Keeping the faith...

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She wears black and white religiously every day and is fanatical in her support, but Sister Josepha has not been to St James's Park in almost four years.

All that is about to change this weekend when she will be a guest of Newcastle United at Sunday's match with Southampton. The region's only football coaching nun cannot wait.

"I grew up supporting United and loved football," said the head teacher of St Vincent's Primary School in Walker, Newcastle.

"When I was at school I used to leave early just so I could play football with the lads in the playground.

"I am from a large family. My parents had 10 children - six girls and four boys - enough for a football team. My dad used to have a mini-bus and he would take us all out for the day where we would have a long game between ourselves. I always played centre-forward as I wanted to score the whole time.

"Unfortunately, we never had enough money to go to games so I grew up supporting Newcastle by watching them on television, but they have always been the only team for me.

"I even became a nun so I could wear black and white colours as I knew I'd never get a game at St James's Park.

"I went once before in 1997 as the school's six-a-side team had got to the final being held at St James's." Sister Josepha, who has been at the school for 20 years, is so Newcastle United mad that she even uses football themes for her school assemblies, writes songs about the team and sings them to her class.

St Vincent's has a strong football tradition and has Hartlepool United's Paul Stephenson and ex-Newcastle player Jeff Wrightson as former pupils. Lee Clark, who went to school at St Anthony's nearby, makes regular visits to talk to pupils.

Sister Josepha has recently been forced to take a more active role in her school's football development, since Brian Simpson, a former youth coach at United who looked after the school's football sides, retired after 30 years' teaching.

She said: "Brian was fantastic and after he left we were determined not to let all his good work go to waste so I took over the coaching. We are part of the Education Action Zone Partnership in Newcastle, as is United's head of education and welfare, Jimmy Nelson.

"The club give regular coaching session's to the pupils, which they love.

"There are so many parallels you can draw between football and education. We are encouraging the kids to work for each other, to build team spirit and to work hard, all the things that go into a successful football team.

"The children often lack role models, but they look up to people like Bobby Robson and the players."

United chairman Freddy Shepherd said: "I'm delighted Sister Josepha will be joining us on Sunday.

"The work she does is legendary and an inspiration to us all."

-- Anonymous, February 01, 2001

Answers

Can she do anything about the pitch and our injuries?

-- Anonymous, February 01, 2001

Will FS stop (stoop?) at nothing to get the press on his side?

Actually, a nice little story Dougal. I wonder if they've got Internet access at St Vincent's. We could do with the odd (!) change of view on here.

-- Anonymous, February 01, 2001


>>>>>>I even became a nun so I could wear black and white colours as I knew I'd never get a game at St James's Park.

Sadly, that would have been my best chance as well...

Great story Dougal.

-- Anonymous, February 01, 2001

Lovely story! Perhaps they should also bring her to the Charlton match. We can use all the help we can get!

-- Anonymous, February 01, 2001

She'd never get a ticket for the Charlton game ;-)

Besides, it's on a Sunday - as is the Soton game. Shouldn't she have other things to do on a Sunday??

-- Anonymous, February 01, 2001



lol.

-- Anonymous, February 01, 2001

Sunday = Bath day. She could always take a bath then go to the match it is a 4pm KO after all

-- Anonymous, February 01, 2001

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