Allanson on search for future talent
16th March, 2017
A former Bridlington Town midfielder is hoping to use his day job to provide the next generation of players for the club.
Ash Allanson left the Seasiders earlier this season after eight years, but he is leading a new project to open an academy for Town.
He is a sports tutor at East Riding College, which has a campus just across the road from Town's Queensgate stadium.
The college has now teamed up with the club to launch the academy, with the first trials for young footballers due to start on April 19th.
Allanson said: "I am very excited about this partnership with Bridlington Town and look forward to producing future local players.
"I had an amazing eight years playing for the club, it became a part of me, and I want to help the club and young players in the town as much as I can.
"Our aim is to develop the footballers of the future by giving local young people the opportunity to learn and train, enabling them to achieve their potential, both academically and in their football careers.
"It would be fantastic if we could get the next generation of Bridlington Town football players through the academy."
The academy will open its doors in September.
Its aim is to provide the best young players in Bridlington with the opportunity of playing and receiving professional coaching while staying in education.
Academy players will have the opportunity to play for the college team on Wednesday afternoons in the Association of Colleges League, plus regular football training and strength and conditioning sessions with qualified coaches.
They may also have the opportunity to play for Bridlington Town Reserves in the Humber Premier League, with the hope of impressing first team manager Curtis Woodhouse and break through the ranks into the Toolstation NCEL line-up.
Peter Smurthwaite, Bridlington Town chairman, said: "It's great to be working with the college and with Ash again.
"It makes sense to work together, especially as the college and the club are only across the road from each other.
"We want to provide opportunities, to grow the club and the profile of football in the town.
"I would love it if home-grown talent could come through the ranks and provide us with first-team players, it cements the club as part of the local community and more to the point, it makes good business sense to grow your own."
Players that choose to study for the Level 3 BTEC in Sport will combine studies in anatomy and physiology, sports coaching, fitness and training, and sports performance with the football academy training.
Click here for Bridlington Town's team page.