City Academy stars wish Blakehill pupils luck ahead of Wembley visit

BCAFC Academy stars Oscar Lunn and Jacob Hall wished Blakehill Primary School luck ahead of their visit to Wembley.

Two Bradford City AFC Academy stars visited Blakehill Primary School to wish their victorious Under 11 team good luck in the final of the Utilita Kids Cup.

Blakehill, representing the Bantams, will play in a curtain-raiser ahead for the Sky Bet League One Play-Off Final on Sunday 24th May.

Oscar Lunn and Jacob Hall, from City’s famous Academy, visited the school to speak to the players who will be representing both Blakehill and the club, wish them well and answer questions about what it takes to play football at a high level.

BBC Look North reported on Blakehill's achievement.

Mathew Lumb, a teacher at the school and the team’s coach, said: "Getting to Wembley is everything for these kids. They love football, they're football mad. To be able to walk on to the Wembley pitch, when many professional footballers don't get that opportunity, is a dream come true.”

With Bradford City AFC beginning their Sky Bet League One Play-Off campaign on Saturday 9th May, there is a chance that both teams representing the city will play on the famous pitch on the day of the play-off final.

Mathew Lumb, the team's teacher and coach, spoke to Greatest Hits Radio about their achievement.

Emily, a striker on the team who also plays for Bradford City AFC Girls Under 11s, said: “I will never forget making it to Wembley. I think we're going to do well. When we get on that pitch we need to be switched on and I think we all want to win.”

Oscar Lunn, a rising star at centre back who was named the Neil Matthews Academy Player of the Year at City’s Player of the Year awards in April, said: “I’d love the chance to play at Wembley in my career, so Blakehill’s achievement is a massive one for the team and the city. Doing a few drills with them you can see the quality in the team, and I’m sure they will give it a real go. I’d like to wish them luck from everyone at the Academy and across the club, and hopefully we’ll see them there if we make it to the final.”

Oscar Lunn and Jacob Hall conducted a Q&A session with the Blakehill team, and provided advice on what it takes to make it as a footballer.

Blakehill made it to the big dance two years ago, losing 2-1 in the final to Cooper and Jordan Church of England School, representing Walsall. The Blakehill team will now return to the capital, with the chance to bring home the trophy and represent the Bantams at Wembley.

Oliver Read, Head of Premier League and Sport Development at the Bradford City FC Community Foundation, said: “Two years ago, pupils from Blakehill got the experience of a lifetime when they represented us at Wembley - who’d have thought another team from the school would make it back so quickly! We are proud to have supported their journey journey, and can’t wait to join them at Wembley. Hopefully the city ends the weekend with two reasons to celebrate.”

With Bradford City AFC beginning their Sky Bet League One Play-Off campaign on Saturday 9th May, there is a chance that both teams representing the city will play on the famous pitch on the day of the play-off final.

The Academy players and Blakehill team were also joined by journalists from BBC Look North and Greatest Hits Radio, who attended to tell the story of a local team who have made it to the Utilita Kids Cup final out of over 1500 other participating schools.

More on the Utilita Kids and Girls Cup:

The Utilita Kids and Girls Cups are national school tournaments, which combined, involve over 20,000 junior footballers and create one of the country’s largest national football competitions. Featuring schools across England and Wales, the competition culminates in playing on the hallowed turf at Wembley Stadium in front of thousands of fans.