'Massive' Inspiration For UK Forces Footballers Ahead Of France Clash
The UK's military footballers have been getting inspired by visiting the Royal Navy's brand new aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth in Portsmouth.
It comes ahead of a crunch opening match with France in the Kentish Cup on Sunday.
The three-way football tournament is contested annually between the British, French and Dutch forces.
The UK Armed Forces are reigning champions both on home soil and abroad - and are looking to keep it that way. Head coach Flight Sergeant Nicholas de-Long was keen to talk up their chances:
"They're playing well... [There are] lots of... inter-services winners in the group [and] all three services [are] represented almost equally. [They're] a hungry group."
The three teams will be hosted by the HMS Temeraire sports complex, in Portsmouth, over the next week.
The Brits, meanwhile, say a thorough, professional and all-inclusive regime with structured training camps has helped bring players from different services together.
The RAF's Corporal Lewis Brownhill said: "A few years back we were in France and the team we had back then was a world away from the team we have now.
"The way the whole squad's progressed, from the backroom staff down to the players [is great]."
It's a sentiment shared by Royal Navy Petty Officer Physical Trainer Danny Kerr:
"The team spirit, the togetherness we've built up throughout the season [and] throughout the past two or three seasons... I think that'll get us through."
The team retained the cup in the Netherlands last autumn with a 2-0 win over the Dutch forces and a 1-0 victory against France, secured by a last-minute strike from Josh Hughes.
Already victors from the home tournament in 2014, they cannot deny their favourites tag but won't be taking anything for granted. Cpl Brownhill added:
"They [the French] are always a strong team, whenever they come... [but] I feel like the goal in the last minute summed up how hard we'd worked for that victory.
"By no means is it a given that we're going to win this year."
Flt Sgt de-Long has an impressive record as a coach in competitive matches, but he'll know anything can happen once the competition kicks off.
And if there's one thing that'll really test his team, it's a Kentish Cup opener against the French forces.
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