Next generation going on trial!

Coaches from the NPLFA are looking forward to running the rule over potential students for next season's intake after announcing on Friday that Sutton Coldfield Town, Mossley, Matlock Town, Belper, Kidsgrove Athletic, Witton Albion, Warrington Town, Radcliffe Borough, Leek Town, Lancaster City and Mickelover Sports were all hosting morning and afternoon trials.

An NPLFA spokesman said: "We have been overwhelmed by the interest at all our clubs so far and as we enter a busy recruiting period we are looking forward to seeing everyone down at the various venues during the half term break."

The NPLFA, the first and only league wide academy in English football combining football with further education, opened in September 2014 at five pilot clubs - Leek Town, Mickleover Sports, Newcastle Town, Radcliffe Borough and Romulus - and since then has more than doubled in size.

Launched 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.

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

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