New trophies commissioned for under-23 Inter Services tournament
Brand new individual trophies have been commissioned for the three matches in the under-23 Inter Services tournament, it has been revealed.
Aligning with the men's and women's annual Inter Services competitions, the three trophies will be presented to the winners of each of the three fixtures in addition to the overall winners' trophy.
The trophies have also been named in recognition of selected individuals from each service who've made a profound impact on the game in the UK Armed Forces.
Royal Air Force U23s v British Army U23s: The Neil Hope Trophy
The trophy which will be presented in the under-23 Inter Services opener between the RAF and the Army is named in recognition of Wing Commander Neil Hope, whose contribution to service football can be traced back to 1982.
Wg Cdr Hope has long championed charitable causes including during his time as chair of the West Midlands Service Football League, where he organised the annual ATC 5-a-side tournament which raised over £40,000 for local charities.
In 2006, he set up the Taking Football to Africa and Beyond Charitable Appeal, sending over 350,000 football items to 61 impoverished countries and achieved full charitable status after a record-breaking 2023.
In 2008 he was appointed as the FA Council Member for the RAF FA, a role he served in for 15 years before he stepped down last year.
Despite higher-level opportunities, Wg Cdr Hope has never stopped supporting the RAF and has played a role in bridging a relationship with Shrewsbury Town FC to ensure that the Inter Services home fixtures for the senior men are delivered annually.
British Army U23s v Royal Navy U23s: The Joe Collins Trophy
The trophy which will be presented to the winners of the Army v Royal Navy clash is named in recognition of Captain Joe Collins, who remains the only player to have represented the Army at both youth, senior and UKAF level in the same season.
Capt Collins has represented the Army and UKAF at every level including over 200 appearances for his corps, 169 Army appearances and over 50 for UKAF and served as captain at every level.
His accolades include five Kentish Cup and Inter Services titles, six Corps trophies and four Army Challenge Cup successes.
Since moving on to coaching, he masterminded 4 Lancs to an Army Super Cup win, becoming the first reserve unit to win the title.
In 2023, he coached the Army Masters to win the inaugural Masters Inter Services (Major Billy Thomson BEM Trophy) followed by gold medal success in the European Masters Games in Helsinki.
Capt Collins was awarded a Service to Football Award in 2015 for his “sustained and selfless dedication" to Army Football over a quarter of a century and invaluable and dedicated service to the association.
Royal Navy U23s v Royal Air Force U23s: The Richard Wilkinson Trophy
The trophy that will be presented at the final U23 Inter Services fixture between the Navy and the RAF is named in recognition of CPOAET Richard 'Wilkie' Wilkinson, who passed away in 2022, leaving a legacy across all levels of Royal Navy Football both as a distinguished player and coach.
He made his debut for RNAS Culdrose in the 1991/92 season, and after deploying to the Adriatic Sea where he represented HMS Invincible, he returned in 1995 to win the Manager's Player of the Year award in his first full season back at the club.
CPOAET Wilkinson went on to win five Navy Cups out of a total seven Navy Cup Final appearances, and he also enjoyed a sixth win as Assistance Manager against HMS Ark Royal at Fratton Park in Portsmouth in 2011.
He enjoyed a successful civilian career which took him to a number of South West League clubs, notably Porthleven FC and Mullion FC, before being part of the Helston Athletic Combination League-winning side in 2010/11 season that started their rise through the FA league pyramid.
He returned to RNAS Culdrose Football Cub and quickly became a huge part of the club behind the scenes once again, serving the club as First Team Manager, First Team Captain, Reserve Team Captain, Bar Manager and Committee Member.
Vastly experienced, he was appointed Royal Navy Development Squad Assistant Coach, winning the Inter Service Championships in his first season.
All three matches from the U23 Inter Services will be broadcast on the Forces News YouTube channel with catch-up available on BFBS TV (for serving personnel only).
Find out more on how you can watch here.
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