By the end of the day, 32 players had contested 21 matches, 68 goals had been scored and an impressive £2,800 had been raised for charity.

A special mention must go to 360 Living, who not only enjoyed a brilliant day on the pitch but were also the event’s leading fundraisers, raising an incredible £1,300 for the British Heart Foundation. Their efforts perfectly embodied what Business Fives is all about – combining football with making a real difference to causes close to people’s hearts.

Former Watford favourite Adrian Mariappa joined us as Event Ambassador and was hugely popular throughout the afternoon. Adrian spent time chatting with players, posing for photographs and sharing stories from his long professional career, which included over 300 appearances for the Hornets. His presence helped make the day even more memorable for everyone involved.

The group stages were fiercely contested. Hillier Hopkins and JRL Group both emerged from Group A with seven points apiece, with Hillier Hopkins edging top spot on goal difference. Group B belonged to 360 Living, who won all four of their matches, while Hillier Hopkins Team 2 finished runners-up to secure a place in the Champions League quarter-finals.

360 Living’s excellent form continued into the knockout stages. Ryan Woosley proved the standout goalscorer throughout the tournament, firing home ten goals to claim the Golden Boot, while teammate Simon Pykett was equally impressive at the other end of the pitch, conceding just twice all afternoon to pick up the Golden Glove award.

After defeating JRL Group on penalties in the Champions League semi-finals, 360 Living looked set for a place in the final, but JRL’s quality shone through in the shootout. Meanwhile, Hillier Hopkins reached the final after a convincing 3-0 victory over Xeinadin in the last four.

That set up a repeat meeting between JRL Group and Hillier Hopkins in the Champions League Final, and fittingly the two strongest sides from Group A could not be separated over normal time, with the match ending 1-1. Penalties were required to crown the champions and it was JRL Group who held their nerve to lift the trophy. Vasco Chaves was named Player of the Match in the Final after an outstanding performance, while the victory secured a £350 donation to the Josie Reddington Foundation.

Hillier Hopkins may have fallen just short of the title, but their excellent performances throughout the afternoon earned them a place at the Business Fives National Final in Birmingham on Friday 23rd October as Champions League runners-up.

The Europa League competition provided another success story, this time for FRP Advisory. Having narrowly missed out on the Champions League final four, they regrouped superbly and went on a fantastic run, defeating 360 Living on penalties in the EL semi-finals before overcoming Hillier Hopkins Team 2 3-0 in the final. Their victory earned a £150 donation to the Cristoforos Charity Foundation and also secured qualification for the National Final.

Emma McDonagh of CleanTEC was recognised with the Ladies Player of the Tournament award after an excellent afternoon. her and her teammates were a brilliant addition to the Business Fives community with all of their games played in a brilliant spirit amongst plenty of moments of quality on the pitch.

Congratulations to JRL Group, FRP Advisory and Hillier Hopkins, who will all head to Birmingham on Friday 23rd October to represent Watford at the Business Fives National Final.

Thank you to all seven companies for making it another fantastic event. The football was competitive, the fundraising was exceptional and, with Adrian Mariappa joining us on the day, it was another memorable chapter in the Business Fives story.