WARREN RETAINS ESA ENGLISH CHAMPIONSHIPS YOUTH TITLE IN DRAMATIC FINISH

As the dust settled on the 2024/25 ESA English Championship season, it wasn’t just the senior players battling for glory. In the Youth category, the spotlight shone brightly on Jamie Warren, who was crowned ESA Youth Champion for the second year running after a thrilling campaign that went right down to the wire.

Unlike the main championship, the Youth title is determined not through a separate competition, but by which young players progress furthest in the open events. Over six fiercely contested rounds, five youth players took part in at least one event, and it was Jamie Warren who emerged victorious, narrowly edging out Connor Gregory.

Both players finished the season tied on 180 points, but Jamie’s three individual event wins gave him the edge, making him a back-to-back Youth Champion. His journey through the season was nothing short of exceptional, reaching the quarterfinals in four out of six rounds a feat that many seasoned senior players would envy.

Second place went to Connor Gregory, whose consistency kept the title race alive to the very end. Ruby Matthews finished in a well-deserved third place, followed by Hadley Chapman, Alex Scott and Jacob Hobbs, rounding out a strong showing from the next generation of English Subbuteo talent.

Jamie represents the Stanway Rovers Flickers Subbuteo Club, and despite having only taken up the game a couple of years ago, he’s already achieved remarkable success. In addition to his domestic youth wins, Jamie also had the honour of representing England at the Eland Cables World Cup in Tunbridge Wells last September, a sign of his fast rise on the international stage.

Tournament organiser and fellow competitor Simon Bodily offered warm praise for the young champion:

“Jamie is always a pleasure to welcome to Pedmore. His love for the game and passion to succeed shine through every time he plays. Like many competitive players, that passion can occasionally boil over, but it’s all part of his drive to improve. He’s already a winner at youth level, and I have no doubt he’ll be an Adult English Champion in the future.”

With two titles already under his belt and still so early in his Subbuteo journey, the future looks incredibly bright for Jamie Warren. His determination, tactical skill, and hunger to improve are setting a high standard for youth players across the country.

Congratulations to Jamie Warren – 2024/25 ESA Youth Champion!