West Ham win cup for third time

A team of West Ham youngsters lifted the Premier League Kicks Cup for a third year in a row after beating Newcastle 1-0 in the mixed/boys final.

600 Under-16 youngsters playing in 70 teams and representing 47 Premier League and Football League clubs gathered at Jeffrey Humble Playing Fields in Liverpool on Thursday to display their skills in a competitive and high-quality tournament, which celebrated the work Kicks does throughout the year.

“This was an amazing event,” said Malachi Napa, who scored the winning goal for West Ham in the final. “I have played football since I was five and this was the best feeling in the world.
“I have never in my life had a time when I was so happy, to have scored the winning goal to win the cup. Everybody is happy, everyone is enjoying themselves. We came here to have fun, which is the main thing, but we came here to win because West Ham are the best Kicks!”

“It’s an amazing feeling to wear the West Ham shirt, we are not an academy but Kicks gives us the opportunity to participate in certain events which other people don’t get.”