Former Sunderland captain watches on as school pupils do battle in Tesco Bank football tournament

Tesco Bank Junior Players football tournament. Former SAFC captain Gary Bennett with Barnwell Primary School (green) and Castletown Primary School (pink)

Ex-Sunderland skipper Gary Bennett was at Silksworth Sports Complex to see the start of the Tesco Bank Junior Players event.

The community sports programme, in partnership with Tesco Bank and Tesco Underwriting, annually will see 15,000 primary school pupils from across the North East take part in football and basketball sessions led by the Sunderland AFC’s official charity the Foundation of Light, Newcastle United Foundation and Newcastle Eagles Community Foundation, in schools.

Over 120 youngsters, boys and girls, gathered at the sports centres 3G pitches to battle it out for the right to go through to the next round.

The tournament is part of heats for the Premier League Schools Tournament, in which the finalists will play at Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge later this year.

Other events are taking part in East Durham, Durham City and South Tyneside later this week.

Former captain Gary, who made more than 350 appearances for Sunderland and is an ambassador for the tournament, told the Echo: “It’s a fantastic initiative and a great way of getting young people active and enjoying themselves and what better way of doing than by playing football.

Tesco Bank Junior Players football tournament. Former SAFC captain Gary Bennett

“In a way I wish we had more things like this when I was a kid as it would’ve been something I’d have loved to do.

“It’s not just boys as well which people might think it is, it’s for girls too and one of the best players we’ve actually seen today is a girl.

“At the minute it’s being rolled out regionally but obviously there’s a chance to play at a Premier League ground at the end of it.”

Richard Hopper, head of commercial at the Foundation of Light, said: “The schools have been really keen to get involved with the programme.

Tesco Bank Junior Players football tournament. Barnwell Primary School (green) V Castletown Primary School (pink)

“It’s giving them an opportunity to get their pupils taking part in sport and getting them out of the classroom for a little bit.

“We’re trying to grow the event and give as many children as possible the chance to play.”

Chris Lindstedt, chairman of Sunderland Schools Football Association, said: “I think it’s a great event.

“There are some schools here taking part who don’t have a school football team, perhaps because they don’t have a member of staff to run it.

“It’s nice for us to be able to play against them and for them to play against teams they wouldn’t normally get the chance to face.”