Here at Chesterfield Football Club we believe in developing successful players through the Youth system. This can be seen in players such as Gareth Davies, Jamie Lowry, Adam Smith, Jamie Jackson and Josh Law who have come through the ranks and into our first team squad in the last few years.

What lies behind the development of players such as these is a new programme, the Apprenticeship in Sporting Excellence (ASE) programme.  ASE is a two year course, taken between the ages of 16 & 18 years, in which apprentices study for an NVQ in achieving excellence in sports performance, an academic education qualification, a certificate in coaching football  and learn key skills.

These qualifications equip the apprentices who go on to become professional footballers and those that leave the game, with skills and academic qualifications that are viewed as essential by employers.

The programme came into existence in June 2004 and is managed by League Football Education and the PFA. Chesterfield Football Club along with Chesterfield College are then responsible for delivering the major content within the football and academic streams of the programme.

At the end of there apprenticeship six players achieved a full framework

Josh Law, Richard Bull, Thomas Bull, Aaron Bellairs, James O' Brien & Garry Challinor

Hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

Dave Bentley