By David Gold
April 18 – England’s lower league clubs will bask in the international spotlight when they host matches in the 2014 UEFA European Women’s Under-17 Championship.
Chesterfield, from League 1, Burton Albion, of League 2, Telford United, from the Conference, and Hinckley United of the Conference North, are the clubs due to put on games, the English Football Association has confirmed.
England was awarded the annual tournament by UEFA at last month’s Executive Committee meeting of Europe’s governing body.
It will be the first time the competition is held outside of Nyon in Switzerland since its inception in 2008.
Chesterfield’s B2net Stadium (pictured above), opened in 2009, has a capacity of 10,400 fans, the Pirelli Stadium in Burton can hold almost 7,000, Telford’s New Bucks Head ground takes 6,300 and just over 4,000 can fit into Hinckley’s Greene King Stadium.
The FA’s decision will be particularly welcomed in the non-league circles of Telford, whose original Telford United club went out of business in 2004, and Hinckley, where the town’s United has also experienced serious financial problems in recent times.
It is also a boost for the women’s game in England where a continental tournament will take place for the first time since 2005, when the UEFA European Women’s Championship came to the country.
England has also hosted the men’s European Under-18 Championship on three occasions, and the European Under-16 Championship in 2001 – a tournament in which Chelsea striker Fernando Torres scored Spain’s winning goal against France in the final.
Crowds increased significantly, in the wake of last year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup, at the English Women’s Super League games, thanks in part to publicity created by a television deal with ESPN.
St George’s Park (pictured), the FA’s National Football Centre (NFC) which will finally open in Burton this year – 30 years after the concept of such a facility was first mooted – will act as a training hub for teams involved in the tournament.
The NFC is designed to increase the standard of youth coaching in England and better develop players for the national team.
FA chairman David Bernstein said: “It is testament to the commitment shown by the FA at development level, a great honour for us, and we look forward to staging a fantastic tournament.
“Women’s football made great strides forward after we staged the 2005 UEFA European Women’s Championship in the north-west of England and we had tremendous support from fans, both in the stadiums and watching on TV.
“I am sure they will turn out in force again for the under-17 finals in two years’ time.
“In the meantime, it is imperative we do all we can to help the FA Women’s Super League go from strength to strength.”
The inaugural European Women’s Under-17 Championship was won by Germany which retained its crown in 2009, with Spain winning the next two tournaments.
Contact the writer of this story at zib.l1734836911labto1734836911ofdlr1734836911owedi1734836911sni@d1734836911log.d1734836911ivad1734836911