The newly-formed Academy team has begun pre-season training under Coaches Dave Currie and Stuart Gray, at Carr Manor Community School for the first couple of weeks before joining the first team at West Park on Tuesday 17th July. The Academy side will continue to train alongside the first team until the Blue Square North season opens on Saturday 18th August.

 Fourteen players attended the first session; four others had prior commitments and another is due back from the Cayman Islands in August. The squad is, however, seeking a talented goalkeeper who must be under 18 on 1st September 2012 and wants to study for a BTech Level 3 in Sport at CMCS.

The team also requires a therapist, qualified to FA Intermediate Treatment and Management of Injuries level, for matchdays. The ideal candidate would be someone looking to enhance their studies as a Physio or Sports Therapist and available over the season for the ten home matches, which will be played on Wednesdays kicking off at 2 pm.

 The team was accepted into the Conference Youth Alliance League – North Division (CYAL-ND) – at its AGM last week, although no fixtures have been released so far. The team has also been accepted into the FA Youth Cup, with the draw for the opening matches due to be released this Friday, 6th July. The teams that competed in last season’s CAYDL-ND were Birmingham City Blues, Boston United, FC Halifax Town, Fleetwood Town, Gateshead, Ilkeston, Mansfield Town, MMU/Newcastle, Newcastle Town and Stalybridge Celtic.

 Several teams have been approached regarding friendlies in preparation for the new season, which starts on Wednesday 12th September. The first game to be arranged is against Bainbridge FC, to be played on the all-weather pitch at Leeds Carnegie on 11th July.

 Arrangements are also in place to take photos of the players, and they will appear on the Website together with a short profile.