Guiseley AFC have teamed up with Future Elite Sports to give our youth players a number of different options when they exit the Academy.
Future Elite Sports are official partners of English College Sport and can offer a variety of options for the Academy players. Those include US scholarships, semi-pro football and coaching in Australia as well as professional trials throughout Europe.
Former US University coach Michael Simcock is a Future Elite Sports consultant and he has met with the Academy players regularly in recent months.
“We are delighted to link up with Guiseley AFC. Future Elite Sports aim to place the best young talent in the UK to the high level Colleges and Universities in the USA and we believe that the Guiseley AFC Academy has that level of talent,” he explained.
The Academy’s Head of Youth Development David Currie has seen a number of success stories since it was set up, including those of AFC Bournemouth midfielder Ben Whitfield and Morecambe FC goalkeeper Tom Stewart, who both spent time in the youth set-up at Nethermoor.
“We have been talking to a number of companies that offer similar services but after meeting Michael and hearing that they offer more than just the US Scholarship option we felt that they give our lads more exit routes,” Currie added.
“Going to coach and play in Australia would really appeal to me as a player and I know it is something a few of our lads are very interested in doing. In addition, they only work with a relatively small number of elite players and look to place them in the top colleges and universities.
“Ultimately not everyone will be able to follow the academy lads who have represented the first team here at Guiseley AFC but Future Elite Sports will be able to give players more options alongside the UK university route.”
Adie Towers, Guiseley’s CEO, added: “We are entering completely new territory here, however, I feel that it demonstrates the ambitions of the club and a determination to grow our repuation on and off the field.”