Trialists prepare to impress academy's coaches

Potential students hoping to win a place at the new NPL Football Academy can start preparing to impress coaches after a series of fresh trial dates were announced.

Starting next week, the trials are taking place throughout June at EVO-STIK League clubs around the North West. More trial dates are also expected to be announced by officials in the coming days.

Mossley AFC host the first event for 16 to 18-year-olds at Mossley Hollins High School next Tuesday night (June 17) from 6.30pm. Radcliffe Borough are running weekly trials every Thursday night while Mickleover Sports have penciled in Tuesday 24 June from 6.30pm.

Newcastle Town will run the rule over potential candidates for the academy’s first intake of 200 students this September the following night (Wednesday June 25) with Lancaster City hosting their trial three days later on the Saturday (June 28) at Giant Axe from 10am to 3pm.

Witton Albion and Leek Town are also among the new academy’s ten founding clubs and are set to name their trial dates in the coming days.

The EVO-STIK League’s ground-breaking new youth league and academy was unveiled in April as the first in English football to combine football with further education. The NPL Football Academy is being officially sanctioned by the Football Association and backed by Euromatech, the global training provider run by Marwan Koukash, the owner of the Salford Red Devils.

Ten clubs are initially hosting the two year courses clubs preparing to take 20 students each. They'll work towards a BTEC Level 3 National Diploma in Sport and play in the inaugural league as well as national competitions like the FA Youth Cup and if good enough, their parent club.

The initiative, which is running alongside existing youth set-ups, is expected to double in size the following season and will be regionalised with students learning and training on site with FA licensed coaches for 18-20 hours per week.

Potential candidates can already register their interest or find out more at www.nplfootballacademy.co.uk. Since May they’ve also been able to keep up-to-date with the latest news and developments on Twitter by visiting www.twitter.com/nplfa or following @nplfa. Alternatively, the academy can be found on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pages/NPL-Football-Academy/769184433092504.