Borough to add development squad

[FF News]

Gosport Borough will launch a new Development Squad next season in an initiative between the club and Gosport Falcons Youth FC.

Last season the club ran an Under 18s team in the Hampshire County Youth League along with a second team in the Portsmouth Youth League as well as two further teams run out of the Academy in the Football Conference Youth Alliance and the University/Colleges League.

For next season, these teams will be joined by a second Under 18s team in the County League after the existing Gosport Falcons Under 16s team joined the club.

Charlie Goulding, the manager of the Falcons team will also work with Terry Pyke to run the club's new Development Squad in an attempt to bridge the gap between youth and senior football.

First team manager Alex Pike was clearly excited by the prospect.

"This is a good step forward for the club. We had to disband the reserves a few seasons ago because the step from Wessex Combination to the Conference was just too much," he explained.

"With a Development Squad we can pull in the best of our youth players and, with permission from other managers, draft in younger players from Wessex League sides.

"It will give us the opportunity to look at some of these youngsters who may be quite capable of making a step up.

"We also propose that one or two older players could play in these games as well for example when returning from injury.

"As a club we need to build the infrastructure to supply the first team with the next generation of players. I believe the Development Squad will help us do that."

Initially, the Development Squad's fixtures will be on a friendly basis with clubs such as Basingstoke Town, Farnborough, Dorchester, Bashley and Weymouth interested.

However, should the idea take off, Pike envisages pushing for the league to be sanctioned in 2016/17.

Source: www.gosportboroughfc.co.uk

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