PHOENIX Football Club, Bradford, recently announced a partnership agreement with semi-professional club Albion Sports.

Now that the partnership with Albion Sports has been confirmed, Phoenix will become a feeder club to Albion, in which is a huge step for the amateur side.

Phoenix’s newly formed first team will play Premiership football in the Yorkshire Amateur Association league from next season, with trials commencing on July 14, 7:00 PM at Bradford University.

This team will be in addition to the current U23s playing in the league.

And Phoenix Chairman Mani Salim is delighted with the decision to form a partnership with Albion Sports.

He said: “We have been working on creating a feeder partnership with Albion Sports for a while now, and now it has happened, I’m over the moon.

“As a club, our philosophy is to create opportunities for the younger generation, to take them to the next level, and this partnership just  emphasizes that point.

“It all started with them poaching our manager, Ishy Hussain around twelve months ago.

“And this is how the dialogue started between the two clubs, and we thought maybe we could do something together.

"The idea is the Phoenix first team which we are creating will act as the reserve team for Albion sports and be a feeder team to Albion’s first team.

“Albion don’t have a reserve side so it’s win-win for both clubs.

“Coaches from Phoenix will also be able to go to Albion Sports and learn from that environment, to develop themselves.

“We will be able to provide players in the catchment area, who may not be getting the opportunities elsewhere, with the chance to play and gain some valuable game time.

“And the end goal will be to develop a player so much so, that they could get a chance to play at semi-pro level.”

Apart from the benefits the partnership will offer to Phoenix, Salim also believes it will have huge benefits for Albion.

He said: “They’ve got a massive advantage in terms of, they’ll be able to come to a team and keep a close eye on players.

“If they acquire some players and they are not quite ready, and need to spend time on loan, then that type of development could be key for them.

“And they know they will have close relations with a club where the mentality isn’t all about winning, but instead about developing players.

“They also know that linking with us means that they are attaching themselves to one of the largest junior organisations in the city of Bradford.”

To register your interest in the Phoenix FC First team, go to: www.Phoenixfc.uk/trialday