It was a case of 'so near yet so far' for the North West as Yorkshire rivals Albion Sports lifted this year's UK Asian Football championships held in Scotland.

Both North West representatives, Asia FC of Rochdale and Canaries of Preston went out in the group stages. A total of eight teams participated in the finals.

Canaries drew against eventual winners in their first game and went out despite not having lost a game. By doing so though they became the only North West side to go to the tournament and come home unbeaten.

Albion Sports who play in the Bradford Sunday Alliance beat Sporting Bengal from Kent in the final at Ibrox Stadium.

Afterwards there was a banquet in Glasgow for the players where guest speaker Mark Hateley praised the emerging football talents in the Asian community.

The tournament is in its sixth year and more than 150 teams across Britain played through the various stages.

Narinder Sandhu and Asif Hussain, who was player of the tournament, scored the vital goals to help Albion lift the trophy in front of about 2,000 people. Afterwards, Scotland's sports minister Frank McAveety presented the trophy to the proud Bradford team.

The championship's main aim is to help stop racism and to build an affiliation between the Asian community and mainstream football.

Prem Singh, Event Director of the Championships, said, "Black players have made an impact in football. Viv Anderson broke the mould when he pulled on the England jersey back in the seventies.

"There are hundreds of black players in the game down south and the backbone of the England team until recently was made up of Emile Heskey, Sol Campbell and Rio Ferdinand. I feel it is now time for the Asian community players to fulfil so much of their promise."