A Sussex village football club's Christmas tree proves 'unlucky'

The players at Henfield FC had created a 'C'mon England' Christmas tree ahead of the Three Lions quarter final.

The tree scored smiles with decorations including a ‘Believe It’s Coming Home’ star at the top, football boot laces, pictures of the England squad, a Gareth Southgate Santa decoration and England scarfs and football shirts.

Some of the club’s youth players had written messages including: ‘All I want for Christmas is for Pickford to save every French goal’, ‘All I Want for Christmas is for Rashford to score a hat-trick against France’ and ‘All I Want for Christmas is for England to Win the World Cup.’

Sadly, their wishes fell on Santa’s deaf ears as France beat England 2-1.

The tree was created for Henfield’s Christmas Tree Festival held on Friday and Saturday at the village’s Evangelical Free Church. It was among 20 trees decorated by local organisations and businesses, including Henfield Scouts, The Post House Cafe, The Henfield Shed, Richwards Estate Agents, Oscar Bears Nursery, Henfield Camera Club, Mainly Music, Hawthorn Vets and Red Oaks care home.

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The two-day festival included a visit from Spooky the donkey, hand bell ringers and carol singers who all voted for their favourite trees.

Football club chairman Joe Penfold said ahead of the Three Lions quarter final that the club hoped the fun tree would bring the England team luck – but sadly it didn’t.

However, the club is bringing some festive cheer to Henfield – it is again running its Christmas ‘Score Some Smiles’ campaign, now in its third year, which will see youth players delivering around 600 Christmas cards and gifts of ‘jolly jars’ full of treats to elderly people in the community in the week running up to Christmas.

Henfield Football Club has around 300 players across its youth and senior teams and organises an annual youth football tournament which is open to teams across Sussex and beyond, and which is taking place on May 20 and 21 next year.