We visit the countryside village made special by ‘friendly’ people who hold an annual Boxing Day football match
By Luke Powell
Copyright expressandstar
Each year on December 26, residents of the village between Newport and Eccleshall gather to battle for the Barry Clews Boxing Day Trophy – a fierce but friendly football match that has become a cornerstone of Woodseaves life.
The match, which began decades ago and evolved to a face-off between Woodseaves FC and workers for local employer Stan Robinsons, has taken many forms over the years, including dads vs sons and married men vs singles.
And at the heart of this much-loved tradition is The Cock Inn, the village pub run by Paul Treadwell, who has helped breathe new life into the event following the uncertainty of the Covid-19 pandemic years.
“It almost didn’t happen after Covid, which was a real shame,” Paul said. “But as a community we got it going again.”
The match between the village team and pub side attracted more than 100 spectators last year and raised cash for charity Andy’s Man Club, a mental health initiative.
After the match, the pub becomes the heart of the celebration, providing food, drink, and entertainment to players and fans alike. Inside, the Barry Clews Trophy sits proudly beside the bar, alongside silverware from the Cock Inn’s darts and dominoes teams – further proof that the pub is rooted in its community.
