DARLINGTON’S commitment to their youth ranks will be underlined when a new college course aimed at attracting some of the best teenage talent in the region is launched.
Manager Martin Gray has long stated that he wishes to see youngsters make their way through the club’s ranks and into the first team, a process he has encouraged during four and a half seasons in charge.
Quakers’ youth team is made of players studying Level 3 sports science course at Darlington College, and since 2012 various teenagers have been given outings in the first team, particularly in cup competitions.
A 15-year-old travelled with the first-team for last Saturday’s game at AFC Telford United in order to gain valuable experience and Gray says developing players from a young age need to be a major role at the club, rather than signing players from outside of the North-East.
“We want to offer teenagers the chance to become top amateurs or even professionals if we get to where we want to go, but to do that we need the best kids coming through,” said Gray.
“At the moment we’re signing players from further down the country, the likes of Nathan Cartman and Josh Falkingham, because we haven’t got players coming through.
“I know we’re only four or five years into the programme, but we still want the best kids coming through instead of having to go cherry-picking from outside the area.
“We want a good calibre of 15 or so players coming through, with the hope that two or three will break into the first team.”
The new course, aimed at elite footballers, will see students study for a sports science with football qualification, and gain level 1 and level 2 FA coaching badges.
A trial takes place at Eastbourne Sports Complex, Darlington, on Thursday December 1.
Gray added “Players will be identified at the trial as elite. We are looking for the very best footballers in the North-East. It is a great opportunity for elite sports students to gain industry experience coupled with an education.”
* For more details, go to darlington.ac.uk/courses/sporting-academies
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