ITC And Shrewsbury College Squad Launched
Manager Micky Mellon has shown his support for Shrewsbury Town’s new Football & Education Under-19s Development team due to compete in the Premier League/Football League for the coming season.
The Development Squad, delivered by Shrewsbury Town in the Community in partnership with Shrewsbury College, gives 16-17-year-olds the opportunity to train with the Club's professional coaches and compete in a midweek league that boasts Premier League teams such as Liverpool and Chelsea, Watford alongside a host of other Football League Clubs.
The Development Squad will train for a minimum of six hours per week while completing a two year BTEC level 3 Sport Qualification. Each student will receive a ticket for each match of Town’s League One campaign.
Micky said: "This is another fantastic opportunity delivered by the Football Clubs Community Scheme. Its an opportunity for the club to identify any late developers while allowing the player to study towards their BTEC qualification.
"We’re not just doing this because we want to tick a box - we want to try to get as many Shropshire or Shrewsbury born and bred kids into our first team here.
"It’s what the fans want and it’s always been what football has been about.
"We’ve got something like seven homegrown lads in the first-team squad which is terrific and I want to keep adding to that.
"I want the club to have an identity with the community it’s serving where they can say ‘look at Joe Bloggs, he’s come through the system.
"There’s nothing more satisfying for fans than seeing a local lad playing for the first team.
"The opportunity is there for them and they’ve got a manager that wants that to happen."
Shrewsbury Town in the Community manager Jamie Edwards said: "The Development Squad is a continuation from our ever-growing Football & Education programme at the football club.
"The league we have entered will be very competitive but gives the student a unique experience.
"There are a number of similar courses available in Shropshire but this course, being linked with the only professional football club and professional games programme, gives the student a realistic opportunity of a career in sport.
"Our recent results show that a number of graduates are starting to have a real impact working in the local community."
Academy manager Steve Reece said: "This is an opportunity for players that are released at 16 to continue playing football without having to leave the Football Club. It is also a great way for the Academy to be in contact with any players that may be late developers."
Places are limited so if you are 16 or 17 years old and interested in the programme please contact adamhenshall@shrewsburytown.co.uk or call 01743 289177 for more information.
Key Information
· Students must be 16 or 17 on August 31st 2015
· Must hold the equivalent of five GCSE’s (Level A-C)
· Must include Maths & English
· Learning takes place at the football club and our education partners Shrewsbury College.
· Training at Sundorne Sports Village
· Shadow squad for academy; allows for those who fall just short of a scholarship to stay within close quarters of the academy
Photo: Andy Vanomerman (Shrewsbury College Tutor), Micky Mellon and Adam Henshall (Head of Education at STFC)