The Club are delighted to confirm the full plan for our newly formed Under 18 side in 2017/18.

​The Magpies had applied for the side to join the Southern Youth League in which we had so much success in both the 2014/15 and the 2015/16 seasons. However the League itself has endured some administration struggles and has duly asked the Combined Counties Football League whether they would be willing to take over the League for 2017/18.

​The CCL have swiftly moved to accept this offer and the recommendation for its adoption will be put to its members at the AGM on Saturday 24 June. At that same meeting The Magpies' application to join the league will be heard and voted upon. The FA have not raised any objections to the proposal and given that this league will fit nicely underneath the CCL's Senior and newly-formed U21 structure, it all points to a very interesting future for the U18s.

​Should all be approved this will mean that the Under 18s will be playing their matches midweek, rather than at weekends, and with the structure of the league expected to remain similar to that of previous seasons, the travelling commitments will be vastly less arduous than other U18 midweek leagues in the area.

​It is The Club's intention that the U18 squad will train at the same time and same location as the Senior squad and with their fixtures in the midweek there will be a clear opportunity for players to put themselves in the frame for 1st Team opportunities on Saturdays. This arrangement is firmly in keeping with The Club's ethos of giving youth the opportunity to develop through matchday experience in addition to receiving quality coaching.

​The opportunity on offer is clearly a much valued one as we welcomed over 30 trialists to our event at the end of last month and with further interest from those that could not attend on the day, the intention is to hold another trial in the coming weeks.

​Further details on all aspects of this exciting U18 side will be posted here and via our social media outlets, so be sure to keep an eye out over the coming weeks. In the meantime, should you wish to register your interest in the side or want to know any more details, please use the CONTACT facility on this site with your message being for the attention of our U18 Manager, Nathan Peppercorn.