Junior section re-launch to help Chesterfield FC find more local talents

Junior development squads are being launched, with open trials due to start next month, and will operate alongside the club’s Category 4 Academy for the first time since the club left the Football League eight years ago.

The recruitment drive will look for youngsters predominantly at the grassroots in Derbyshire, South Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire. Better relationships will be built with local teams and schools who the players would still be eligible to play for.

The changes will see about 120 new players competing under the Chesterfield FC badge in youth development squads against other academies from next season.

The age group development squads will cover U9s right through to U16s and for younger kids there will be U7 and U8 sections which will play in “little league” games.

Lots of thought has gone into the changes.

The club says the U9-U16s development squads will compete in a “small games programme” during the week as well as a midweek and school holidays matches, giving the kids match experience and plenty touches of the ball in small-sided and full-sided games.

Training will be mainly at the University of Sheffield's Norton Sports Park on Warminster Road, where the academy is currently based Monday-Friday. There will be conditioning sessions back at the SMH Group Stadium.

The moves looks to build on the recent success of the academy. Gunner Elliott went from grassroots games to international football within months and, at 17, became the second youngest player to play for the Spireites.

A spokesperson said: “ This marks another step in the long-term vision of the club of the academy being based predominantly on local recruitment going forward to increase the number of Derbyshire-born players in the first-team squad in the years to come.”

The club thanked academy sponsors MW Window Systems for its continued support since the club returned to the EFL.