2008 Preview and its all go!!!!

Wolverhampton and EU player selected for National game XI

Exodus Geohaghan (Wolverhampton) who completed his studies last year and moved to Kettering Town in the Football Conference is not only sitting at the top of the league but this week has been selected by Paul Fairclough to play Italy for England C. We would all like to wish Exodus all the best for the upcoming fixture.

John Hall - Leeds Met

John has played a huge role in HE football over the past 2 decades and has helped myself and Steve especially move the new representative programme on. John has now stepped down at Northern Regional Manager but will remain in a position of support to the programme and will be ever present at Regional and National events. I would just like to personally thank John for his support of HE football and support of programme over the last 2.5 years. It is without doubt where it is because of people like John. Thanks John.

FA Cup

Many of our students will be involved in the 1st round proper this season below is a snap shot:
Sean Canham (Bath) - Sutton United v NOTTS COUNTY
Stephen Luckket & Andy Jones (Worcester) - Torquay United v EVESHAM UNITED
Michael Symons & Lee Molyneaux (UWE Hartputy) - TEAM BATH v Ashford Town / FOREST GREEN ROVERS
Leon McSweeney (Loughborough) - Yeovil Town v STOCKPORT COUNTY
Rob Taylor (Worcester) - Huddersfield Town v PORT VALE
Tom Curtis (Loughborough) - ALFRETON TOWN v Bury Town
Marcus Garnham (Anglia Ruskin) - Alfreton Town v BURY TOWN
Peter Vincenti (Liverpool Hope) - Leicester City v STEVENAGE / Horsham
Johnny McClaughlin (Leeds Met) - MK Dons v BRADFORD CITY
Andy Rushbury (Nottingham Trent) - Darlington v Droylesden / BELPER TOWN
Andy Brown (Loughborough) - Northwich Victoria/AFC TELFORD v Southend United
Tom Birch (Manchester) - HINCKLEY UNITED / Curzon Ashton v Exeter City
Matt Taylor (Bath) - Hinckley United / Curzon Ashton v EXETER CITY
Exodus Geohaghan (Wolverhampton) Brett Solkhon(Loughborough)- KETTERING TOWN v Lincoln City
Mark Nwokeji (London) - Hereford v DAGENHAM & REDBRIDGE
Daniel Sleath (Loughborough) - Wrexham / EASTWOOD TOWN v Brackley Town
Matthew Towns (Derby) - Harlow Town v MACCLESFIELD TOWN

Regional Trials 2008 - Sunday 23rd November

Can you please ensure that your nomination forms for the players within your squads are now on their way to the office so that we can start to sort out the trial process. It is really important that we keep the profile of this programme up so if you have not already done so can you please ensure that this is complete.

Players released from football league clubs going into HE
Attached is a list of players that have been released from football league clubs and have gone into HE/FE both in the UK and the USA. Could you please have a scan through and see if any are at your institutions that you may have missed.

BUCS domestic programme

The season has started and Birmingham are leading the way in PLN and Hartpury and Bath are doing so in in PLS. Over the past few weeks we have had issues with officials, team sheets etc. Hopefully you all understand that the reason for doing all of these things (or at least going some way to delivering them) is to raise the standards in HE football. We know we are not going to get them right in the first instance but the commitment to do this will ensure that the experience players, staff and institutions have will improve. Thank you all for supporting this.

England Universities programme

This year will be kicked off by the regional trials and tournament (December 15th and 16th at Warwick). After Christmas we will deliver a 2 day camp as a training and selection camp that will allow us to assess the players this year. It is hoped that we will go on tour to Ireland and play the Irish Universities side plus an Eircom Premier league team.

World Student Games 2009

This year the games are in Belgrade and hopefully the programme for selection and training will be available soon. There are undoubted players that will be playing at a level to push for places for this years squad.

World University Futsal Championships 2010 (Serbia)

I have attempted already to start to develop a player development programme for players in HE for the next tournament. Although there is not much resource available I am determined for us to deliver a programme that may in 18 months be able to challenge the FA National team programme. I will be sending out details on this when we have moved it on.