Andy McCann has only just gotten back to his regular duties. By day, he is an assistant headteacher at Great Sankey High School in Warrington, and with the summer break finally over, the new school term is in full swing. Yet, in a surprising twist, he is about to embark on an eight‑day leave that will see him assume the role of England manager – albeit in a very specific, amateur context. McCann also holds the position of manager for the Cheshire League representative side, a squad assembled from the standout players of the Cheshire League Premier Division.
This team recently clinched the FA Inter‑League Cup, defeating the Herts Senior County League at Leicester’s King Power Stadium on 9 May. That victory secured the Cheshire League’s place as England’s representatives in the UEFA Regions Cup, an international competition for amateur regional selections.
The UEFA Regions Cup, founded in 1996, is a biennial tournament that brings together amateur representative teams from UEFA’s member associations. After a hiatus in 2021 due to the pandemic, the competition resumed and follows a format where qualified or nominated teams enter an intermediate stage, are divided into eight groups, and the group winners advance to the finals. Historically, Spain has dominated with four titles, Italy follows with three, Poland has two, and the Republic of Ireland, Portugal, Croatia and the Czech Republic have each won once.
On Sunday, 6 September, McCann and his squad will fly to Sweden for a three‑match mini‑tournament that could see them become the first England side ever to reach the Regions Cup finals. "During the Inter‑League Cup, the chairman Rob Goodwin‑Davey – who is the Mr Cheshire League – kept mentioning that we might get the chance to represent England, but I was solely focused on winning the cup," McCann told Sky Sports.
"Our management team met a few times to fine‑tune tactics, set‑pieces and final details, and that’s when the scale of the opportunity really hit us." After the cup win, the banter in the local pub turned to jokes about him becoming England manager once the World Cup was over. McCann laughed, noting that while the comparison to a full‑time national coach is tongue‑in‑cheek, the experience does feel like a miniature version of that role.
"It’s a real privilege and an honour to be England manager for a week, at whatever level. We’ve decided we’re the England D team, and we’ll wear that badge with pride," he said. The team’s England identity goes beyond a title.
"When we get to the airport, we receive the full England kit – the same tracksuits, shirts, shorts and socks that you saw at the World Cup. The lads are buzzing just to pull on those colours in a competitive match," McCann explained. For many of the players, who balance football with day‑jobs, that moment is a career highlight.
Speaking of day‑jobs, the Cheshire League squad is composed entirely of amateurs who work full‑time elsewhere. The roster includes names such as AJ Atherton, George Anthony, Callum Burgess, Matt Dixon, Niall Dolan, Amir Hajri, Harry Johnston, Tim Kinsella, Harrison Mather, Liam McDowell, Rob Payne, Rhys Peers, Ben Powell, Matt Saunders, Bailey Sherlock, Lee Simmons, Walker Stone and Arron Woodward.
Captain Tim Kinsella works as an electrician, while vice‑captain Liam McDowell is a quantity surveyor. Two members are qualified physical‑education teachers, and several others are studying for PGCEs to become teachers themselves. Because the players are not full‑time professionals, taking time off for the tournament requires careful planning.
"Some lads are taking unpaid leave, but most are using their normal holiday entitlement and treating it as an eight‑day break to enjoy," McCann said. He added that the club ensured no one was left out due to travel restrictions, and that the only absentee was Juliano Rosa Silva, who played every minute of the Inter‑League Cup but missed the Sweden trip due to injury, leaving him "heart‑broken". Scouting opponents at this level is a challenge. "For our first match we have an FA‑registered coach whose primary job will be to observe the other teams.
He’ll watch the two opponents we don’t face on Monday, giving us valuable intel for the remaining fixtures," McCann explained. He expects the team’s preparation to improve after the opening game, as they will have more information on the Finnish, Portuguese and Swedish sides they will meet.
The Cheshire League’s opponents in the Swedish group are Jarvenpää United from Finland, Algarve from Portugal, and Gothenburg from Sweden. In the overall ranking of the 34 teams in the tournament, Finland sit 11th, Portugal 7th, Sweden 30th, while Cheshire League is placed 17th – a respectable mid‑table position. Despite being amateurs, the preparation for the Sweden trip has been as professional as possible. "We have a detailed eight‑day schedule down to the hour – rest, recovery, meals, training aligned with match times.
If you’re going to do it, you do it to the best of your ability," McCann said. He also arranged for three members of the Mid‑Cheshire team that won the Inter‑League Cup in 2004 to give a motivational speech after the final training session.
Their insights helped shape the current squad’s mindset. McCann emphasized that the mission is not simply to enjoy a week as "England" but to compete fiercely. "Our focus is winning all three games and reaching the finals, but we also see this as a chance to raise the profile of amateur football for the next generation.
It’s massive," he said. After the Swedish adventure, McCann will return to his duties at Great Sankey High School, likely before dawn, ready to continue shaping young minds. If all goes well, he may return to the classroom with the added distinction of having been an England manager – albeit for a week and at the amateur level – a story that will undoubtedly inspire his students. The journey of Andy McCann and the Cheshire League team illustrates how passion, community involvement, and dedication can bridge the gap between everyday life and the grand stage of international football, even if that stage is a modest one.
Their story is a reminder that the love of the game thrives far beyond the professional arenas, and that for a handful of players and a teacher‑coach, a week in an England kit can feel like a dream realized.