REME Corps Football

REME Sport

REME Corps Football

Scribe: Maj Si Oldrid REME Men’s Football Manager: Maj Si Oldrid Assistant manager: WO2 Gaz Kelly REME Women’s Football Manager: WO2 Rob Lord Assistant: SSgt Keehlan Panayiotou

REME make footballing history 2021/22 Men’s season

The Inter Corps Woolwich Challenge Cup was introduced in 2007 having been presented by the Royal Artillery to commemorate their departure from Woolwich after almost 300 years. This knockout cup competition is an annual event, weaved into to the

LCpl Greg Peel claiming the match ball after his hat-trick against the Royal Engineers

The squad pose for a photo as a collective group outside Heathrow Airport

Corps footballing fixtures each season and contested by a total of 12 Corps teams. The REME Corps team have reached the final on two separate occasions since the inception of this event but have fallen short on both occasions. Cup Final round up at the end of this article.

The 2021/22 season was an uncomfortable start with the REME claiming only 1 point from a possible 15. Heavy defeats to the Infantry and Engineers compounded the severe lack of availability which anchored the REME to the foot of the league table prior to the Christmas break. Facing an uphill struggle and with the possibility of the unthinkable relegation to Division 2, the team needed a miracle. The first game of Jan 22 saw the REME face off against the AGC in the first round of the Woolwich Cup. A convincing 6-1 win with a rampant LCpl Greg Peel stealing the show; bagging five goals proved to be the catalyst of things to come. A thumping 5-1 win away to the Royal Signals with further wins over the Royal Artillery and an impressive 7-0 win against the Infantry, propelled the team out of the bottom of the table. Only a win against the current league champions; the Royal Engineers, would ensure Division 1 safety for the REME. After going 1-0 down only 13 seconds into the game (thanks Tomo) the Gods appeared to be against us. However, the spike in recent confidence and leadership shone through and in times of adversity, the true character of each and every player came through; resulting in an emphatic 5-3 win. REME were safe and remained in Div 1; cue rapturous celebrations in a game that was played 24 hours prior to the combined REME Corps football tour to New Orleans and Miami.

The first combined REME Corps football tour to New Orleans and Miami 13 – 25 May 22

Another landmark for REME Corps football was the combined football tour to New Orleans and Miami. After an initial brief and anxious COVID 19 test results at Tidworth, the team consisting of a total of 44 staff and players each from the men’s and women’s teams, saw them depart the leafy suburbs of Hampshire to arrive at London Heathrow where the first of many photo opportunities took place, before boarding the flight to the Louis Armstrong Airport, New Orleans.

New Orleans, home of Bourbon Street, hurricane cocktails and jazz music. Excited as everyone was at the various sights and smells New Orleans had to offer, the social aspect was curtailed on the first night as the schedule from the tour company had both the men and women pencilled in to play the New Orleans All Stars in 12 hours. The men kicked off first at 1600hrs (quite possibly the hottest time of the day) and sent the All Stars packing with a not-entirely convincing 5-3 win (heat and jet lag), while the women battled hard to come away with a welldeserved 6-1 win. A great start for both teams who could now relax a little and enjoy some of the sights of such an impressive city.

The second game scheduled in New Orleans was supposedly against a superior team over the first team we played. Disappointingly for the women, their opponents pulled out at the last minute which caused huge frustration and annoyance within the squad. Nonetheless, a well-structured training session put to bed some of the areas for improvement following on from their previous opponents. The men on the other hand received a short, sharp, no-nonsense instruction of how they were to play. A direct reflection on what didn’t happen in the first game and a preparatory style that was to be employed prior to our final game and with the Woolwich Cup final against the RLC a week after our return. The kick up the proverbial clearly worked and some majestic, sexy one and two touch football was witnessed, crushing our opponents 6-0.

The hotel pool being utilised by the early risers

Second destination: Miami 19 – 25 May 22

A 0545hrs “on the bus” and subsequent departure from the hotel, saw an eagerly awaited team descend on the airport ready to check bags in for the onward flight. After getting through the debacle of check in and then queuing in what seemed an eternity to get through security, the squad eventually boarded the plane bound for Miami International Airport.

Upon landing we were immediately taken to our first organised trip, a private tour around the DRV PNK Stadium, home of Inter Miami FC. We were greeted on arrival by Ricardo Blanco who gave us a bespoke guide of the ground which included a pitch side tour (also pointing out where David Beckham’s personal seat is), inside both changing rooms and a tour of their impressive gym and training facilities. A truly magnificent set up. The final cherry on the cake was Ricardo informing us that we would be allocated VIP tickets for their forthcoming match against the New York Red Bulls on the Sunday

Inside the hospitality suite prior to the match

afternoon, which included free food and drink in the hospitality suite before, during and after the game. Not content with being hosted like this, we were also invited to the outside after party held upstairs in the private suite. Having 44 English accents all, dressed in the same tops in one environment certainly attracted a lot of enthusiasm from the locals who, and I quote “had never seen the after party bouncing like this before”. With a brief cameo appearance and speech from Miami Manager Phil Neville, and some of the team managing to get their photo with him, the bus was boarded full of happy faces and full of free food and drink.

The remaining days in the city were spent sightseeing, on the

The squad pose for a picture on the party balcony during the tour of the stadium

Sgt Chris Wing, Sgt Templeton, Cpl Martin Burkhill and SSgt Dave Maguire getting a photo with Argentine international Gonzalo Higuain

beach with the odd bit of socialising prior to our final game of this magnificent football tour. Miami being the party city didn’t let us down, and although you could expect to pay anything between $15 - $18 a beer, the more savvy amongst us managed to conserve their money and a few of the squad bumped into former Health Secretary, Matt Hancock at a pool. Our final fixtures for both the men and the women before our long-haul flight home, was against Miami United FC. After being geographically challenged (by over an hour), the driver finally made it to our destination, albeit late, with the women’s focus on the Edwards Cup Final just 24 hours after returning, they lost 3-0 against a very young and well drilled side. The men followed on after this fixture and were faced with their toughest opponents yet. A team which was more akin to a UK academy team, Miami FC were well drilled, and displayed all the technical and tactical aspects of the game you would read about. Unfortunately for them, they were up against a team who were even more disciplined in their approach and oozing confidence and were using this game as the final preparation before the Woolwich Cup final two weeks later. Running out 3-1 winners, the REME maintained their winning 9 game unbeaten streak, with LCpl Greg Peel bossing the Miami United FC defence The women pose for a team photo with their opponents from Miami FC and producing a strike, worthy of note.

The men ran out 3-1 winners against a tough Miami FC side

Upon landing in the UK, it was a sharp turnaround for the women’s team. Jet lagged, there was no rest bite for the team as it was straight to Cirencester Town stadium to play in the Edwards Cup Final. Morale high, the women went into the game with high expectations. It was a big ask of the players; particularly after the amount of travelling, and although they gave a valiant effort, they were unable to deny a strong AGC side. The final whistle ended REME’s hopes with the AGC retaining the title in a 3-1 win. Even with the loss, the REME women ended on a high and are ready to take on the next season.

REME men make footballing history Woolwich Cup final REME V RLC – 10 June

High on confidence and with an unbeaten streak of 10 games, the men went into the Woolwich Cup Final rejuvenated and raring to go. The football tour proved especially effective in the build up to this event, galvanising the players and the much-needed team spirit and moral component to enter such an arena. The match started evenly but with the REME’s discipline when out of possession, the RLC failed

REME skipper SSgt Dec Shuttleworth receiving the Woolwich Cup from a despondent and begrudging Billy Thompson WO2 Gaz Kelly and Maj Si Oldrid share the Woolwich Cup Trophy whilst sealing the handover of managerial power

to penetrate or gain any sort of momentum against an impressive fortress of electrical and mechanical will power. With the RLC media filming and running the commentary in parallel, it was slightly confusing listening to the commentator state that “it’s a strong defence by the RLC” three times before LCpl Greg Peel sent two of the RLC Defenders for a hot dog whilst falling over in the process, before turning another inside out before calmly dispatching with aplomb into the bottom corner past the hapless RLC Keeper. Half time, REME 1 – RLC 0.

The second half started much the same as the first half ended with the REME dominating the game. An RLC change in Keeper had a positive impact for them and although on the back foot, showed glimmers of hope at times. A change in personnel saw LCpl Adam Crawford replace LCpl Arran Moore, and within minutes the burly Jock sent Cpl Sean Thomson though on a wide angle only to fire past the helpless RLC Keeper. 2 - 0 REME and that looked like the end. However, a twist in the tail came when just 3 minutes from time, an out of character pass led to confusion between Defender and GoalKeeper allowing the RLC to nip in and claw one back. The punch in the Army’s fist remained resolute and rode the final few minutes out to win the Woolwich Cup for the first time in REME’s history. A truly memorable day and a fitting end to Maj Si Oldrid’s last ever game in charge as REME Manager before he hands over the reins to Assistant Manager WO2 Gaz Kelly.

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