HEREFORDSHIRE FA are launching a new boys' development centre ahead of the next season to run alongside their established girls' development centre.

Unlike an academy the centre encourages players to stay with their local sides and complete additional training and matches to help improve the standard of football across the region.

The aim of the centre is 'to create a safe, positive, football environment for talented players and aspiring coaches from Herefordshire, with a participant centred focus.'

The development centre will have a director to oversee the teams and sides aged from under-12 to under-16 will play in the Midland Junior Premier League.

The running of the Foundation Development Centre , age groups under-eight to under-11, has been put out to tender.

Herefordshire FA spokesman Dan Chance hopes that the new development centre will help improve the level of football and coaching across the county.

"We are aiming to engage with the community and help football in the county to get better," said Chance.

"We want players to carry on playing for their local clubs in the county. The centre will be something beyond that.

"We are going to enter a regional league which will be on a different matchday to local matches and an extra training session with hopefully some really well qualified coaches.

"It's going to be about everybody getting better including the coaches and hopefully both players and their parents will have a good experience.

"We have already had enough interest to make the centre feasible and will be releasing trial dates once football is given the go-ahead."

Herefordshire FA also plan to run a further education provision from the 2021-22 season, called the Performance Phase.

"In academies lads join the centre at under-eight and go straight through to a professional first team," added Chance.

"We have had some really positive ideas about a further education provision and hope to link with schools and local clubs."

For more information visit the Herefordshire FA website.