Adam Smith urges businesses to help secure future of Grimsby Town Youth set-up
GRIMSBY Town Youth boss Adam Smith has urged 100 businesses to help "sustain and grow" the Mariners' Youth set-up by joining The Century Club.
Following the success of the Trawling the Town scheme, the Mariners and the Grimsby Telegraph have linked up once again to launch the new initiative.
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Grimsby Town Youth boss Adam Smith
The Century Club gives 100 businesses the opportunity to make a real difference to Town's future.
By pledging just £200, companies become members of an exclusive club – and will play their part in safeguarding the Mariners' much-admired Youth system.
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It is a set-up that has produced a conveyor belt of talent, including Premier League star Ryan Bennett and three of Town's current first-team squad.
And Smith, pictured, believes The Century Club is the ideal way for Town and local businesses to work hand-in-hand for a bright future at Blundell Park.
"The Youth department should be the heartbeat of any football club," he said. "This initiative – if supported by local businesses – would give our staff the security to be more forward-thinking and plan for the long term, and how we can grow and improve as a department.
"That could be in terms of increased coaching hours, more contact time, or an improved recruitment strategy. It would allow us to look beyond day-to-day survival."
Describing the benefits for the companies who get involved, Smith added: "We're looking for 100 businesses to come on board with a £200 sponsorship of the Youth set-up.
"We hope that figure opens it up, from one-man bands right the way through to the bigger businesses.
"In return, they get a package of benefits that really does outweigh the £200 input from them.
"They get a piece in the match-day programme each week and a feature in the Grimsby Telegraph, which on its own offers fantastic value for money.
"In addition to that, they will get a prominent place on The Century Club wall in the Youth department bar. We're also looking at developing a Century Club sponsor board, which would be pictured with the two team captains ahead of every home first-team game.
"It's really about providing value for money, giving those businesses who join the Century Club as much coverage as possible – and also, helping us sustain and grow the Youth department."
With Town's teams ranging from Under-9s right up to the Under-18 Youth side, companies can make a real difference to the club's future – and young people's lives.
"At the moment we have just over 100 boys in the system and I'd like to think that the vast majority of them have a positive experience at the football club with us," Smith said.
"They come into the football club three times a week and we provide a good games' programme and coaching syllabus.
"With the help of The Century Club, that can get even better."
Comments
by MarinerPedro
Tuesday, November 20 2012, 12:07PM
“This is superb! Massive credit to the club and GET for giving this a go - fans have been crying out for ideas for years. It isn't a huge amount of money in the scheme of things but could make such a difference. UTM! Ps. well done Ramsdens for stumping up the cash.”