A new Regional Talent Centre (RTC) will soon be coming to Herefordshire, the Nerf Junior Premier League. This league is one of the biggest youth leagues in the country. There will be a total of four RTCs opening up across the UK, and Herefordshire has been chosen to be the flagship of these centres.

Following meetings with Martin Brock, the Chairman of the Nerf Junior Premier League (JPL) and Andy Bevan, of the West Bromwich Albion (WBA) Development Centre, it was decided to merge these into a Junior Premier League RTC. The move will allow the RTC to work with more than just one club and offer greater opportunities to the players of Hereford, Ross-on-Wye, Monmouthshire, and the wider area.

The Regional Talent Centres and Foundation Centres will train during the week and play in the JPL on Saturday. The aim of Regional Talent Centre’s and Foundation Centres is to maintain the JPL environment where one in every 11 players is signed for an academy, as well as bridging the gap between Grassroots football and Academy Football.

The JPL has already had a great impact on locally based players, Andy Bevan (Centre Manager for the RTC) was in charge of Hfd Utd U16 when they played in the JPL in its first season five years ago, from that squad three players are currently playing for premiership/ championship clubs plus 4 other players played for Hereford FC in their debut season last year, proving that local players can make it.

If you would like to be part of a new and innovative centre where training focuses on you becoming the best player you can be, on outstanding facilities with high quality coaches, then please contact Andy Bevan or email [email protected] to register for the upcoming open trials on July 10th. Age groups U7-13 for the 2016/17 season.