Cash boost for league's coaches

The Evo-Stik Northern Premier League is looking forward to securing fresh funding from the Football Association for coaching development after Stamford’s Ian Evley became the first candidate to take his UEFA B course at the new St Georges Park National Football Centre.

The Daniels coach is also the latest candidate to win an FA supported coaching bursary from the league. He follows in the footsteps of six others since January who’ve been awarded Evo-Stik NPL bursaries to sign up for the UEFA licensing courses.

The Evo-Stik NPL hope Evley - pictured with Stamford Chairman Chris Rivett receiving his bursary cheque from Evo-Stik NPL Coach Development Officer Mark Ogley - will be followed by many more as it seeks to lead the way in developing the country’s top coaches.

The Daniels’ Football Development Officer completed his initial two week UEFA B coaching block last week and Ogley expects many more coaches to take advantage of the bursary scheme as awareness of the programme grows.

He said: "The FA and the Evo-Stik Northern Premier League set up the bursary scheme to raise the standards of coaching within our leagues. The feedback from all the candidates has been extremely positive, both for the courses they’ve been on, the experience they’ve gained and the help and guidance they’ve received from both the league and FA."

Candidates have up to three years to complete the courses which currently take place at Curzon’s Tameside Stadium, York college, Egerton, and St. Georges Park.

Ogley pointed to one of its current success stories to encourage more clubs and coaches to take advantage of the support available to improve their skills and pass on what they learn to those working alongside them.

He explained: "Dave Powell was the first coach to go through the system and has progressed to manage Prescot Cables. So it is fantastic to see our club coaches wanting to progress and become more knowledgeable in the sport.

"This has enhanced their own knowledge of the game and they’re now passing it on to the league’s players. That, in turn, should impact on the coaching standards within our clubs and will re-inforce our Respect Campaigns. As the number of candidates going into the scheme increases these standards can only be greatly reinforced."