LONG Lane FC U13 Tigers have enjoyed a fine first season in the Kent Youth League.

The Blackheath-based team is made up of boys from Greenwich, Bexley and Kent and currently sit joint top of the Kent League (North) Division.

They also won the League Cup in March by beating a very strong Glebe side 2-0 in the final at Lordswood FC.

However, their biggest achievement was to win the Tesco Kent County Cup at the start of April for the first time in the club’s history when they defeated Ebbsfleet United to win the right to represent Kent in the national competition.

Manager Dean Bresnahan said: “I’m so proud of the boys, they are a real credit to our club and the league.

“They are the best group of players that I have ever worked with.”

In the past 12 years Long Lane FC has raised and spent just under £3m, turning round a once derelict and vandalised site.

Some of the improvements include a newly refurbished clubhouse, first class training and changing facilities, a sports injury clinic, an office and a shop.

One of the last pieces of the jigsaw in the Long Lane’s development plan has been the installation of a new grass pitch drainage system, as well as having the pitches re-graded and laser levelled.

Long Lane has also been chosen to be an Olympic football training venue for up to eight different nations in this summer’s Games.

In preparation for this, the Olympic committee have installed a pop up sprinkler system to cover every pitch.

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