New Mills Launch Centre of Excellence

In March 2011 New Mills AFC took the decision to invest in a full time scholarship program to help build firm foundations for the future by developing local players in house.

Trials were held in April 2011 with 80 boys from North West Football Clubs applying for the 32 places on offer.

Since then there has been significant development work, with all of the Club coaches completing their PTTLS Qualification to allow them to support the qualified teachers and assessors working at the FDC.

There has also been major investment in new facilities at Egerton Youth Club, Knutsford where the Football Development Centre is based, with completion of a brand new state of the art air-conditioned classroom, treatment gym and physio room which opened in September 2011.

All of the coaches working at the Centre are UEFA ‘B’ and FA Level 2 Qualified

The Youth teams play in the North West Youth Alliance Premier league and First Division with the reserves playing in the Lancashire Football League and the First Team in the EVO-STIK South

As well as this the Youth team have seen boys selected for the County sides at Cheshire FA (3) and Manchester FA (6), the Macclesfield Distrct FA Youth side (14) the select team at Manchester City (4) and the ESFA regional side (3)

For the Season 2011 – 2012 we have increased the range of courses offered to Scholars, so as well as the NVQ 2 & 3 Sport Qualifications currently on offer we will now include the BTEC Sports AS and A Level, The BTEC Award in Exercise and Fitness Instruction, and the FA LEVEL 2 Treatment and Management of Injury.

As part of a major future development, we have negotiated with the new Salford City Reds stadium in Irlam to recruit and deliver Scholarships in Football starting in January 2012. The aim will be to train local young adults for a future career in their chosen sport as a Player, Coach, Manager or Physiotherapist.

Applications are invited for next season 2012 - 2013 from players released or due to be released from local Pro Clubs aged U16s to U19s

This centre will run during the week and the Schedule will be:-

Monday - Thursday 9am - 12 noon – Theory work
Monday - Thursday 1pm - 4pm – Practical work
Friday - Off
Saturday - Match
Sunday - Match