Sheppey United are expanding their youth section in a hope of keeping their best local talent close to home.

The club’s main aim is to produce first team players that can follow in the footsteps of Dan Bradshaw, Connor Wilkins and Ian Batten, who are all playing for their hometown club.

The introduction of two more age groups to Holm Park next season will help, pushing their youth player numbers past the 100 mark.

The ambitious club have already started to reap the benefits, with some of their homegrown youngsters featuring in the Southern Counties East first team squad, and there has been interest from clubs way above their level too.

Youth players have had trials at Tottenham, Crystal Palace and Millwall, while Gillingham have also shown an interest in one of their juniors.

Chairman of the youth section, Gary Seamark, is hoping the expansion gives even more players across Swale the opportunity to make something of their talents at a much higher level or with their own club.

He said: “We don’t want to see the best young players going off the island to play football. We are regularly getting contacted by people who see the first team play and they want to be involved.

“Nothing makes me prouder than seeing a young player making the first team.”

Ryan Freeman got a goal for the senior side at Rusthall on the final day of the 2018/19 season, while Liam Irvine, Cameron Jackson and Michael Santangelo are among those to have been around Ernie Batten's SCEFL squad and playing for the under-23 development team.

During the now expunged 2019/20 season, the club added an under-11s and under-12 side to their portfolio, playing in the Medway Messenger Youth League.

From next season they hope to have an under-9 and under-10 team too, making it six age group teams in total, up to under-18s.

Mr Seamark feels the step into the Kent Youth League is a big one and is keen for players to grow together in younger sides before taking the leap to a higher level when they get to under-13s.

Current rules say that only clubs with a senior team playing at step five or above can be involved in the KYL, starting at under-13 level, through to the 18s. The under-13s will be managed in the KYL by new appointment Newman Luke next season, assisted by Ben Jemmett and Jake Breaker.

“We are the only club on the island that can offer it,” said the chairman.

“We are hoping to feed kids through that league and play at a higher standard, against the likes of Ebbsfleet United and Dover Athletic. It means kids can play at the higher level here now without having to leave the island.

“This is where the scouts will be looking and we can help give the kids the exposure.

“We were losing kids to the likes of Faversham, Sittingbourne and Maidstone but they can play all the way through now.”

The older age groups in the Kent Youth League - who also declared their season null and void - more than held their own.

The under-16s were second in the league before the season was ended by coronavirus. A number of the squad boys play in the Swale district team.

The 15s, who are impressing scouts of professional sides, were on course to win the league and in the League Cup semi-final.

The new under-13s were second in their league. while the under-12s were on course for second or third in the Medway Messenger Youth League in their first season together.

There had been an attempt to bring the various island youth sections together under one umbrella and although there was some positive progress at first, with representatives of New Road and Range Rovers onboard, they needed to concentrate their time to their own clubs and with youth football being so busy it became hard to maintain the link.

For Sheppey, they will be looking for under-9s upwards from next season and are currently in the process of getting the coaches in place.

Holm Park - which is now known as the Total Power Stadium following new sponsorship - is set to be awash with football next season, whenever that starts. There is a full size main pitch which the under-18s have used, a second full-size pitch, one for 9-a-side and there is a 7-a-side pitch being marked out too for the new campaign.

Kris Sunderland has joined the club as under-10 manager while the under-18s will be taken by Travis Way.

“We want to get them in young and keep them interested,” said the chairman, who also wanted to add his thanks to kit sponsors Havill Funeral Service.

“If we can get someone to do what Chris Smalling did at Maidstone then fantastic. These kids have got the chance to represent the area at a high standard and could go on and play semi-pro, or a higher level. It is about giving them that opportunity.”

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