A FORMER mining community has gone football mad after teams collected 13 trophies in one season.

Players in Coundon paraded their collection of silverware to round off the best year anyone can remember.

Success, it seems, is simple. There's no magic formula, according to coaches - the players just enjoy the game.

The winning habit starts early in the community where youngsters from St Joseph's RC Primary School are champions of the Bishop Auckland Minor league B.

Coundon and Leeholme under-13s and under-14s play in the Teesside Junior Football Alliance Sunday league. The under-13s won the fourth division and the under-14s were runners up in the fifth. Coundon and Leeholme Youth team notched up a hat trick winning the Crook and District league, the Albert Vickers Cup and the Weardale Cup.

The Workingmen's Club won CIU County Cup and were first division and cup winners in the Wear Valley Sunday league.

Coundon Conservative Club won four - the Wear Valley Sunday league cup, the 2nd Division league and cup and the Durham Hospitals' Cup.

Coundon has always enjoyed a proud footballing tradition but this season was remarkable.

Juniors' secretary Michael McGowan said: "They do well because they are happy playing with their friends. It was a great season for all."