GLOVERS NEWS: Young football talent move on to Southampton and WBA

LEVEL Three Yeovil Town FC sport students have signed contracts with Premier League clubs Southampton and West Bromwich Albion.

Yeovil College and Yeovil Town FC, nicknamed the Glovers, have an excellent relationship in supporting the development of young aspiring professional footballers.

The college’s curriculum area manager for sport, Matt Hann, said: “Both players made positive progress on the academic part of their scholarship and will continue to do so now they have made this exciting step in their future careers with premiership clubs.

“Kingsley and Callum are evidence of the success of the scholarship programme partnership that is delivered by Yeovil College and YTFC. We wish both players well and are proud to have supported more successful football alumni from Yeovil College.”

Both students were sent away for trials including matches and training before being signed up to the Football Clubs.

Goalkeeper Kingsley Latham, 18, is the latest player to join the Southampton Football Club Academy.

Kingsley studied at Yeovil College for 18 months before he progressed into the first team year-on-year made up of 50% Academy graduates who are world-class in their technical ability on the field and behaviours off the field competing on the European stage.

Kingsley said: “It’s an opportunity that I want to grab with both hands. It’s a great honour to sign for such a big club with such a rich history of bringing young players through.

“I knew there was interest last month and have been down here for a few days and played a couple of games. But when I found out there was interest in signing me I knew I couldn’t miss out.”

The shot-stopper started his career with Torquay United before leaving to sign a scholarship with the Glovers.

He has now signed terms that will see him remain at Southampton until June 2018.

PHOTO – TOP: Kingsley Latham (left) with Southampton executive director Les Reed.

PHOTO – RIGHT: Callum Morton.

Callum Morton, 16, studied at Yeovil College for six months before progressing into West Bromwich Albion Football Club.

“I really enjoyed my time at Yeovil College,” he said. “The staff were brilliant and I was encouraged to achieve on all aspects of my course.”

Morton arrived in the Huish Park youth ranks last February, when Geoff Harrop signed him on a two-year scholarship.

A pupil at Torquay Academy, Morton's goalscoring record was described as "one of the best" in the Devon area and Harrop admitted he had been trying to sign Callum up for five years.

The Level Three YTFC Sport course at Yeovil College includes match analysis, strength and conditioning and ten hours of practical coaching.

Students are able to progress into the FA Youth Cup, coaching in the Yeovil Town Football Club Youth Academy, an USA football scholarship, university progression or become a professional footballer.

For more information on Yeovil College courses, visit www.yeovil.ac.uk .

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Yeovil Town FC.