Teams Share The Spoils At First Smith Cooper Intercompany Football Match

On Friday 19^th May, teams of employees from accountancy firm PKF Smith Cooper, and its sister company, Sage resellers PKF Smith Cooper Systems, faced off in an 11-a-side football match at Pride Park Stadium.

With supporters from both sides watching on from the West Stand, the teams competed for a specially designed trophy, and PKF Smith Cooper Systems’ team wore a light green kit as a nod to Sage’s own company colours.

Though PKF Smith Cooper raced ahead in the first 30 minutes to bring the score to 3-0, Smith Cooper Systems responded making the half time score 3-2. The goals continued to flow in the second half, with the practice leading 4-3 in the closing stages; but a well-placed penalty in the last minute brought the two teams level, with a final scoreline of 4-4.

The driving force behind the match was David Saunders, Technical Team Leader at PKF Smith Cooper Systems (and their team captain for the game). After a previous ‘staff vs partners’ match in January was a success, it was suggested that the two companies play a full match against each other.

As David explains, “It was [Managing Director] Chris Smith’s 50th recently, and we were joking about hiring the Pride Park pitch to play on. I emailed Derby County Football Club, and it snowballed from there.”

On getting the chance to play on the pitch at Pride Park Stadium, David said: “Although I’m an Arsenal fan, I am from Derby – to play, and experience the home changing rooms of one of the country’s best stadiums is amazing.”

The companies are hoping the game will become an annual event.

About PKF Smith Cooper Systems: Founded in 2014, PKF Smith Cooper Systems is a Sage business partner, with its head office in Derby. They work across the UK, implementing Sage’s business accounting software into companies of all shapes and sizes. The company has been named the Midlands’ Sage 200 Partner of the Year for the last six years and were Sicon Partner of the Year 2020.

About PKF Smith Cooper: PKF Smith Cooper – an ambitious and multi-award winning firm – is the home of PKF in the Midlands. As the region’s leading firm of trusted accountants and business advisors, they operate across key geographies in Derby, Nottingham, Birmingham, and Ashbourne.