Listeners hear director hail growing academy

EVO-STIK NPL Football Academy director Darren Royle took to the airwaves on Tuesday night to hail the success of the ground-breaking initiative after Warrington Town became the seventh club to sign up for next season since the start of current campaign.

Royle was interviewed on BBC Leicestershire's early evening drive-time sports show after the First Division North club were unveiled on Monday as the NPLFA's newest recruits.

The entry of FA Cup giant-killers follows hard on the heels of Kidsgrove Athletic and Halesowen Town who became the fifth and sixth new clubs respectively to announce they were joining the growing academy.

Their entry was confirmed less than a month after First Division North Mossley AFC signed up to follow in the footsteps of Belper Town, Lancaster City and Witton Albion, bringing the total number of clubs already signed up for next season's NPLFA to 12.

Officials at the Wire are now looking forward to hosting an 'information evening' for prospective students and their families at Cantilever Park on Monday 16 March from 7pm.

Those who attend the event and others around the NPLFA in February and March will hear how students compete in the EVO-STIK NPL Youth League, the academy's own FA sanctioned competition, and the FA Youth Cup while training on a daily basis with FA and UEFA qualified coaches and studying for a range of qualifications including BTEC Levels 1, 2 and 3 National Diplomas in Sport.

Warrington Town chairman Toby Macormac said: "This is something that fits with our club development strategy being involved in the community. We are looking forward to working with the NPL Football Academy and making it a success.

"I have been looking for something to take the community side of the business forward and give it a strong platform to grow and the NPL Academy gives us just that."

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.

Launched with the backing of the Football Association to provide career pathways into the football industry, the academy has already celebrated its first success story, Romulus teenager Yohan Rutty-Smith graduating to the professional game within five months of the academy opening when he secured a two year contract at League One Notts County last week.

Follow the new academy's progress at nplfa.co.uk, twitter.com/NPLFA and at facebook.com/NPLFootballAcademy.

Potential students should register their interest and details at www.nplfa.co.uk/register.php or by e-mail to: info@nplfa.co.uk.

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