RUGBY TOWN: Impressive start to the season for Academy Under 19s

Rugby Town's Academy of Football at Butlin Road

The Rugby Town FC Academy of Football has continued with its successful start, after being established in the summer under the management of Liam O’Neill.

The full-time education programme allows 16-19 year olds the opportunity to study towards a BTEC qualification alongside training and playing football to a high standard on a daily basis.

The academy plays in nationally recognised leagues and competitions, and the Under 19s kicked off their NL Under 19 Alliance season recently with a 1-0 home victory over Kettering - thanks a converted penalty by Lewis Padmore.

Last Wednesday (September 19) saw the academy players line-up to represent Valley in the First Qualifying Round of the FA Youth Cup against a side from National League North club Leamington FC.

In a display that O’Neill described as “scintillating”, Town hammered the Brakes outfit 11-2 - with current Rugby first team prospect Jamal Adams netting five of the bumper goal haul.

Padmore grabbed a hat-trick to add to his winner the previous week, and substitutes Max Brogan (2) and Jas Bedar were also on the scoresheet.

The academy Under 19s were back in action yesterday (Wednesday) with a trip to Long Eaton for their second NL game, with the Under 18’s side also making a first appearance this week in the English Colleges League.

Free-scoring Adams and his academy team captain Josh Steele were selected by Valley boss Carl Adams to start Tuesday evening’s league cup defeat against Leicester Nirvana, with both players also on the bench for last weekend’s FA Cup tie versus Hednesford.

Following their Leamington triumph, Town’s youth team have been drawn at home to Wellingborough in the next round of the competition and the game will be played at Butlin Road on Wednesday, October 3, 7.45pm kick-off.

# The academy are holding a half-term trial date on Tuesday, November 1 for current Year 11 students looking to sign up to the scholarship programme. For further information, contact Liam at [email protected]