FOOTBALL coach Jemma Entwistle has celebrated many wins on the pitch — and her latest sports victory was recognised by Bolton Wanderers legend Kevin Davies and the whole of her home town.

Jemma, aged 20, won the Coach of the Year Category at the prestigious Greater Manchester Sports Awards — and she is believed to be the first Boltonian to have won an award at the ceremony.

Jemma, from Bromley Cross said: “I knew a couple of those who had been nominated and didn’t think I would win.

“We had actually been saying earlier in the evening that no one from Bolton ever wins and then my name was called out.

“It was amazing to win.”

The awards was hosted by BBC North West Tonight’s presenter Roger Johnson, and inspiring Olympians joined the event as well as Britain’s most successful gymnast Beth Tweddle MBE.

The sports coaching university student coaches two teams within Academy Juniors FC and covers other teams when needed.

Jemma was introduced to football at the age four when her mum was trying to find something she would enjoy. She joined Academy Juniors FC which she continued until she was eight before moving to play with a girls only team.

Since then Jemma has gone into schools to deliver and link them up with clubs.

She recently organised a football tournament at Bolton Arena for more than 100 girls aged seven-to-10.

Jemma coaches Academy Juniors and the ladies team have been promoted into the North West Regional League. Highlights of her sporting story so far includes coaching a player one-to-one within Academy Juniors, who has since joined a centre of excellence having been informed previously she wasn’t up to standard.

She also coached a girls primary school team at St James CE Daisy Hill primary school to success.

The team had previously taken part in a tournament where they had done reasonably well but following four months of her coaching they went on to win the next tournament. Jemma, at the age of 19, became chairwoman of the Girls only Football team in the North West.

She said: “When I first started playing football, the boys didn’t think anything of it — but some of the parents didn’t understand it.

“I started coaching the boys teams at the age of 13 because I wanted to do something else as well.

“When I got my badges I started coaching the girls team and I do occasionally still play if needed.”

Jemma, who is in final year of sports coaching degree, added: “I love coaching because you have such a positive impact.”