Trinity star returns to coach new academy side

Gainsborough Trinity midfielder Jamie Yates has been named as the first coach of EVO-STIK Northern Premier League Matlock Town’s new NPL Football Academy side.

The 26-year-old, who was on loan at the Autoworld Arena last season from North Ferriby United, has been welcomed back to the Premier Division club by Gladiators manager Mark Hume.

Hume said: "In my view Jamie was the outstanding candidate and I'm delighted he's come to Matlock to work with our academy and I believe he'll do very well."

Yates, whose father Lenny Yates was a crowd favourite at Matlock in the 1980s, was appointed after the Gladiators signed up to join the ground-breaking NPLFA which last week unveiled a new a strategic partnership with Soccer Chance USA, the UK arm of Global Premier Soccer and one of the world’s leading providers of US sports scholarships with links to German giants Bayern Munich.

The EVO-STIK NPL became the first league in English football to launch a youth league and academy combining football with further education when the NPLFA opened its doors to its first intake of students last September, Micklover Sports winning the inaugural NPL FA Youth League, pictured.

After its successful launch at five pilot clubs - Belper Town,Kidsgrove Athletic, Lancaster City, Matlock Town, Mossley AFC, Warrington Town and Witton Albion all signed up to double the number of clubs for next season.

Launched with the backing of the Football Association to provide career pathways into the football industry, students aged 16-18 who win a place with the NPLFA study on two year courses for Level 3 Business and Technology Education Council (BTEC) qualifications.

While studying, students compete in the EVO-STIK NPL Youth League, the academy's own FA sanctioned competition. They also play in national competitions like the FA Youth Cup while being trained on a daily basis by UEFA qualified coaches.

The NPLFA programme also runs alongside existing youth set-ups at participating clubs to offer the best of each year’s intake the chance to play senior Non-League football.

For more information visit www.nplfa.co.uk. Alternatively, follow the NPLFA at twitter.com/NPLFA or find the academy at facebook.com/NPLFootballAcademy.

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