Crawley affiliated with Luton Town

Thursday, 14th August 2007

Following a recent visit from an official of Luton Town FC, Crawley Green have become the first local football team to be officially affiliated with the Hatters.

The successful youth set-up at Crawley Green meant a first visit from newly appointed Luton Town’s newly-appointed Youth Development Director, Bob Curson.

Bob Curson meets some of our Committee, Malcolm Bunker
(Vice-Chairman, Bill McGarry, Nursery Chairman), Ron Bates
(Youth Chairman)

After Luton boss Kevin Blackwell last week slammed the Hatter's youth players Bob Curson exclusively unveiled his plans for the future at Kenilworth Road.
"Luton Town is changing and has changed," he said speaking to a packed house of youth managers, coaches, nursery coaches and executive committee members.

Bob presents some of our youngsters graduating through the ranks with medals.
Crawley Green Football Club has become synonymous with excellent coaching and facilities and is the first local youth football to be officially affiliated to the Hatters.
Bob continued: "The new chairman, David Pinkney is a Luton fan from when he was a boy, manager Kevin Blackwell is a Luton boy and I am a Luton lad and supporter of 50 years.
"There is a five-year plan to have a new stadium and also to be in the Premier League, and it will happen I can assure you of that.
"But my job is director of youth football and it's something that the club has never done before.
"Kevin produced a youth policy at Plymouth Argyle and Sheffield United and a lot of Plymouth's current stars have come through that system."
Curson's started the ball rolling on the new youth plans by presenting medals to the Crawley Green nursery children graduating to their U8s teams.
He added: "We're hoping to affiliate Luton Town with clubs such as Crawley Green so that over time talent will start to filter through. Over the next couple of months my aim is to get as many clubs on board as possible."

Bob Curson pictured as he looks around the superb facilities at Crawley Green.
Blackwell's arrival has heralded a complete clear out of the old youth set-up with Marvin Johnson and Steve Sedgley leaving the club in recent weeks.
Curson added: "You can't do much about the current players except bring in new players of the same age. But what you've got to do is make sure that behind those players there are more coming through every year.
"If you want the best you have to put in the best. There's no point in paying lip service and I wouldn't be doing this job if I didn't think we could do a first class job."

Crawley-Green nursery manager Billy McGarry (above) said: "It's always been take, take, take, and Luton never gave back to anyone really. But it seems to be more serious this time so we've just got to dip our toes in the water and see how it goes.
"I think if the kids in the nursery saw a Luton Town player come up every now and again to put on a coaching session then they'd want a Luton shirt. The only reason they wear Manchester United and England shirts is because that's what they see on the telly."
• Crawley Green need more seven-year old children to join their successful nursery from August 14. Training is on Tuesdays from 5.45pm-6.45pm for boys and girls and they need to bring shin pads, a drink and £1.