Future champions wanted at trials

With the NPL Football Academy preparing to expand again this summer to 12 clubs, young players sitting their GCSEs and considering their futures have another chance to trial over the Whitsun half-term holidays for a place among the students joining their third intake in September.

After staging league-wide trials back in February and at Easter, pictured, the morning and afternoon sessions are taking place at Sutton Coldfield Town, Mossley, Matlock Town, Belper, Kidsgrove Athletic, Witton Albion, Warrington Town, Radcliffe Borough, Leek Town, Lancaster City and Mickelover Sports.

To confirm attendance and register, players should enter their details at: nplfa.co.uk/register.

Launched in 2014 at five pilot clubs with the backing of the Football Association to provide career pathways into the football industry, the NPLFA's 16 to 18-year-old students study on two year courses for BTEC in Sport Level 2/3 qualifications while being trained on a daily basis by UEFA qualified coaches and competing in the NPL Youth League and national competitions like the FA Youth Cup.

Last summer the NPLFA also entered into a strategic partnership with Global Premier Soccer, the world’s leading provider of sports scholarships, which could see the EVO-STIK NPL's students playing and coaching in the United States while linking up with German giants Bayern Munich, their official North American partners.

Mickleover Sports were also the inaugural NPLFA champions in 2014-15. Follow their progress and the latest news from all the clubs at nplfa.co.uk, twitter.com/NPLFA and facebook.com/NPLFootballAcademy.

NPLFA Half-term trials schedule

Monday 30 May
Sutton Coldfield Town, 3G pitch, 5pm – 7pm, Central Ground, Coles Lane, Sutton Coldfield, B72 1NL.

Tuesday 31 May
Belper Town, 3G pitch, 11am – 1pm, Belper Leisure Centre, John O’Gaunts Way, Belper, DE56 0DA.
Matlock Town, Grass pitch, 5pm – 7pm, Cavendish Road Playing Fields, Bent Lane, Matlock, Derbyshire, DE4 3HL.
Leek Town, 3G pitch, 5pm – 7pm, Northwood Stadium, Keelings Rd, Stoke-on-Trent ST1 6PA.

Wednesday 1 June
Mossley AFC, 3G pitch, 4pm – 6pm, Saddleworth Pool and Leisure Centre Station Rd, Uppermill, Oldham, OL3 6HQ
Radcliffe Borough, 3G pitch, 5.30pm – 7pm, Radcliffe Borough FC, Stainton Park, Pilkington Road, Radcliffe, M26 3PE.
Witton Albion, 3G pitch, 5pm – 7pm, Sandbach Community Football Centre, Hind Heath Road, Sandbach, Cheshire, CW11 3LZ.

Thursday 2 June
Kidsgrove Athletic, 3G pitch, 5pm – 6.45pm, Dimensions Leisure Centre, Scotia Rd, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire ST6 4ET.

Friday 3 June
Mickleover Sports, 3G pitch, 4pm – 5.45pm, Racecourse Playing Fields, St Marks Road, Derby, DE21 6AL.

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