IN a week during which Darlington’s future took a significant step with a £150,000 grant secured for the building of facilities at Blackwell Meadows, the long-term future of the team has also received a boost with one of their young prospects committing his future to the club.

Following six senior players agreeing deals with Darlington, Matty Lovegreen has signed a two-year contract with Quakers.

The defender made his debut in 2014 and has this season spent time on loan with Norton & Stockton Ancients in the Northern League as well as Harrogate RA in the Northern Premier League First Division.

Manager Martin Gray believes he is one for the future, and is pleased to see Lovegreen, from a Darlington-supporting family, become the first teenager to sign a contract having studied one of two full-time football courses run in partnership between Quakers and Darlington College.

“He’s one that we rate highly and he’s still learning his trade,” said Gray. “He’s been out on loan which has been of benefit to his game, but there’s still a lot of work to do.

“Playing for Harrogate can only have helped him, it’s a step up from the Northern League in my opinion. The reports I’ve had back have been good.

“He’ll do pre-season with the first-team and we’ll assess at the end pre-season what the next stage for him is.

“He needs to start developing physically and become a big, imposing centre-half. We’ll give him a programme to stick to and, to be fair, he buys into everything we do so there’ll be no problems there.

“He’s a big Darlington fan, his family are Darlington through and through.”

The courses at Darlington College are Sports Science with Football (level 3) and Sports with Football (level 2), and effectively provide Quakers’ youth team.

As well as Lovegreen, Adam Cocks, David Mitchell, Nathan Stephenson and Lewis Walton have all made Darlington’s first-team in recent seasons, and trials take place this weekend for the next batch of students.

Free training kit, boots and transport is provided to students, and Gray said: “The future of any club has got to be based around bringing players through from the youth team. You see it in the Premier League and it’s no different for us, we want to give a chance to local lads.”

As well as providing a potential route to Darlington’s squad, the courses can also lead to a US football scholarship, university or a career in football via sport science, or an apprenticeship – the Martin Gray Football Academy currently employs nine apprentices.

n The trials take place on Saturday morning between 9.45am-12pm at Blackwell Meadows for pupils in school years 10 and 11. To register your place, call 07921-334577.