KIDDERMINSTER Harriers are forging even stronger links with the club’s youth set-up in order to find and develop the footballers of the future, says new Academy manager Andy Blakeley.

Blakeley set out his vision of how the Academy, which is ran in partnership between the club and Stourbridge College, will work with Reds’ senior side.

He has been in the role since Steve Guinan joined the Professional Footballer’s Association and is keen to continue the good work.

While the Academy hit the headlines after their excellent FA Youth Cup run, Blakeley, who has been involved since it began in 2011, aims to strengthen ties with Gary Whild’s senior squad.

The first team are based down at the Zortech Avenue facility in the week, rather than at Aggborough.

It means the 120 students learning the game and studying for a BTEC in sport at level two and three get unprecedented access to full-time footballers, who are able to pass on their knowledge and experience.

“I have been working at the college for 12 years, I was head of sport and had an involvement in the Academy since it started in 2011,” said Blakeley, who was has a masters degree in sports coaching and is studying for his UEFA B badge.

“Jerry Gill was manager then and I used to look after the academic side but also worked on the football programme as well.

“Now Steve Guinan’s left, I am permanently based down here to deal with the football and the education side.

“We’ve got a fantastic link with Kidderminster Harriers and my main aim is to make it better.

“We have already put some of those things in place, such as the first team being based at the Academy in the week.”

The partnership is already paying dividends. Harriers boss Gary Whild and number two Mark Creighton have both given talks to the aspiring young players, while Kevin Nicholson and Josh Gowling are also getting involved with the youngsters.

Blakeley added: “Harriers’ players mingling with the Academy lads makes us unique. We want strong links between ourselves and the club.

“Only last week, Kevin Nicholson took a coaching session with a group of 18 lads.

“Not only is that good as he talks about his own experiences as a professional footballer but it gets across the style used by senior team.

“We’ve got eight different sides and it’s not just about the top team and what they get out of it, it’s about what the rest of the students get from the programme.”

There are also ambitious plans in place to improve the Academy, which based on the former Chainwire Sports Club site.

The college aims to increase the size of the building, which already boasts seven classrooms, and is also working with neighbours 24/7 Fitness.

Situated on 40 acres, which includes seven full size pitches, there are also plans for a 4G pitch and floodlights, which could be used by the community.

From next season, there will be an under-21s Harriers team, incorporating students studying the football, coaching, business and management foundation degree course, which could play academy sides from Football League clubs.

Tyrone Williams, Kennedy Diggie and Luke Maxwell have had first team experience and Whild feels the new youth set-up will play a major role in the Aggborough outfit’s future.

He said: “It’s great to have three lads who have came through and half a dozen others who could come through. If we can keep developing like that, the club will be on a more solid foundation.”