Roms take their place among founding clubs

EVO-STIK League Romulus have been unveiled as the ninth founding member of the new NPL Football Academy.

The Roms were confirmed on Monday as one of the host clubs of the ground-breaking new project which will be the first in English football to combine football with further education when it opens in September.

Officially sanctioned by the Football Association and backed by Euromatech, the global training provider, The NPL Football Academy is being hailed by leading figures in the game and is already expected to double in size for the 2015-16 campaign and prepare even more 16 to 18-year-olds for entry into the sports industry and higher education.

Former England and Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes became the latest over the weekend when he described the concept as the "way forward" for football and Romulus chairman Richard Evans says the club is “proud” to take part alongside Burscough, Lancaster City, Leek Town, Mickleover Sports, Mossley, Newcastle Town, Radcliffe Borough and Witton Albion.

Evans said: "Romulus are proud to be associated with this project. With our ethos based on producing our own young players it looks to be the perfect fit. We will be working hard day and night to move forward and give the students on the course the best chance of succeeding."

The countdown to the academy opening its doors to nearly 200 students shared between the participating clubs continues on Wednesday at the latest launch night for confirmed and prospective students and their families at Mickleover Sports.

Guests at the First Division South club's Derbyshire ground will hear from the academy’s coaches and tutors on every aspect of the 18-20 hour per week courses which will see students studying for a BTEC Level 3 National Diploma in Sport while training under the eyes of FA licensed coaches and competing in the new Evo-Stik NPL Youth League as well as national competitions led by the FA Youth Cup.

NPLFA launch night schedule:
Wednesday 9th July, 7pm - Mickleover Sports FC
Monday 14th July, 7pm - Newcastle Town FC
Tuesday 15th July, 7pm - Leek Town FC
Thursday 17th July, 7pm - Radcliffe Borough FC
Monday 21st July, 7pm - Lancaster City FC
Thursday 24th July, 7pm - Witton Albion FC

For more information visit www.nplfootballacademy.co.uk or follow the NPLFA on social media at www.twitter.com/NPLFA, www.facebook.com/NPLFootballAcademy and www.instagram.com/NPLFA.