A TEAM of young people from Stretford will take to the field at weekend to recreate the iconic impromptu game of football held a century ago between British troops and their German counterparts amongst the trenches of Flanders.

The match, is part of commemorations across Britain marking English football's contribution to the First World War effort, which marked a brief but meaningful interlude where troops played football and exchanged gifts on the battlefield on Christmas Day 1914.

The first leg of the friendly game on Saturday, will match a squad from Stretford High School against their German counterparts from Borussia Monchengladbach, at The Cliff, starting at 1pm, where they will play for the Sandy Turnbull Memorial Trophy. The second leg will be held in the German city next March.

Turnbull, who won FA Cup medals with both Manchester City and Manchester United, died at the front in France, on May 3, 1917. His body was never found.

As part of the learning experience, The Stretford High School players have participated in events leading up to this weekend's game which include a visit to The Imperial War Museum and to an army camp to gain an insight into the lives of those soldiers who fought and died in the First War

Stretford High School head James Haseldine said: "This event is once in a lifetime for everyone involved and it's only thanks to the hard work of the phenomenal staff at Stretford High School and an international effort that it could happen at all.

"This match will bring together two groups of students from entirely different backgrounds and nationalities; just like the Christmas Truce Football Match did in 1914.

"It's our great honor to pay tribute to the brave soldiers who made such monumental sacrifices to allow us to have the freedoms which we enjoy today.

"I'm very proud of the maturity and passion our students have shown so far and I can't wait to watch the match."

The match has been organised in a collaboration between the school, Trafford Council and The Manchester United Foundation.

The game will be played behind closed doors because of capacity constraints and is not open to members of the public. However, a full report with pics will be included in next week's Messenger.