AFC Sudbury are celebrating a successful end to what has been a challenging season.

The club’s Boys and Girls achieved a 'momentous double' as they won both England FA College Finals on the same day.

The Girls retained the National Football Youth League Cup, coming from behind to defeat Northampton Town 2-1 in the final on their own ground.

The Boys then lifted the England College FA Knockout Trophy for the first time, defeating Telford 3-0 at Accrington Stanley’s stadium.

AFC Sudbury Girls celebrate retaining the National Football Youth League Cup. Main photograph: AFC Sudbury Boys celebrate winning the England College FA Knockout Trophy. Photographs: Steve Screech

AFC Sudbury Chief Executive Patrick Bell said it was a 'momentous double' at the end of what he described as a 'very challenging season' for the club.

He told the club’s website: “Teams from Land’s End to Hadrian’s Wall and from the East Coast to the Welsh border entered this at the start of this season, and one club, our club, took the spoils.

“For the Girls, there was the additional accolade of retaining the National Football Youth League Cup for the second year.  Faced with having to travel to Northampton to play Northampton at their own ground, this served to make the victory all the sweeter. Despite going behind at first, these players were never going to be beaten.

“The Boys played later on a neutral ground, being historic Accrington Stanley’s stadium, comfortably winning the England College FA Knockout Trophy 3-0 despite the long commute for a 7pm kick off. We are grateful to Academy graduate and Cambridge United Player of the Year, Liam Bennett, who travelled to the match to support his old team.”

Bell continued: “It is my dream to recruit the majority of both our first teams into our U7s, our U13 EJA and JPL sections, and into our Academy age 16 and for them to develop as quickly and fully as possible.

“This is already happening to some degree and every year we are firming the foundations for this scenario to become our default. The board has recently agreed to invest in this, and in coming years that situation will become a reality.

“However, it cannot be rushed. It requires long-term thinking, patience and prudence leading to generational change.

“My heart-felt congratulations to all our talented, vibrant students who work so hard here at the AFC Sudbury Academy Centre of Excellence every day, and to the exceptional, hard-working teaching, coaching and support staff who make magical, life-affirming days like yesterday (last Wednesday) happen.

“Thanks also to our colleagues at SCL who provide consistent support for our Academy’s teaching, learning and enrichment programme.”

AFC Sudbury EJA Blue celebrate winning the Portable Space Suffolk Mixed Under-15 Minor Cup Final. Photograph: Stuart Cook

To round off a successful week for the club, AFC Sudbury’s EJA sides contested the Portable Space Suffolk Mixed Under-15 Minor Cup Final.

AFC Sudbury EJA Blue beat AFC Sudbury EJA Yellow 3-2 in the final staged at the club’s MEL Group Stadium on Sunday.

These successes come on the back of the club’s first team retaining their Southern League Premier Central status on the last day of the season.