PESL Futsal Cup
Encyclopedia
The PESL Futsal
Cup is an annual event taking place every August in Clitheroe
, in the heart of the Ribble Valley
. The competition is one of only a few futsal tournaments which take place in the north of England.
PESL 5-a-side was founded by Damon Shaw and Craig Brown in February 2003, whilst on a train journey from York
to Middlesbrough
. After months of planning the vision became reality and August of that year saw the first ever PESL tournament, held at Roefield Stadium, Clitheroe. Eight teams contested for the trophy in two groups of four, followed by the knockout stages. The historic first ever winners were Aragon, a team which included both Shaw and Brown, as they beat Stanley Arms 5-2 in the final. It was an appropriate end to the tournament, as recognition of all the work put in by them.
Since the 2003 tournament, PESL has evolved rapidly, with 2004 seeing an expansion to 12 teams, the birth of the official website and all matches being filmed by dedicated cameramen. A presentation evening held at Accrington Stanley Football Club rounded off what had been another hugely successful tournament, with Malia Massive being crowned champions.
2005 saw the tournament being renamed "The PESL Futsal Cup" with 15 teams competing for the brand new trophy. Malia Massive recorded their second successive triumph with a 3-2 victory over Roe Lee Renegades in an excellent final, overseen by a fully qualified referee, a sign of the times to come as the tournament becomes more respected by the year.
2006 was arguably the most dramatic finish yet, with Re'ad Madrid denying Malia Massive a third successive triumph with a 3-0 victory in the final.
The future of the competition appears to be in doubt, after last year's event was cancelled due to scheduling issues and little evidence to suggest PESL will be revived this year.
Futsal
Futsal is a variant of association football that is played on a smaller pitch and mainly played indoors. Its name is a portmanteau of the Portuguese futebol de salão and the Spanish fútbol de salón , which can be translated as "hall football" or "indoor football"...
Cup is an annual event taking place every August in Clitheroe
Clitheroe
Clitheroe is a town and civil parish in the Borough of Ribble Valley in Lancashire, England. It is 1½ miles from the Forest of Bowland and is often used as a base for tourists in the area. It has a population of 14,697...
, in the heart of the Ribble Valley
Ribble Valley
Ribble Valley is a local government district with borough status within the non-metropolitan county of Lancashire, England. Its council is based in Clitheroe. Other places include Whalley, Longridge and Ribchester. The area is so called due to the River Ribble which flows in its final stages...
. The competition is one of only a few futsal tournaments which take place in the north of England.
History
| Season | Winners |
|---|---|
| 2006 | Re'ad Madrid |
| 2005 | Malia Massive |
| 2004 | Malia Massive |
| 2003 | Aragon |
PESL 5-a-side was founded by Damon Shaw and Craig Brown in February 2003, whilst on a train journey from York
York
York is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...
to Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough is a large town situated on the south bank of the River Tees in north east England, that sits within the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire...
. After months of planning the vision became reality and August of that year saw the first ever PESL tournament, held at Roefield Stadium, Clitheroe. Eight teams contested for the trophy in two groups of four, followed by the knockout stages. The historic first ever winners were Aragon, a team which included both Shaw and Brown, as they beat Stanley Arms 5-2 in the final. It was an appropriate end to the tournament, as recognition of all the work put in by them.
Since the 2003 tournament, PESL has evolved rapidly, with 2004 seeing an expansion to 12 teams, the birth of the official website and all matches being filmed by dedicated cameramen. A presentation evening held at Accrington Stanley Football Club rounded off what had been another hugely successful tournament, with Malia Massive being crowned champions.
2005 saw the tournament being renamed "The PESL Futsal Cup" with 15 teams competing for the brand new trophy. Malia Massive recorded their second successive triumph with a 3-2 victory over Roe Lee Renegades in an excellent final, overseen by a fully qualified referee, a sign of the times to come as the tournament becomes more respected by the year.
2006 was arguably the most dramatic finish yet, with Re'ad Madrid denying Malia Massive a third successive triumph with a 3-0 victory in the final.
The future of the competition appears to be in doubt, after last year's event was cancelled due to scheduling issues and little evidence to suggest PESL will be revived this year.