Warrington proving hotbed for youngsters with eyes on professional game

A remarkable number of players from Warrington Schoolboys – a representative team made up of the best players in their age group – are seeing their hard work come to fruition.

Reaching four finals and finishing runners-up in the Greater Manchester Schoolboys’ League, one of those sides produced a host of stars.

While Josh Brownhill embarks on the Championship with Preston North End and James Baillie is at Crewe Alexandra in League One, others who turn 20 this year – such as Tom Peers and Joe Newton playing for Chester and Wrexham respectively – are making their mark in non-league's top flight.

“It was an exceptional team,” remembers manager Darron Bibby.

“We got to four finals and lost three of them unfortunately, but we also finished runners up in the Greater Manchester Schoolboys’ league.

“You could tell some of those players were definitely set for professional football.”

Peers, who also played youth football at Culcheth, enjoyed featuring in that successful side.

The forward hopes to help Chester win promotion to the Football League this season after goal-scoring loan spells last year.

“I loved it at schoolboys' level and still have some good friends from that team,” he said.

“We won most of our games and some of the players have gone on to big things, Josh Brownhill has just got promoted with Preston and James Bailee is at Crewe.

“It’s no wonder we did well, and you could tell playing with them they were going to be good players.

“I think most of the players in that side could have made it, but as you get older people get into different things and that’s football.”

Brownhill, who was also part of Manchester United’s academy at the time, explained: “Sometimes I couldn’t play because I was with United, but I remember the teams I did play in were really strong.

“James Baillie who’s now at Crewe, Tom’s doing very well at Chester, Joe Newton is doing well and we had a great bunch of lads.”

The side's right back, Baillie, made his debut for Crewe last season after leaving United's academy.

“From under nines I was at United with Josh,” explained the former Lymm High School student.

“I was there for about six years and then went back to Crewe at under 14s.

“At under 15s and 16s I had a good season and got my scholarship after that. But I really enjoyed my time with the schoolboys' side – we had a good team so we did well.”

However, it was the year below who went one further and lifted the English Schools’ FA National Cup for under 13s in 2010 thanks to a George Cooper winner at Bolton Wanderers.

The Warrington youngster was named League One Apprentice of the Year last season, making 25 appearances for the Alex and netting a stunning free kick on his first start against Coventry at the age of 17.

One of Cooper’s teammates at Crewe is 21-year-old regular George Ray, a former Wales under 21s international who grew up in Woolston.

Warrington’s finest are also set to grace English football’s top flight again this season.

Defender James Chester sealed an £8million move from relegated Hull to West Bromwich Albion, 20-year-old Matthew Pennington has signed a three-year deal at Everton and Jesse Lingard featured regularly for Manchester United in pre-season.

Pennington got his first senior start for the Toffees this summer after making an impression on loan at Coventry last campaign.

“I played 25 games so as a young player it was a great experience and I think it has improved me as a player – I’ve come back to Everton a bit more mature and ready to play games,” he explained.

But while a profession in the game is unattainable for some young players, a healthy contingent are impressing in non-league.

That could be helped this season by a desire from Warrington Town Reserves, via the likes of Bibby and another former schoolboys manager in Steve Hayes, to give youngsters a platform to reach the Yellows’ first team.

It has already seen Niall Ford, Liam Turner and Ben Collins feature in Shaun Reid’s side, while others such as Dylan Glass are knocking on the first-team door.

“The Schoolboys side we had was a good team and they were a good set of lads, but there are also a lot of those players breaking into non-league football now,” added Bibby.

*With thanks to Chris Wells and Darron Bibby.