A NEW football academy has been launched in Langley to help get young players recognised by professional clubs.

The Footie Bug Academy was set up three months ago to offer fun, elite and professional training to children aged six and above.

Academy Manager, Gareth Evans, and his team of elite coaches are already working with around 26 children to prepare them for a trial or to be scouted.

Evans told the Observer: “We’ve got children aged 6-12 in Langley and they’re great little players, talented juniors, and we’re looking to create a professional background for them.

“The purpose of the Academy is to offer children elite training sessions to ge them ready for a trial or to be scouted by professional clubs, and hopefully get them on their way to success.

“We offer them a solid grounding to that, and it’s important to understand how we can create a better atmosphere for them.

“We’re an Academy but we do like to have a bit of fun with the kids because it’s an elite training session. They go through skills and new techniques every single week and it’s important for them to understand how to behave when they come to an academy.

VIDEO: Academy Manager, Gareth Evans, discusses the new Footie Bug Academy in Langley.

“But, it’s also important to create that atmosphere where they’re going to learn every single week, learn something new and then take it onto the field when it comes to matchdays.”

Evans continued: “We’ve had a great response. We started off with about 10 in our first session and we’re up to 26 now, which is going great guns.

“We only use Facebook and word of mouth as a way of advertising it, so to grow in that stature already has been superb.

“We’re hoping to link up with a professional club in the local area. We’ve got meetings booked in and we are going to see them very soon.

“With the introduction of professional clubs coming down for games and friendlies with our boys, it will only grow even better.

“They boys that we’ve invited along for trials have been really successful and already you can see a great group growing up.”

Anyone interested in joining the Footie Bug Academy in Langley should email Evans at gareth@footiebugs.com or call 07716 618568.

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