By Joe Harbert

Ashford United are to restart their highly-anticipated academy with a second trial for their post-16 education and football development programme.

The Nuts & Bolts announced plans for a full-time, Level 3 qualification course earlier this calendar year, and enjoyed a successful first session back in March, just days before coronavirus curtailed football across the country.

However, with schools in England expected to reopen next month ahead of a traditional September return, United first-team manager Tommy Warrilow, who is leading the two-year course alongside former Welling Town boss Louis Dean, has revealed the academy will continue its search for local talent on Wednesday 26th August.

He says they will then be one of many programmes ready to begin their respective course as soon as they are given the green light to do so.

"I've been speaking with the education providers to get the ball rolling again, and we're going to have another throw of the dice for the second trial date," the 56-year-old said.

"We've had to wait and see what's happened with everything - more things are obviously opening now, so hopefully it all goes ahead because if not, we'll have to wait another whole year for it to get started which would be a shame.

"We've had a few more requests on top of those that turned out for the first session, and with pupils getting their predicted grades soon it's a good time to start up again, especially with the lads that came to the first trial also waiting patiently.

"So we're trying to get people to register, and once they've done so and got a place we'll start with everyone else, whatever that date turns out to be.

"It would be great to have a silver lining for everyone involved when you consider what this pandemic has done, but we have to go hand in glove with what the government guidelines are.

"But of course all being well, everything is already registered, and we have the education, pitch and facilities there and ready to go."

Ashford's programme will be in partnership with provider inspiresport, and anyone interested is encouraged to visit the academy website page.

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