Saddlers youngsters land Dutch trip

Walsall's young guns are set to go Dutch after the Saddlers revealed today they will tour Holland in the summer.

The youth team beat off record entries to land one of four Football League spots for the trip which is run by the League Football Education.

The Saddlers can take up to 18 apprentices on the 14-day trip and will spend the first week using venues and facilities of top Dutch clubs.

They will then join other teams at the Olympic Papendal facility near Arnhem for a tournament with European sides.

"It will be a great experience for the lads to share foreign coaching and culture," said boss, Dean Smith, the Saddlers' former head of youth. "They will definitely improve as footballers and give them a better understanding of how the game is played in different countries."

The Saddlers will join Scunthorpe, Watford and Wycombe from England after the quartet's applications impressed the LFE.

The club's work in the community and their successful youth system were key to winning a place.

During the tour the team will combine training with social and cultural activities to enhance their European knowledge to help with their NVQs.

"There was fierce competition from across the entire Football League, so to get this place is testimony to the quality of the youth programme we run and the time we took to complete our application," said youth development officer Bill Jones. "It's an honour to be chosen.

"The boys will benefit a lot, not only from a coaching point of view, but bonding too.

"We will get coaching ideas from the Dutch coaches during the first week and the tournament in the second week is against top sides from other European countries."

He added: "It's not just about improving as a footballer, it's also about new experiences. The boys will be staying in host houses, which will help them develop as people."