Bursary boost for giant-killer Smith

Warrington Town's assistant manager Lee Smith wants to see more coaches following in his footsteps and taking advantage of the EVO-STIK Northern Premier League's successful bursary scheme.

Smith was unveiled on Thursday as the fifth coach since the start of the season to benefit from the EVO-STIK NPL's Coaching Development Fund which is part-funded by the Football Association to pick up 50 per cent of the costs of earning FA and UEFA coaching badges.

Pictured at Cantiliver Park collecting a cheque for £300 from the EVO-STIK NPL's development officer Mark Ogley, the league's funding helped the experienced 32-year-old add a UEFA B license to the FA Level 1 and 2 badges and youth qualifications he already holds.

Smith follows in the footsteps of Stafford Rangers manager Neil Kitching, Mickleover Sports physio and coach Dave Hoole, Stourbridge's Steve Fellows and Leek Town's Darren Baker who collected their awards over the first half of the campaign. Like a number of them, he was also able to access the bursary scheme retrospectively after actually gaining his UEFA B licence last April.

The versatile defender returned to the First Division North's Wire as number two to manager Shaun Reid in March 2012 from Prescot Cables having turned out for the club twice previously. As a coach at Liverpool's International Academy, Smith believes the EVO-STIK NPL's on-going drive to raise standards of excellence with bursaries for ambitious coaches should be applauded.

Candidates have up to three years to complete their courses at a variety of venues and Smith is now setting his sights on eventually gaining his UEFA A license after helping his club make national headlines this season when they pulled off a famous giant-killing by beating Exeter City in the first round of the FA Cup in front of millions on TV.

Smith said: "I realised what a great opportunity it was when I saw the news on other coaches being funded. For coaches like myself it is a great help with the costs involved with training and development. I want to do my UEFA A next and I'd love to see others prosper like I have from the support on offer from the league."

Ogley hailed another success story for the scheme he administers. "The funding has been great news for Lee and the other coaches this season as well as previously," said the EVO-STIK NPL's development officer. "The bursary scheme is there to help coaches develop and achieve their potential so I was delighted to hand over Lee's cheque and am looking forward to supporting others as part of our drive to raise standards."

More information on the FA Level 2 courses can be accessed through local County FAs with information also on available on the FA Learning website. For further information about the EVO-STIK NPL's scheme, club secretaries should contact Mark Ogley via email at: ogsshae@hotmail.com.

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