County's fab four get to do it like the pros

Four talented teenage footballers got advice from the professionals after receiving county call-ups.

Rory Harris, Tyrell Ashley-McCella, Josue Mangolo and Heldia Sala, all 17-year-old students from Wolverhampton's Moreton School Football Academy, have quickly become key members of the Staffordshire starting line-up.

Having recently featured in a national cup semi-final defeat to Hertfordshire, the quartet have now been presented with their county tie colours by Staffordshire chief executive Brian Adshead.

And last week, along with their academy teammates, they were welcomed to Wolves' Sir Jack Hayward Training Ground in Compton to meet first team captain Danny Batth, Jack Price and Ethan Ebanks-Landell.

Moreton boss Jeff Ashton worked with the trio, as well as the likes of Joleon Lescott and Mark Davies while a youth coach at Molineux.

And he is full of praise for his current crop at the academy, which opened last year. Ashton explained: "Rory is Leon Clarke's half-brother and he has been with a few clubs.

"He has played for Wolverhampton Schools, Walsall, and even spent a bit of time with Stoke. He is a striker, but he is different to Leon as he is very quick.

"Josue is a Bushbury boy, he is a centre-back who is a fantastic role model and a great leader.

"Tyrell is a very creative player, and a goalscorer, who sits just behind the striker in the number 10 role. Even at 17, he is playing for Wolverhampton Casuals' first team.

"Heldia plays as a holding midfielder and was a really late developer. He only started playing competitively when he joined the academy so to be playing for Staffordshire is a massive achievement.

"They all offer something different and are the core of our academy team."

The Moreton academy, run in partnership with Wolverhampton Casuals, provides youngsters aged between 16 and 19 with professional training by UEFA 'A' licensed coaches.

Students have BTEC Sport, Media, Art and Design courses to choose from, as well as A Levels, while the academy also provides students with the opportunity to get into coaching through FA and futsal programmes.

Training sessions take place three times a week – eight hours in total – and competitive games are played in the British Colleges Sport league, West Midlands regional leagues, as well as in cup competitions.

The team, which plays all home fixtures at Brinsford Lane, won the ECFA West Midland 3G Football League by 13 points last season, without losing a single game.

Earlier this year in June, they went on a tour of Canada and won eight of their 10 games.

They will make the trip again next year, this time with the aim of securing college scholarships in the country.

Ashton added: "It is about giving them the opportunity I had as a player, but with just a bit more emphasis on the educational side of things.

"It is great, I can look back on the things I have done and say it has been fantastic. I am not one for the limelight though, it is all about the kids and how well they are doing."