Academy stars relishing step up

Ryman League Needham Market are looking forward to passing another milestone in their history when their Academy side enters Division One of the Thurlow Nunn League in August.

The Marketmen were promoted from the Thurlow Nunn into Ryman North as recently as 2005 and the Academy at Bloomfields, pictured, was only set up in 2011.

Academy Director Andy Gould paid tribute to the club's volunteers, officials and head coach Kevin Horlock for making the step up possible in such a short space on time.

Horlock told the Marketmen's website that he believes the entire club will benefit from the move and promised that his young stars would be more than ready to make their debuts.

He said: "Our application to join the senior ranks of the Thurlow Nunn League was a bold one but one which we felt would further enhance the status of our Academy programme, but also that of the football club as a whole.

"A lot of work went on behind the scenes and that effort has been rewarded with our election to Thurlow Nunn League Division One.

"We recognise that we have work to do off the field as well as on it in preparation for what will be an exciting season ahead. It's now all systems go and come August 3rd I’m sure we'll all be ready at Needham Market."