SPORTY Swindon students celebrated their triumph in two regional football leagues.

Commonweal School sixth-formers received trophies from Swindon Town Football Club chief executive Steve Anderson for coming top of the tables after facing competition from other schools around the country.

The 70 students in Commonweal’s football programme played one professional-standard football match a week whilst continuing their A Level studies, learning training and coaching skills, and taking part in Swindon Town Football Club’s Football in the Community Trust events.

Boys team A won the English Football League’s Community & Education Football Alliance South East group and Boys team B won in the CEFA South West group. The girls’ team were runners-up in the women’s division.

Head of sixth form James Matcham said: “They have done a fantastic job, they are great ambassadors for us and for STFC.

“The programme has grown in size and in the quality of the football being played, to the point where it’s over-subscribed and we now have 70 people playing.

“This is the first time that all three teams have really excelled in the leagues they’ve played in. Next year, the boys teams will step up a league because of their win and face greater challenges.

“We really wanted to give students the best academic opportunities while they play professional-standard matches, work on training and coaching, and help out in community programmes.”