee events like this and to see so many kids enjoying themselves.
"And it is a good chance for us to get to talk to them because we don't get the opportunity to mingle with the fans on a matchday.
"It is a great event, very well run and played in the right spirit. It really is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
"I think maybe some of the kids have been a bit overawed by seeing referees they have previously only seen on television as they have all been extremely well behaved. But that is credit to the coaches doing such a good job."
The matches were highly competitive but sporting with every team acquitting themselves well in the run-up to the finals.
In the boys section Liverpool beat Birmingham City 5-0 with two goals from Charlie Ball and one each from Lucas Jones, Mike Howard and Harry Clark.
Coach Nick Hanlon said: "It has been an incredible experience. The youngsters were so proud just to wear the Liverpool shirt but to win the tournament is fantastic.
"They have remained unbeaten and conceded just three goals, scoring 20. They blew the opposition away in the final and I am very proud of them."
In the girls event Everton secured a 2-0 victory against Blackburn Rovers with strikes from Hayley Taylor and Tori Charnock.
For coach Kath Crummie it was not quite a once-in-a-lifetime experience as she also guided Broughton Hall High School to victory in this event four years ago.
This was their fourth finals appearance in five years and they also won it a Reading's Madejski Stadium in 2008.

She said: "I thought that was a one-off. I never dreamed we might get another group of players good enough to do it again.
"But I am absolutely thrilled with the girls who have worked extremely hard and deserve so much credit.
"It is a fantastic achievement to win it for a second time and it was very sweet to beat Blackburn in the final as they beat us in the semi-finals of the English Schools tournament.
"It was a great day and I applaud the Premier League massively for putting their money where there mouth is and giving so many kids this wonderful opportunity.
"They make money in football but they give a lot back and you can see what it means to every one of the youngsters here."
Every players received a memento of the day, climbing the stadium steps to a special presentation in front of the Barclays Premier League trophy and against a Barclays Premier League backdrop.
The trophies were handed out by Bolton Wanderers striker Kevin Davies who said: "This is a fantastic event and it was wonderful to see so many kids experiencing the thrill of playing at the Reebok.
"It still gives me a buzz whenever I walk out onto the pitch so I know how they felt. Every one of them was made to feel very special by the Premier League.
"There were some very useful kids playing and the matches were all very competitive and it was nice to see so many smilles."
Download the Final programme.

Boys under 11's results

GROUP A
Blackpool 3-2 Everton
Blackpool 3-0 Wigan
Blackpool 2-1 Wolves
Blackpool 0-0 West Brom
Everton 1-3 Wigan
Everton 2-1 Wolves
Everton 3-2 West Brom
Wigan 2-0 Wolves
Wigan 2-1 West Brom
Wolves 0-0 West Brom
GROUP B
Bolton 1-0 Man City
Bolton 0-1 Birmingham
Bolton 3-3 Fulham
Bolton 4-2 Sunderland
Man City 1-2 Birmingham
Man City 3-5 Fulham
Man City 1-2 Sunderland
Birmingham 0-2 Fulham
Birmingham 3-2 Sunderland
Fulham 1-3 Sunderland
GROUP C
Aston Villa 1-2 Man Utd
Aston Villa 2-1 Arsenal
Aston Villa 2-3 Newcastle
Aston Villa 0-5 Blackburn
Man Utd 1-5 Arsenal
Man Utd 1-2 Newcastle
Man Utd 0-1 Blackburn
Arsenal 4-0 Newcastle
Arsenal 0-3 Blackburn
Newcastle 2-2 Blackburn
GROUP D
Stoke 1-2 West Ham
Stoke 1-7 Chelsea
Stoke 0-3 Liverpool
Stoke 0-3 Spurs
West Ham 0-2 Chelsea
West Ham 2-3 Liverpool
West Ham 1-1 Spurs
Chelsea 0-5 Liverpool
Chelsea 2-1 Spurs
Liverpool 4-1 Spurs
SEMI-FINAL
Blackpool 0 Birmingham 1
Blackburn 0 Liverpool 1
FINAL
Liverpool 5 Birmingham 0

Girls Under 13's results

GROUP P
Blackpool 1-4 Everton
Blackpool 1-1 Wigan
Blackpool 2-0 Wolves
Blackpool 4-3 West Brom
Everton 3-0 Wigan
Everton 8-1 Wolves
Everton 5-0 West Brom
Wigan 2-0 Wolves
Wigan 4-2 West Brom
Wolves 1-1 West Brom
GROUP Q
Bolton 5-0 Man City
Bolton 4-0 Birmingham
Bolton 2-2 Fulham
Bolton 4-5 Sunderland
Man City 3-0 Birmingham
Man City 4-3 Fulham
Man City 3-4 Sunderland
Birmingham 1-3 Fulham
Birmingham 0-6 Sunderland
Fulham 2-2 Sunderland
GROUP R
Aston Villa 3-0 Man Utd
Aston Villa 0-4 Arsenal
Aston Villa 1-0 Newcastle
Aston Villa 0-2 Blackburn
Man Utd 3-3 Arsenal
Man Utd Newcastle
Man Utd 1-3 Blackburn
Arsenal 0-3 Newcastle
Arsenal Blackburn
Newcastle 1-3 Blackburn
GROUP S
Stoke 5-0 West Ham
Stoke 1-0 Chelsea
Stoke 1-2 Liverpool
Stoke 3-0 Spurs
West Ham 1-1 Chelsea
West Ham Liverpool
West Ham 0-2 Spurs
Chelsea 0-0 Liverpool
Chelsea Spurs
Liverpool 3-1 Spurs
SEMI-FINALS
Everton 6 Sunderland 0
Blackburn 4 Liverpool 0
FINAL
Everton 2 Blackburn 0