FOR the second season in a row, a Warrington Rylands junior team can call themselves national champions.

The club’s under 11s took home the Junior Premier League’s National Premiership title over the weekend having won their regional title without losing a game.

That earned them the right to head to Warwick University for the national tournament against regional champions from London, the south coast, the south west, Yorkshire and the Midlands – and they won with a game to spare with striker Alfie Silverster being named player of the tournament.

The team follow in the footsteps of last year’s Rylands under 16s, who won their age groups JPL National title last season.

Many of the team feature in the history-making Warrington Schoolboys under 11s side, who won the Goodison Cup at Everton FC’s Goodison Park this week.

“To firstly win the north west league then go onto winning the National Premier League is a huge achievement,” said Stu Shaw, the team’s manager who also jointly coaches the Schoolboys team with Shaun Staniford.

“The squad is bursting with talent and they have worked so hard all year. The support around the team has helped us achieve this monumental award.

“We have worked together with these players since they were under 7s, with a couple of new players joining each year.

“We have also lost players to professional academies along the way, which shows the environment that we have built here – one to prosper in, guiding the individual to reach their potential not only on the football pitch but as a young person in life.

“This moment for me as a coach is one to cherish as all the hard work and dedication over the years comes to fruition.

“The future for these Warrington footballers looks so bright.”

Squad list: Lee Stewart, Harry Stewart, Finley Pownall, Joseph Kirkpatrick, Jack Nolan, Joel Hynes, Brayden Bate, Frankie Rowlands, Wesley McLoughlin, Sanjay Konasagar, Kane Riddings, Alfie Silvester, Ollie Bridge, Teddy Appleton, Liam Davies, Oliver Foster