Yorkshire football team
The Yorkshire international football team represents Yorkshire in international association football and is controlled by the Yorkshire International Football Association (YIFA), founded in 2017.
| Nickname(s) | The Vikings | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Association | Yorkshire International Football Association | ||
| Confederation | CONIFA World Unity Football Alliance | ||
| Head coach | Ryan Farrell | ||
| Captain | Paddy McGuire | ||
| Most caps | Jordan Coduri (7) | ||
| Top scorer | Jordan Coduri, Tom Greaves, Brodie Litchfield (4) | ||
| Home stadium | Various | ||
| |||
| First international | |||
  (Fitzwilliam, Yorkshire; 28 January 2018) | |||
| Biggest win | |||
 (Fitzwilliam, Yorkshire; 25 March 2018) | |||
| Biggest defeat | |||
 (Saint Peter, Jersey; 21 October 2018) | |||
Yorkshire is not affiliated with FIFA or UEFA and is therefore unable to participate in the competitions of either body. Instead, it plays under the CONIFA footballing umbrella, having become a member of the confederation on 6 January 2018.
Yorkshire does not have an official home stadium and plays at various venues throughout the region. Its first match, a 1–1 draw with Ellan Vannin, took place on 28 January 2018 at the Yorkshire NuBuilds Stadium in Fitzwilliam.
History
Early attempts at a Yorkshire team
Despite Yorkshire having a representative schoolboy team for many years, there was no formal senior equivalent until 1924 when the West Riding County Football Association put together a men’s side as part of the jubilee of the University of Leeds. Players were chosen from Bradford City, Bradford Park Avenue, Halifax Town, Huddersfield Town and Leeds United.[1] Although the team won 2–0, it did not represent the whole county.[2] In 1935, a Yorkshire team made up of players from leading clubs across the entire region, including Bradford City, Huddersfield Town, Leeds United and Sheffield United, took on a team formed of Middlesbrough, Newcastle United and Sunderland players at the latter’s Roker Park ground as part of the Queen's jubilee celebrations.[3] Once again, however, the team, which beat the North East side 3–2, was reported as representing only West Yorkshire.[4]
First official Yorkshire international team
Officially established on 16 July 2017, YIFA held a foundation meeting in October of the same year at the Square Chapel, Halifax, to sign off its constitution and formalise its existence as a footballing body. While organising a senior Yorkshire international football team was its primary focus, YIFA also gave notice of its intention to seek membership of CONIFA.[5] Plans for a senior women’s team and disability teams were also announced.
On 13 November 2017, YIFA announced that Ryan Farrell, assisted by Micky Long, had been appointed as Yorkshire's first ever head coach.[6][7] On 6 January 2018, ahead of the friendly against Ellan Vannin, Yorkshire was accepted as a member of CONIFA. The following week, Matt Bradley of Dinnington Town was the first player revealed to have been called up to the national side, while Paddy McGuire, who plays for Thackley, was named the first captain.[8][9]
Team colours
Yorkshire’s traditional kit colour is dark blue. The current kit is provided by Yorkshire-based sportswear company, Godzown Sports.
Logo
Inspired by the Yorkshire flag, the motif of the Yorkshire international football team features a stylised White Rose of York on a blue shield.
Fixtures and results
Win Draw Loss
2018
| 28 January Friendly | Yorkshire | 1–1 | | Fitzwilliam |
| 15:30 GMT | Coduri  |
Report | Davies |
Stadium: Yorkshire NuBuilds Stadium Attendance: 627 Referee: Steve Lynch |
| 25 March Friendly | Yorkshire | 6–0 | | Fitzwilliam |
| 15:00 BST | Collier Rhodes Hobson Mole Bradley |
Report | Stadium: Yorkshire NuBuilds Stadium Attendance: 532 |
| 15 April Friendly | Barawa .svg.png){kind=small} | 2–7 | | London |
| 17:00 BST | |
Hurtley Coduri Rigby Rhodes |
Stadium: Coles Park Stadium |
| 21 October Friendly | Parishes of Jersey | 2–1 | | Saint Peter, Jersey |
| 15:30 BST | Boyle C. Weir |
Ripley |
Stadium: La Rue des Vignes |
2019
| 4 May Friendly | Yorkshire | 6–2 |  | Athersley |
| 15:00 BST | Walshaw Dempsey Litchfield Normanton |
Report | Abdi |
Stadium: Sheerien Park |
| 1 June 2019 Atlantic Heritage Cup | Yorkshire | 1–0 | | Ossett |
| 15:00 | Litchfield |
Stadium: Ingfield Stadium Attendance: 521 Referee: Karl Parker |
| 10 October Friendly | Yorkshire | 1–2 |  | Ossett |
| 19:45 | Litchfield |
Thomas A. Prashanth R. |
Stadium: Ingfield Stadium Attendance: 175 |
2020
| 23 May 2020 Southern Frontier Cup | TBC | v | | Whyteleafe, Surrey |
| Stadium: Church Road |
| 24 May 2020 Southern Frontier Cup | TBC | v | | Whyteleafe, Surrey |
| Stadium: Church Road |
Selected International Opponents
| Opponents | Matches | Win | Draw | Loss | GF | GA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 2 |
| 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 4 |
| 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 2 |
Players
The following players were called up to the squad for the friendly against
Caps and goals correct as of 1 June 2019 after the game against
| No. | Pos. | Player | Date of birth (age) | Caps | Goals | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GK | George Clarke | 11 May 2000 | 3 | 0 | | |
| GK | Luke Wilson | 1 | 0 | | ||
| DF | Danny Buttle | 4 | 0 | | ||
| DF | Isaac Baldwin | 0 | 0 | | ||
| DF | Kris Hargreaves | 0 | 0 | | ||
| MF | Jordan Coduri | 7 | 4 | | ||
| MF | Paddy McGuire (captain) | 29 July 1987 | 6 | 0 | | |
| MF | Cameron Rigby | 20 January 1997 | 4 | 1 | | |
| MF | Jack Normanton | 7 April 1997 | 2 | 1 | | |
| MF | Kieron Thompson | 0 | 0 | | ||
| MF | Sam Barker | 0 | 0 | | ||
| FW | Matt Bradley | 5 | 1 | | ||
| FW | Brodie Litchfield | 17 October 1997 | 3 | 3 |  | |
| FW | James Wilshaw | 12 February 1984 | 1 | 3 | | |
Recent call-ups
The following players have been called up in the past twelve months or withdrew from the squad due to injury or suspension.
| Pos. | Player | Date of birth (age) | Caps | Goals | Club | Latest call-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GK | Kyle Trenerry | 10 July 1999 | 1 | 0 | |
v. |
| GK | Ed Hall | 31 October 1992 | 4 | 0 | |
v. |
| DF | Ben Rhodes | 6 | 3 | |
v. | |
| DF | Eddy Busfield | 23 May 1997 | 3 | 0 | |
v. |
| DF | Matt Dempsey | 6 February 1990 | 2 | 1 | |
v. |
| DF | Connor Smythe | 11 January 1996 | 1 | 0 | |
v. |
| DF | James Knowles | 23 May 1983 | 1 | 0 | |
v. |
| DF | Lawrence Hunter | 6 | 0 | |
v. | |
| DF | Andy McManus | 26 July 1987 | 5 | 0 | |
v. |
| DF | Alex McQuade | 7 November 1992 | 1 | 0 | |
v. |
| MF | Adam Hayton (vice-captain) | 6 | 0 | |
v. | |
| MF | Ross Daly | 3 May 1989 | 1 | 0 | |
v. |
| MF | Corey Gregory | 22 February 1993 | 1 | 0 | |
v. |
| MF | Nathan Valentine | 5 October 1993 | 0 | 0 | |
v. |
| MF | Jordan Emery | 2 | 0 | |
v. | |
| FW | Tom Greaves (vice-captain) | 23 April 1985 | 3 | 4 | |
v. |
| FW | Seon Ripley | 23 March 1994 | 4 | 1 | |
v. |
Head coach
| Manager | Period | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
2018 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 62.5 |
| Totals | 8 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 62.5 | |
See also
- Category:Footballers from Yorkshire
- Football in England
- English football league system
- Football records in England
References
- "A Yorkshire Soccer Team". Leeds Mercury. 11 December 1924. p. 15.
- "Student's Bright Display". Leeds Mercury. 19 December 1924. p. 15.
- "Yorkshire's Selected". Sunderland Daily Echo and Shipping Gazette. 3 May 1935. p. 14.
- "Few Thrills at Roker Park". Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer. 7 May 1935. p. 21.
- "Yorkshire Is Getting Its Own International Football Team". www.yorkshirepost.co.uk. Retrieved 21 October 2017.
- "How Yorkshire Has Launched Its Own International Team". bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 26 April 2018.
- "Reet Champion! Yorkshire Gets Its Own International Football Team". examiner.co.uk. Retrieved 26 April 2018.
- "Dinnington Town FC on Twitter". twitter.com.
- "Match Of The Dales: Yorkshire's International Football Team Is Taking Devolution Into Its Own Hands". esquire.com. Retrieved 4 May 2018.
- "Yorkshire International Football Association_Players". yorkshireifa.com.