Gunners legend Pires with Hampstead Parochial School team and PE teacher Matt Booker

Published: 3 March, 2016
by STEVE BARNETT

FOOTBALLERS from Hampstead Parochial School were left feeling invincible on Tuesday when an Arsenal legend turned up and praised them for being “the best team” in Camden. 

The boys from the primary in Holly Bush Vale had barely got over the excitement of being crowned champions of the Camden Schools Sports Association (CSSA) Football League when they spotted who was handing out the silverware. It was none other than Gunners legend Robert Pires – who was invited along to the Talacre Sports Centre in Kentish Town to dish out the medals. 

Arsenal Legend Robert Pires with Hampstead Parochial School heroes, from left, Roman Vuksanovic, Tommaso Isoni and Josiah Thompson 

Pires, who was part of the Arsenal Invincibles team that won the Premier League in 2003-04 without losing a single game, happily posed for pictures with all the ­children and signed autographs. 

He would certainly have been impressed by Hampstead’s hotshot Tommaso Isoni, who lit-up the finals with a scorching display in front of goal. With his school ­losing 2-0 against Queen’s Crescent-based opponents Carlton in the semi-finals, Tommaso sparked into life to score a hat-trick and seal a thrilling 3-2 victory. 

Tommaso also scored in the final as Hampstead beat St Aloysius Junior School from Somers Town. Josiah Thompson opened the scoring, while team-mate Roman Vuksanovic wrapped up the 3-0 win to officially make Hampstead the best football team in the borough.