The academy take their first steps in trying to emulate last season’s efforts of reaching the Champion of Champions final when they host FCV International Football Academy from Stamford, Lincolnshire, at Otley Town AFC on Wednesday 1st May.

The game between the champions of National League Youth Alliance Under-19s Division I and Division G will kick-off at 12pm.

Dave Currie’s side will face a tough task against a truly international set up where the players live in boarding houses and have frequent tours abroad.

The Young Lions won their division with 18 wins from 20 games and scored 84 league goals to finish with a goal difference of 68. They scored a further 29 goals in cup games taking their tally to 113 in total.

The side lost their leading scorer Jake Young to a professional contract with Sheffield United after he had netted 16 goals in the first two months of the season.

It has however been onwards and upwards for the side with a number of the players making it through to the first team squad, the latest being midfielder and captain Aleks Starcenko.