Coaches of a girls’ football team who wanted their players to be more “aggressive” enlisted an opposition XI with the specific task of “winding them up” - their own mums.
The coaches of the Busby Purples Under 12s team felt their girls weren’t playing with enough of a ruthless edge, and decided that the best way to get the competitive juices flowing was to make them play against their own mothers.
Tony Bennett, coach of the U12s team, said the intention was to get the players “fired up.”
“The original idea came from our coaches Laura and Kelly,” he said, “who were thinking outside the box, because the girls are not the most aggressive.
“We thought playing their mums would wind them up, and get them fired up to compete and win. The idea quickly grew arms and legs from there, as things often do with Busby Girls.”
Once it was confirmed that the generational showdown was going ahead, the organisers realised it would be a great chance to raise some money for charity. They opted to fundraise for Cash for Kids, an organisation that supports children affected by poverty, illness and neglect.
The maternal match took place on November 3 at Overlee playing fields in Clarkston, with the U12s running out 8-6 winners on a muddy surface described as “more of a boggy free-for-all than a level playing field.”
“The match was brilliant,” said coach Tony. “The muddy pitch certainly made it more challenging for the mums.
“There was little or no coaching - the coaches spent the whole game just trying to make sure mums and daughters were coming up against each other.
“They didn’t disappoint. There was great banter and no shortage of poor refereeing that ensured the mums stayed competitive!”
Besides establishing the footballing superiority of the progeny over the parent, the match also far exceeded its £500 fundraising target, with the total currently standing at well over £1000.
Donations can still be made at: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/tony-bennett-2.
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