Last chance to sign up for cup-winning football academy

Young footballers are being offered the chance to attend an open day for the MMU football academy in association with Newcastle-under-Lyme College.

The open event, which is for students who are looking to start College this September, will begin at 10am on Monday 16 August at Manchester Metropolitan University’s Alsager campus.

Organisers are looking to recruit males aged between 16 and 18 of good footballing ability to form part of an under-19 team based at MMU’s Crewe Campus, and playing at a high level in the Football Conference Youth League. Successful applicants must be willing to travel to Crewe for their studies, once they start the course.

The open day will consist of a tour of the university facilities, structured professional football coaching sessions and a series of trial games.

Boys who are accepted will work towards a BTEC National Diploma in Sports Performance and Excellence while also having the opportunity to pursue their football career.
Since its launch in 2005, the academy has achieved notable success. In its opening year, the team saw off competition from 132 teams to lift the British Colleges Cup in 2006. The MMU academy has recently won the Football Conference Youth Alliance Cup 2009/10.

Melvyn Wilkes, Joint Head Youth Coach for the Academy, said: “The standard is high and competition for a place will be fierce. Thanks to the innovative partnership between MMU and NULC, those who are accepted can expect to receive the best excellent education and training both on the football field and in the classroom.”

For more information regarding arrival times and registration, players are asked to contact academy coaches Melvyn Wilkes or Nigel Deeley on 0161 247 5298 or 0161 247 5295. For general information about the football academy visit www.nulc.ac.uk/football