TEENAGERS will take on police officers on the football field this weekend for an ancient trophy.
Defending champions East Durham Eagles under 16s will take on South Durham Police for the Webster Trophy in a match at Durham City FC’s ground on Sunday.
The trophy, now a valuable silver antique, was donated to Durham Constabulary in 1923 by the then High Sheriff of Durham, Captain Rowland Burton Webster.
For many years, it was used as the trophy for the divisional tug-of-war at the police annual sports day.
The trophy was brought out of retirement in 2006 for an event organised by the Eddy Youth Project in which local teenagers played a football match against the police.
Durham Constabulary FC won the inaugural match, with a 3-2 victory over Sherburn Flames under 18s.
In 2010, East Durham Eagles under 15s won the trophy in a dramatic game against Durham County Cougars Under 15s after a protracted penalty shoot out, the first time in seven years that a youth team had taken the trophy from the police.
A year on and the Eagles are returning to try to defend their title. The match kicks off at 6.30pm.
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