Ninety-five teams from Tamworth, Walcha, Uralla, Guyra, Glen Innes and Armidale participated at the event, which celebrated junior football and the memory of one of the founding fathers of the sport in the region. The carnival spanned 17 age groups.

The Glen Innes 8 years rep team the Kangaroos were declared champions in their age group, having won drawn one match and four matches, while the 7 years Glen Innes Tigers won the 7A division.

“It was a brilliant day as far as weather goes, and I haven’t got any negative feedback yet,” organiser Graham Parsons told the Armidale Express.

“The referees said there was a very high standard of play, and the kids loved it.

“They get a lot out of if because there is a great atmosphere and they get to play a lot more teams, as well as get a trophy at the end.”

Parsons said he would like to improve the carnival next year, by encouraging more out-of-town teams to participate.

“Still, the maximum we can have is 100 teams because of the amount of fields,” he said.

Mr Parsons said the man who the carnival was named after, Jack Vallance, was a founding member of Armidale football, spent 30-odd years as convenor of junior football, was a life member of Uralla Soccer Club and life member of the West Armidale Soccer Association.

“He was so passionate about this, right up until a month before he died he was trying to organise this, he believed in it so much,” Parsons said.

Parsons also paid tribute to the volunteers and club executives that made up a committee of around 20 who had organised the event.