The NPLFA, the first and only league wide academy in English football combining football with further education, announced on Friday that eight of its 12 member clubs are staging trials during the school holidays for next season's intake.
Since being launched in September 2014 at five pilot clubs - Leek Town, Mickleover Sports, Newcastle Town, Radcliffe Borough and Romulus - the NPLFA has more than doubled in size.
Over the course of last season, seven more clubs - Belper Town, Kidsgrove Athletic, Lancaster City, Matlock Town, Mossley AFC, Sutton Coldfield Town, Warrington Town and Witton Albion - announced they were joining their ranks.
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 Level 3 Business and Technology Education Council (BTEC) 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.
Follow the new academy's progress at nplfa.co.uk, twitter.com/NPLFA and at facebook.com/NPLFA.
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