Bursary was huge boost to Baker

According to the Stoke academy coach, the EVO-STIK NPL's Coaching Development Fund has been inspiring him to achieve his ambitions since he applied for a grant last year while working as one of former Blues manager Lee Casswell's first team coaches at the EVO-STIK NPL First Division South club.

Pictured being presented with his UEFA B certificate by EVO-STIK NPL coaching development officer Mark Ogley after completing his studies at the Football Association's St Georges Park, the 36-year-old former Ball Haye Green manager and son of Crewe's head of recruitment and ex-Blues boss Neil Baker is now looking at studying for UEFA's A license, albeit without the aid of the league after his departure from Harrison Park this summer.

Urging other coaches to follow in his footsteps by enlisting the league's help to fund 50 per cent of their course costs - in his case a cheque for £360 - the married father of two and business relationship manager with the Co-op Bank, said: "It was massively important to me after I found out about the bursary scheme through the club and applied. Any coach who wants to progress his career should be doing the same.

"I'm looking at doing the UEFA A licence now and all the courses are't cheap so having 50 per cent picked up the league and the bursary scheme was a real boost to my own ambitions.

"It's fantastic that the league introduced this scheme to help raise standards and I hope plenty of other coaches will benefit like I have. Like plenty of other people, I have aspirations to go as far as I can and being supported like this can make all the difference in helping people to achieve their potential."

Part-funded by the FA to support the EVO-STIK NPL’s on-going drive to raise standards of excellence and available to coaches already on courses, students benefiting from EVO-STIK NPL bursaries have up to three years to complete their studies at a variety of venues. As well as St George’s Park, they included Curzon Ashton’s Tameside Stadium and York College last season.

While funding is currently only available for coaches studying on UEFA B courses, more information on FA Level 2 courses, many of which are free, can be accessed through local County FAs. More information is also on available on the FA Learning website.

For further information about the EVO-STIK NPL's scheme, coaches should ask their club secretaries to contact the EVO-STIK NPL's Ogley directly.

Follow us: @evostikleague on Twitter | Facebook www.facebook.com/evostikleague | The NPL Facebook Group www.facebook.com/groups/TheNPL/