League's growing academy signs fourth new club

Mossley AFC have become the fourth EVO-STIK Northern Premier League club since the start of the season to sign up to the new NPL Football Academy.

Delighted NPLFA officials announced on Wednesday that the Lilywhites - following in the footsteps of Belper Town, Lancaster City and Witton Albion who confirmed their entry into the academy next season earlier in the current campaign - had officially signed up to the ground-breaking initiative.

The EVO-STIK NPL became the first league in English football to launch a youth league and academy combining football with further education in September when the NPLFA opened its doors to its first intake of students at five pilot clubs - Leek Town, Mickleover Sports, Newcastle Town, Radcliffe Borough and Romulus.

Officials at the NPLFA's newest club are now preparing to host an information evening for students aged 16-18 and their families at Seel Park on Thursday 29 January at 7pm.

Those attending will hear how students will compete in the EVO-STIK NPL Youth League, the academy's own FA sanctioned competition, while being trained on a daily basis by UEFA ‘B’ qualified coaches.

Welcoming the First Division North club's decision to sign up, an NPLFA spokesman said: "Once again we are delighted to welcome another NPL club on board to take us to nine so far, that figure will rise in the next couple of weeks but in the meantime we are looking forward to a long and successful working relationship with Mossley."

Launched back in April with the backing of the Football Association to provide career pathways into the football industry, students who win a place with the NPLFA study on two year courses for Level 3 Business and Technology Education Council (BTEC) qualifications.

Follow the new academy's progress at nplfa.co.uk, twitter.com/NPLFA and at facebook.com/NPLFootballAcademy. To register your please go to: www.nplfa.co.uk

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