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Welcome to the newest edition of the Afternoon Football Association End of Season Recap. The 1st, the original, the biggest, the BEST.

With the AFA moving to a single Premiership format for Season 3 every competition was highly sort after and the first trophy of the season was no exception. The AFA community shield was contested by Rooster Blues, Havnar Boltfelag, Ruskin Park Rangers and Mitsubishi Warriors all of which won competitions from last season.

In the Semi-Finals it was Season 2’s AFA Non-Premiership’s runner up who qualified for this event via AI% Ruskin Park Rangers, loosing out 2-1 to Season 2’s AFA Premier League Champions Rooster Blues. Joining them in the finals were bitter rivals who famously battled them in all competitions last season, Season 2’s AFA Cup Champions Havnar Boltfelag who beat last seasons Youth Team dominating Mitsubishi Warriors 3-1, showing that age and experience has some advantage over youth and energy.

So it was a repeat of last seasons Community Sheild, bitter rivals battling it out again for the first silverware of the season. With managers from all over the AFA attending to watch the match big things were expected, however a drab match by both teams standards and it wasnt until the 85th minute did the deadlock and the eventual winning goal get scored, and it was Havnar Botfelag again who retained the AFA Community Shield denying rooster Blues yet again, did Alexander Tikhov have Russel Jones’ number?

Possibly a new Dynasty of kids broke out onto the world stage when Mitsubishi Warriors, after a dominating U21 season last season winning both the U21 League and Cup, failed to reach this years U21 Cup Final, crashing out in the first round to Antonios United 4-3 on aggregate. This years final was contested by last seasons runner-up Athletico Daffy and new kids Havnar Botfelag. Again the game took place with many AFA managers in attendence, and perhaps such attention took its toll on the kids it was a tense 0-0 game, that is until the 4th minute of added time when Havnar Boltfelag snatched the 1-0 win, disgusted by such a late goal what can only be described as a moment of madness at the final whistle Athletico Daffy manager walked into the middle of the pitch, proceeded to drop his pants and moon the attending crowd in disgust . Alexander Tikhov took no notice and proceeded to lift his second piece of silverware of the season the U21 Cup trophy.

New to this season was the U19 league, giving the really young kids a chance to shine and not be overpowered by their slightly older players with 5 teams competing it was a closely contested competition going down to the wire, however Mitsubishi Warriors proved their eye for young talent is still the envy of the AFA finishing the season top of the league on 33points only 3points ahead of Havnar Boltfelag.

And almost as if to say that their U21 Cup exit was just a blip Mitsubishi Warriors proceeded to Retain the U21 League with 61points, 4points ahead of Havnar Boltfelag yet again. Can the youth trophys ever be stolen away from The Dungeon?

In the AFA Cup Havnar Boltfelag’s impressive cup final appearances finally came to an end, when they lost out to Athletico Daffy 2-0 in the Semi-Finals, Sweet revenge for the U21 Cup final Perhaps? So the showcase cup of the AFA was held, scheduled at a time for as many managers as possible to attend, and even an apearance by the unofficial Cantona GW Queen Hannah Swanson who was in attendence. This was the big one, a new AFA Cup Champion would be crowned Athletic Daffy vs Rooster Blues. The game looked even in the first half, both sides getting their chances, however David Dryden must of said something to his team at half time as they started to make better and get more of the chances, and their efforts finally arrived in the 63rd minute sinking Rooster Blues’ fans hearts, they never really looked like getting back into the game and when the final whistle went Altheltico Daffy entered the small group of AFA Champions and earning a Cup Winners Cup place for next season lifting the prestigious Afternoon Football Association Cup.

With the restructuring of the AFA Senior leagues every league place could prove to be key, due to the positions of Cup Winners in the AFA league standings Antonios United and Cockleberry Fin FC gained entry into the UFFA Cup Winners Cup competition for finishing 7th and 9th respectively and having good AI%. New boys FC Eagles made good strides finishing in 3rd place gaining entry into the UFFA Silver Cup along with Paris Saint-Germain FC who finished 4th. But yet again, for the second season, it was the rivalry that eclipses them all, bigger than Manchester United and Liverpool, Real Madrid and Barcelona, Celtic and Rangers, yes the AFA Premiership Title was contested, and while for the most part it looked quite open at one point Paris Saint-Germain and even new boys FC Eagles sat at the top of the league for a time. However it was Havnar Boltfelag and Rooster Blues breaking away again in a race for the title braking the 100point barrier. For all their upsets and heartache in the cups Rooster Blues showed a league form anyone would be envious of winning 37matches drawing just 4 and only loosing 11 games, 8 of which away from home, finishing the season with 4 game still to play on an astounding 115points 14 clear of Rivals Havnar Boltfelag. Such an impressive season can only be applauded and everyone from the AFA congratulated Russell Jones and his Rooster Blues team on becoming 2 time Afternoon Football Association Champions.

In UFFA competitions the AFA had a respectable showing, Paris Saint-Germain managed to get through the group stage, however lost out in the last 16 stage loosing 4-2 to AFC Garuda, Perth Glory FC managed to go one better and reached the Quarter-Finals, however they crashed out to a narrow 2-1 defeat to Morover Rovers. Mitsubishi Warriors unfortunately finished bottom of their group in the World Youth Cup bringing their ego from season 2’s AFA U21 Domination down to earth. In the UFFA Silvr Cup, Athletic Daffy emulated the Warriors performance, finishing bottom of their group, however Cockleberry Finn FC did reach the Last 16 only to go out 4-2 to Devils bats Sochaliens. In the prestigious UFFA Gold Cup, havnar Boltfelag could only finish 3rd in their group and will be looking to improve on that next season, while Rooster Blues getting through to the last 16 but unfortunately like most of the AFA that progressed in the UFFA tournaments loosing 4-1 to Leigh Rangers.

Also in an initiative created by AFA Organisers, and to create some banter and competition between FAs, the AFA vs CWA league was created, where 5 teams from each FA play eachother in a standard league format, with the winning FA being the FA with the most participating teams in the top 5, currently with no fewer than 4 teams in the top 5, and a possibility of a clean swap the AFA is proving to be the more competitve of the small FAs.

Along with the AFA vs CWA league, there was an Inter-TimeZone Championships created as a competetive competition between the 3 overlaping FAs timewise, being the AFA the EEFA and the PFA, the AFA will fewer members have done well to get 3 teams through to the last 16 and a definate 2 teams into the Quarter-Finals, proving that small FAs can compete at a high level.

While other FAs have pre-selected their players of the season, the AFA prides itself on involving its members and has a selection of votes for many awards, and results will be posted hopefully before the start of season 4 and 3 Teams of the Season will follow shortly.

The Afternoon Football Association Organising Team.

The Second Afternoon Football Association Season got off to a great start with the Afternoon Charity Shield.Winners of both Qualifying leagues, Rooster Blues and Havnar Boltfelag battled it out till Havnar Boltfelag got what would be the winning goal on 66 minutes. Winning 1-0 and crowned Afternoon Charity Shield Champions.

Rooster Blues vowed revenge and got a second chance in the Afternoon Cup when they met Havnar Boltfelag again in the final, this was a more eventful and even affair. Havnar Boltfelag came out on top again however winning a cup double adding Afternoon Cup Championship to their trophy cabinet and entry into the Cup Winners’ Cup with a 2-1 victory.

Elsewhere, in the Afternoon Non-Premiership Cup Final, Les Gunners HKFC beat Ruskin Park Rangers 3-1 to become Afternoon Non-Premiership Cup Champions, however due to Les Gunners HKFC leaving the Game World, runner ups Ruskin Park Rangers will be playing Cup Winners’ Cup football next season.
In the U21 Comps, Robert Webbs U21 Mitsubishi Warriors showed their dominance doing the U21 Double, beating Havnar Boltfelag by 6 points in the Afternoon U21 League to lift the trophy as well as beating Athletico Daffy 1-0 in a close final to become Afternoon U21 Cup Champions also.

The Afternoon Championship was a bit of a nightmare administratively, Les Gunners HKFC were again crowned Champions but with a shocking 16 teams over the 65% AI limit and Les Gunners HKFC leaving the GW, only 2 teams were eligible for promotion, Gokhan Kurt’s FC Patapon and Dean RPR’s Ruskin Park Rangers

In the Afternoon Premiership the bottom 3 teams relegated to the Afternoon Championship, were Dynamiska FF, JDA Revolution and oilers Joining them however, due again to the 65% AI limit are the teams of Candlemass, Academy FC, and Polat’in Adamlari.
In the top half of the table Silver Cup places go to Athletico Daffy and Cockleberry Finn F.C for finishing 3rd and 4th respectively. Cup Winners’ Cup places have also been awarded to 5th and 6th placed Paris Saint-Germain FC and Perth Glory FC, because last seasons Qualifying group winners who have battle each other in the cups and the league all season finished in the top 2, and with them meeting in the Afternoon Cup Final, the Cup Winners’ Cup places went to the next lower places. So it was the bitter rivals again battling it out all season long over the Afternoon Premiership Title. And it was Rooster Blues who finally overcame their disappointments in the cups, finishing above Havnar Boltfelag 11 points more on 82 doing it in style Lifting the Afternoon Premiership trophy with 3 games still left to play.

The Afternoon Football Association was represented admirably in all Union of FML Football Associations competitions, Mitsubishi Warriors unfortunately finished bottom of their group in the World Youth Cup but Havnar Boltfelag made it to the Quarter Finals however loosing out on away goals after a 4-4 and 1-1 adventure. In the Cup Winners’ Cup the AFA Paris Saint-Germain FC failed to get past the group stages however the teams of Athletico Daffy and Knutsen FC got through their group stages, and got past the last 16 to meet in the Quarter Finals. Knutsen FC came out on top however winning 3-1 on aggregate. They went on to the Cup Winners’ Cup Final however lost out in a close game 2-1 to Xtreme Evening Football Association’s Royal Cracovia FC. There was heartache in the Silver Cup as Candlemass and Dagantu F.C. failed to get out of their group stages and Perth Glory FC failing to get past the last 16. In the Gold Cup, Havnar Boltfelag failed to get past the group stage but Rooster Blues did manage to reach the last 16 before lossing 3-1 to Woeful Way To Glory

Congratulations to all the Champions, and Union of FML Football Associations Qualification winners and those promoted to the Afternoon Premiership. And Commiserations to those relegated into the Afternoon Championship or those that did not finish where they would of liked in all competitions.