Plymouth Official Site MILKING IT
Posted on: Sat 04 Jun 2011
SOME of Argyle's best Centre of Excellence schoolboy prospects will again be competing in the famous Northern Ireland Milk Cup international youth tournament in July, despite the club's financial problems.
"We are able to go thanks to donations from the Argyle Foundation, other fund-raising efforts and contributions from the players' own parents," explained head of youth development Gordon Bennett.
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This will be the fourth consecutive year in which the young Pilgrims have participated in the event, which will see them rubbing shoulders with some of the best young footballers from 16 countries across the world.
The Greens are taking part in the 24-strong Junior (Under-15) section, which also includes four-times champions Everton, Mexico's Cruz Azul, and Danish clubs AB Copenhagen and FC Nordsjaelland.
They have been drawn to meet Norway's Revo Express, the County Armagh representative team from Ulster, and npower Championship club Reading in their opening three games.
Argyle will play Revo Express on Monday, July 25, County Armagh the next day and Reading on the Wednesday.
The results from each team's opening three games are used to compile a composite league table that determines the programme for the remaining two days of knock-out games.
The top four clubs go through to the semi-finals of the Milk Cup, with the remaining twenty teams split into groups of four, according to their league position, for subsidiary plate competitions.
During the first three days of their half-term break this week, the prospective squad was put through their paces by Centre of Excellence manager Allan Evans and coaches Chris Souness and Kevin Nancekivell, who will be accompanying the party to Ulster.
Three of the youngsters in the Greens' first Milk Cup party four years ago emerged at first team level in the season just ended.
Jack Stephens created history last September when he became the third youngest player to make his senior debut, and subsequently two months ago was transferred to Southampton for £150,000.
Luke Young, then still only 17, was next to break into the first team back in February, and manager Peter Reid has recently offered him a professional contract for next season.
Jed Harper-Penman was also only 17 when he too had his first taste of senior football in April.
Whilst six others from that squad are about to enter the second year of their Argyle apprenticeships - Jordan Copp, Dan Hart, Jordan Pearce, Jamie Richards, Jared Sims and Isaac Vassell.
This year's tournament features 54 entries from clubs and countries split into three sections: Junior Under-15, Premier Under-17 and Elite Under-20 age-groups.
Games often attract large crowds and are featured every evening on a highlights television programme broadcast by BBC Northern Ireland.
www.pafc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10364~2371076,00.html
