Andy McCann has only just gotten back to his regular duties, but a remarkable opportunity is looming on the horizon. By day, he is an assistant headteacher at Great Sankey High School in Warrington, guiding pupils through the post‑summer term as the new academic year gets into full swing.
Yet, in just a few days he will be stepping away from the classroom for an eight‑day spell that will see him don a very different hat – that of England manager, albeit at the amateur level. McCann’s secondary role is as the manager of the Cheshire League representative side, a squad assembled from the finest players competing in the Cheshire League Premier Division. The team clinched the FA Inter‑League Cup on May 9, beating the Herts Senior County League at Leicester’s King Power Stadium. That triumph secured the Cheshire League’s place as England’s representatives in the UEFA Regions Cup, a competition that pits amateur regional selections from across Europe against one another.
The Regions Cup, founded in 1996 and held biennially since 1999 (with the 2021 edition cancelled due to the pandemic), is the pinnacle of amateur international football. Nations either qualify or are nominated, after which the teams are divided into eight groups for an intermediate round. Group winners advance to the finals. Historically, Spain have dominated with four titles, Italy three, Poland two, and the Republic of Ireland, Portugal, Croatia and the Czech Republic have each lifted the trophy 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 English side ever to reach the Regions Cup finals. "During the Inter‑League Cup, the chairman Rob Goodwin‑Davey – who is effectively the Mr Cheshire League – kept mentioning the possibility of us representing England, but I was only focused on winning the cup," McCann told Sky Sports.
"Later, as we reviewed tactics, set‑pieces and final details, the scale of the opportunity sank in. After the victory, people in the pub were shouting, ‘When the World Cup is over you’ll be England manager!’" He laughs that the comparison to a full‑time national team is tongue‑in‑cheek, but the sentiment feels genuine.
"It’s a real privilege and honour to be England manager for a week, at whatever level. We’ve decided we’re England D, so we’ll take it!" he said. The team will not just carry the name England – they will wear the full national kit.
"When we arrive at the airport we are handed the same tracksuits, training shirts, shorts and socks that the senior squad wears. For many of the lads, simply pulling on that shirt in a competitive match is a massive moment," McCann explained.
What sets the Cheshire League apart from professional outfits is that every player holds a day‑job. The squad includes names such as AJ Atherton, George Anthony, Callum Burgess and many others, with captain Tim Kinsella working as an electrician and vice‑captain Liam McDowell employed as a quantity surveyor.
Two members are qualified physical‑education teachers, and several are studying PGCEs to become teachers themselves. "Some players are taking unpaid leave, but most are using normal holiday time – essentially an eight‑day getaway," McCann noted. "We promised the final squad that if we qualified, they would be the ones travelling to Sweden, and I have kept that promise. The only absentee is Juliano Rosa Silva, who played every minute of the cup but is injured and devastated to miss the trip." Scouting opponents at this level is a challenge.
"We have an FA‑registered coach whose main job during the first game will be to observe the other two teams. By the second and third matches we’ll have a clearer picture and can adjust our plans," McCann said. He added that the team was built around its own strengths rather than simply picking the most technically gifted players.
"We have a lot of power and pace, and we’ve crafted a unit that suits our style of play." The Cheshire League will face representative sides from Finland (Jarvenpää United), Portugal (Algarve) and Sweden (Gothenburg). Of the 34 teams in the tournament, the Finnish side are ranked 11th, the Portuguese 7th, the Swedish 30th, while the Cheshire League sit at 17th – a respectable mid‑table position that fuels their belief. Preparation for the Swedish adventure has been as professional as possible despite the amateur status.
"We have the entire eight‑day itinerary mapped out 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 emphasized. He also invited three members of the Mid‑Cheshire team that won the Inter‑League Cup in 2004 to speak to the squad after the final training session, drawing lessons from their experience.
The goal is clear: win all three group games, secure a place in the finals, and raise the profile of amateur football for future generations. "We’re not just going to enjoy being England for a week and then get beaten. The focus is on winning, but I also see this as a chance to inspire the next wave of players," McCann said. When the Swedish leg concludes, McCann will be back at the school before dawn, ready to resume teaching and, hopefully, return home as a local hero who once briefly held the title of England manager.
The experience, while fleeting, could leave a lasting legacy for both the players and the community they represent.