THEY were the team that nobody wanted. Now, the ESFA Inter Association national champions, Stockport Under-15s are the best under-15 district side in the country.

It was around 12 months ago that district secretary John Cross contacted the Stockport Express and asked for an advertisement to be included in the schools soccer piece, asking for any local teachers who might be interest in running Stockport boys for the 2008/09 season to contact him as a matter of urgency.

Nobody replied.

In desperation of the team folding, one of the player’s fathers, Paul Lyn, approached Cross and offered his services in order for his son, Jordan Trinci-Lyn, to fulfil his dreams of representing his town at the sport he loves.

The rest, as they say, is history.

The season began with a hectic hat-trick of Greater Manchester Schools’ League games, with Stockport showing some good early season promise with victories against Oldham and Bolton and a 2-2 draw against Manchester.

Having received a first round bye in the national ESFA Inter Association Trophy, Stockport had to wait until October 18 before beginning their quest for glory when they ran out narrow 4-3 winners against Stoke in a thrilling end-to-end game in the Potteries.

Their first defeat of the season followed when they went down 2-1 to eventual Greater Manchester Schools’ League champions Tameside and more disappointment followed when they lost their opening Cheshire Cup group match against Mid Cheshire at the start of November.

The local lads picked themselves up and dusted themselves off and bounced back with national cup wins either side of Christmas, running out 2-0 victors against Wolverhampton in round three before brushing aside another Midlands side, Erdington and Saltley, 3-0 in round four.

A tough fifth round home draw followed against the Tamesiders who had already beaten Stockport in a league game earlier in the season.

But the youngsters rose to the occasion and smashed five past a dejected Tameside team in a convincing 5-1 display.

A narrow 1-0 win in the ESFA quarter final at York pitched them against South London in the semi-finals and the daunting task of the trek south to the capital.

A tense 1-1 extra-time stalemate set them up for glory or failure in the lottery of a penalty shoot out, but Stockport held their nerve and booked their place in the final with a narrow 5-4 shoot-out win.

That result pitched them against Warrington in the national final at Edgeley Park with the result now part of the town’s history following a tremendous 2-1 win in front of a 1,300-strong crowd.

Stockport then ran out 3-2 winners against Wirral in the Cheshire Cup Final a fortnight ago to cap a memorable and historic season for the boys and the town.