A MATCH for anyone – that’s the competitive set-up at York City’s Centre of Excellence.
Even if the Centre remains hamstrung by a lack of cash, the range of teams fielded by the centre from under-11s through to under-16s continue to thrive on the field of play.
Latest in the evidence of defying the odds was delivered at Hartlepool where the U14s team prised out a creditable 1-1 draw.
The Minster-mites went into the lead with a Jordan Robson penalty and were more than good value for extracting a point from a team, whose senior side still hold on to Championship 1 Football League status.
After a nervy start the U14s were swelled by several recruits from the North-east, guided by the knowledgeable gaze of City scout Mick Malcolm.
Said John Stockton, head of the Centre’s U16s team: “The lads who have come in have helped to transform the side, who were getting some heavy beatings.
“Things have really improved now and they played so well at Hartlepool. Mick has a great eye.”
There’s no doubting that score. Along the production line of talent guided towards Bootham Crescent by the North-east scout have come Jonathan Greening, Graeme Murty, Lee Bullock, Darren Williams and Glenn Boyes.
Between that quintet more than £2million in transfer fees were received by City.
The draw at Hartlepool also came in the wake of the U15s thoroughly routing Blackburn Rovers of the Premier League 3-0.
Added Stockton: “On the pitch all our teams can be a match for anyone and we mainly do play Football league clubs.
“That’s the measure of the good work done at the Centre and it is also noticeable in that at least half of the lads who had that great York Schools’ FA cup win this week (the first such success by a York schoolboys’ team) have been, or still are, coached at the Centre of Excellence.”
It’s off the park where the problems lie for the Centre and that’s in raising cash to keep all the teams going.
Funds from the Bootham Crescent parent club ended several years ago and efforts at fund-raising have been hit by City’s Youth Training Scheme also having to find close on £20,000 a year to keep going.
“It’s our big bug-bear – just raising funds,” declared Stockton.
“But we keep battling on and if anyone can help with any sort of backing they can phone me on 07793 597274.”
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