New RMI Youth Academy announced

By Matt Lawton
November 18 2005

Leigh RMI are pleased to announce a new development in the club's Youth Academy, that is hoped will yield a whole host of potential first team stars in years to come.

RMI have now finalised arrangements with St. John Rigby Sixth Form College in the Orrell area of Wigan to jointly run the new Leigh RMI Youth Development Programme (Academy). We are very fortunate to have secured the services of this college with its top class facilities and the very experienced Mr Garreth Barker who will manage the programme on the club’s behalf. I am certain it will not be too long before we will see positive results from this joint venture.

Garreth brings a wealth of experience at this level having a major influence within the Morecambe academy which has provided six of the current first team squad and more recently as the academy coach for Preston North End’s under 16’s. He is an FA qualified coach and is currently involved as a FA fitness coach at their Lilleshall HQ.

Fellow director Stan Walker will oversee the initiative and provide the coordination between the club and the college. Together with Garreth he will carry out a number of presentations to the major league clubs in the North West with a view to securing the services of their Academy releases in January.

Stan says “This is a major breakthrough for both parties and completes our pre first team structure. Together with our successful reserve and youth teams the academy offers greater opportunities and time for young talented footballers to develop into conference standard players. We will be able to compete for the very best young players in the North West in what is a very competitive area. We are one of a very few clubs that can offer talented young players a fast track to senior National football.
Garreth and I intend to recruit about 24 players of a standard so that in a couple of years time they will be able to challenge for first team squad places. What is more important I am convinced that the club has learnt from the mistakes that discredited a similar initiative a couple of years ago with Wigan and Leigh College.
Our partner St John Rigby College is able to offer a first class academic curriculum and also a one-year bridging course to those who do not meet the academic entry requirements. There is already a bus service to St. John Rigby that runs from Leigh for students, with the service going via Winstanley College in Billinge.

RMI have already been accepted to play in the Conference Youth Academy League Northern Division and are currently looking at other options for the side to play competitively. The academy needs a benchmark to monitor progress and joining this league will provide Conference National competition to achieve this.”
Any interested players should contact Stan in the first instance on either 01942 602172, 07939 238907 or email stan@leighrmi.com