Andy McCann has only just gotten back to his regular duties. By day he serves as 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 he is about to step away from the classroom for eight days to take on a very different role – that of England manager, albeit in a modest, amateur context.
McCann also wears the hat of manager for the Cheshire League representative side, a squad assembled from the standout players of the Cheshire League Premier Division. That team clinched the FA Inter‑League Cup by defeating the Herts Senior County League at Leicester’s King Power Stadium on 9 May, a victory that secured them the right to represent England at the UEFA Regions Cup. What exactly is the Regions Cup? It is a competition for amateur regional selections, launched in 1996 and held every two years since 1999, with the 2021 edition cancelled because of the pandemic.
Nations either qualify directly or receive a nomination, then enter an intermediate stage where the teams are split into eight groups. The group winners advance to a final tournament.
Historically, Spain have dominated with four titles, Italy have three, Poland two, while the Republic of Ireland, Portugal, Croatia and the Czech Republic have each lifted the trophy once. On Sunday 6 September, McCann and his colleagues will fly to Sweden for a three‑match mini‑tournament, hoping to become the first English 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 telling me there was a chance we could go on to represent England, but I was only focused on winning the cup itself," McCann told Sky Sports.
"Later, as we ironed out tactics, set‑pieces and final details, the magnitude of the opportunity started to sink in." After the victory, pub chatter turned to jokes about him becoming England manager once the World Cup is over. McCann laughed, saying, "I’m not trying to compare it with the senior job, but it does feel a bit like being an international manager, just on a much smaller scale.
It’s a real honour to be England manager for a week, even if it’s the D team – we’ll take it!" The squad will be dressed head‑to‑toe in the official England kit – the same tracksuits, training shirts, shorts and socks that the senior team wore at the World Cup. "Just putting on that shirt in a competitive match is massive for many of the lads," McCann noted. Unlike professional clubs, every player in the Cheshire League side is an amateur who balances football with a day job.
The roster includes names such as AJ Atherton, George Anthony, Callum Burgess and many others. Captain Tim Kinsella works as an electrician, while vice‑captain Liam McDowell is a quantity surveyor. Two squad members are qualified physical‑education teachers, and several are studying postgraduate teaching qualifications.
"Some players are taking unpaid leave, but most are using their normal holiday to enjoy eight days away," McCann explained. "We promised the squad that if we won the Inter‑League Cup, they would be the ones I’d take to Sweden, and I’ve 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 primary job will be to observe the other teams.
For our first match on Monday he’ll be watching the other two sides, and by the second and third games we’ll have a clearer picture of what we’re up against," McCann said. He added that the team was built around its own strengths – a blend of technical skill, power and pace – rather than simply picking the most technically gifted players. Their group in Sweden includes representative sides from Finland (Jarvenpää United), Portugal (Algarve) and Sweden (Gothenburg). Of the 34 teams in the competition, the Finnish side rank 11th, the Portuguese 7th, the Swedish 30th, while the Cheshire League sit at 17th.
Even though the squad is amateur, the preparation has been as professional as possible. "We have every hour of the eight‑day period mapped out – rest, recovery, meals, training and match simulations. If you’re going to do something, you do it to the best of your ability," McCann emphasized.
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, drawing on their experience to fine‑tune the approach. The goal isn’t just to enjoy a week wearing the England badge; McCann wants the team to win all three games, secure a place in the finals, and raise the profile of amateur football for future generations. "We’re not going there just for a holiday – we want to prove that an amateur side can compete at a high level and inspire the next wave of players," he said. When the Swedish adventure ends, McCann will return to his school duties at the crack of dawn, ready to teach the next generation – perhaps with a new title of "England hero" added to his résumé, even if only in a modest, regional sense.