English Schools' Football Association

The ESFA are delighted to announce that the captain of the ESFA U15 girls' team for 2015 will be Niamh Cashin. This will not be the first time that Niamh has represented the U15s, as she was a significant member of the 2014 Bob Docherty winning team as a Y9 pupil. In travelling to Lisbon for the recent warm weather training camp, Niamh made the bold decision to withdraw from the FA U15 girls' squad that was holding a training camp at the same time. That decision was rewarded not only with two successes (6-0 vs Sintrense and 8-0 vs FC Benfica) but also in the fact that Niamh scored two goals.

Niamh says she feels very privileged to be named as captain and realises the enormity of the role and the responsibilities that come with it. "I felt that we went out to Portugal as individuals but developed both on and off the field and returned as a team. This was down to all the hard work of the coaches, the willingness of the squad to train well and take on board all the advice given to us by our 2 England legends Rachel Yankey and Rachel Brown-Finnis, as well as all the ESFA staff who worked so hard to make this trip possible."

Manageress, Miranda Hall said, "I am extremely pleased with the start the u15 girls have made this year, showing excellent potential for the forthcoming season. The warm weather training camp allowed us to coach the players and have a look at them in a competitive situation. Each player developed both as footballers and as individuals throughout the course of the week - as did the noise levels in the camp as the girls got to know each other! As always I am thankful to the outstanding team I have around me and the hard work they put in throughout the week. For girls to be coached by Rachel Brown and Rachel Yankey was a dream come true. One player had a selfie with Rachel (Yankey) from seven years ago on her phone - not in her wildest dreams did she imagine she would one day have a weeks worth of selfies with her many years later!

I literally cannot contain my excitement regarding the remainder of the season. Everything is geared towards the Bob Docherty tournament in April where we will be aiming to retain our title. A big thanks to the ESFA for all the tireless hard work that goes on behind the scenes to help provide schools football. Especially to Mike Spinks who prepared this trip and to Andy Williams who never stops working and looking to improve and develop the girls. Finally, well done to the squad who were a credit to England Schools football week in everything that they did".

This was the first involvement from former England international Rachel Brown-Finnis and current international Rachel Yankey. Rachel Brown-Finnis said, "I thoroughly enjoyed my first trip away with the ESFA u15 girls team. Both the girls and the staff were a pleasure to work with." Rachel Yankey also commented on the strength of the togetherness, saying "To start not knowing each other and to perform as well as they did was amazing. The team gelled well and quickly; I am looking forward to seeing them again in Ireland in a few weeks."