Future stars can really bloom now

After announcing they were staging a major new youth tournament this summer featuring a host of Football League and Premier League stars last week, the EVO-STIK League South club's officials are looking forward to the launch of a successful U18s elite development side for the 2018-2019 season.

The EVO-STIK League South club announced on Monday that an application has gone in to the Football Association to enter the new team into a suitable league in August as well as the prestigious FA Youth Cup.

The first trials for the new set-up are taking place on Sunday 8 April and the Tulips say the move has the full backing of manager Chris Rawlinson who's already seen eight players graduate to his first team from the club's newly established U21s development side this season since their successful debut in the Lincolnshire FA U21 Development League.

Spalding United's U21s manager Lewis Thorogood said: "It gives me great pleasure to announce the launch of the U18s elite development side and continue to build the development pathway of players from U18s through to U21s and indeed the end of goal of the first team.

"Chris [Rawlinson] is fully supportive and indeed keen to develop this. With his support and the structure working together, we can produce, as we are starting to, the best local players possible for Spalding United Football Club."

The first open trials for the U18s will take place on Sunday 8 April with further details to be announced. For more information on the upcoming trials email: lewisthorogood@spaldingunited.net. Alternatively, stay in touch on Twitter, Facebook and the club's website for more information.

Spalding United announced they were inviting the rest of the EVO-STIK League's clubs to test their next generation of stars against Football League and Premier League opposition seven days ago.

At least 14 English Football League and Premier League are already sending teams from U7s to U12s to their Sir Halley Stewart Ground home in May to compete for the inaugural Tulip Trophy.

Backed by the Lincolnshire FA, the two day six-a-side tournament for academy and elite development sides on Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 May is also being coordinated by Thorogood who launched and runs the successful Pilgrim Cup.

Image courtesy of footballgroundmap.com & @SpaldingUnited/Twitter

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