The Seasiders Youth Team squad consists of players from the age of 16 to 18 and they are all spread out over twoyears.

The players, now known as 'Apprentices' spend two years with the Club and also at college, as they take a 'Modern Apprenticeship In Sporting Excellence'.

After the second year, players can be released or taken on as professionals.

Blackpool's Youth Team compete in the Youth Alliance League North West Conference, which is a regional division in the North-West of England.

The fixtures in the first stage of this competition run until the start of 2007, when the teams are separated into further leagues dependent on what position they finished in the table.

These newly formed divisions are known as The Merit League and the fixtures are no longer as regionally based.

Aside from the league competitions, there is also the Youth Alliance Cup, when the teams are initially set out in mini divisions of four teams, of which the winners progress to the next round.

Nationally, the main competition at this level is the FA Youth Cup, which is in many ways similar to the FA Cup, only for the younger players.

This often results in younger players from the Centre Of Excellence being used for these games and they have also been used in the Youth Alliance at times.

CURRENT SCHOLARS

Name

Position

Place of Birth

Kyle Clancy

GK

Barking

Scott Metcalf

RB

Burnley

Phil Doran

LB

Liverpool

Ashley Holt

LB

Burnley

Ashton Bayliss

CB

Liverpool

Dane Matthews

CB

Blackpool

Ross Lloyd

RM

Ormskirk

Alex Smith

RM/ST

Blackburn

Dominic Merella

RM/LM

Chorley

Matthew Kay

CM

Blackpool

Dale Warburton

CM

Stefan Laird

CM

Greenock

Danny Mitchley

ST

Liverpool

Liam Caddick

ST

Liverpool

Matthew Ogden

ST

Blackpool

2006/7 FIXTURES TO FOLLOW