Second chance to impress

Due to the high demand from talented youngsters hoping to join Ilkeston FC's new Academy, the Evo-Stik Northern Premier League club is staging an additional trials day next month, writes Sam Gascoyne.

The Premier Division#s Robins ran two trial days in April and have already signed up the nucleus of their first-year intake of scholars for the upcoming season. Potential players now have a second chance to impress manager Kevin Wilson who's looking forward to the trial on Sunday 28 July.

Wilson said: "We will always have room to accommodate good young players and if anyone comes and impresses us on July 28th we will certainly consider offering them a place.

"Since we ran the original trials we've had a steady stream of players asking if they can come and show us what they can do. That's why we've decided to stage the additional day and it will be interesting to see what comes from."

Youngster in the 16-19 age range qualify to take part on the day which will involve a training session and technique work in the morning followed by a competitive match in the afternoon.

The programme at Ilkeston FC Academy includes a structured mix of football and education over a two-year period. It has rapidly earned a reputation as one of the most professionally-run schemes within Non-League football, a fact recently underlined when the Robins received a grant of 68,000 Euros from the European Commission to fund a cultural trip next summer for an Academy squad to spend time with Real Club Deportivo Mallorca.

Anyone interested in taking part in the trials day should apply by email: k.wilson@ilkestonfc.co.uk