COLWYN Bay will be entering a team, into this year’s FAW Youth Cup as they continue to improve their ability to showcase young talent from the region.

It is only the second time that the Seagulls have participated in the competition over the last decade, with the newly formed reserve side forming the majority of the team ahead of trials later this month.

Bay boss Alan Morgan, said: “It will be a big step up and players need as many competitive games as possible to help their development, so entering the FAW Youth Cup, to play alongside the likes of Cardiff City, Swansea and Wrexham is the first stage of that process.

“Ideally, if things go well, I would like to enter the English FA Youth Cup the following season and if possible get the team in the North West Youth Alliance League where they will be playing the likes of Altrincham and Chester to further enhance their development.”

Bay’s only previous involvement in the FAW Youth Cup was in 2015/16 when they went out in the second round.

The move has also received the support of assistant Craig Hogg, who was keen to stress the importance of finding gifted talent from across the region to progress into the senior squad and possibly beyond.

“It’s a positive step forward by the club with a view to offering a genuine pathway from youth to senior football, especially where progression through our academy is concerned,” he said.

“The club have made it clear that they are very serious about recruiting, developing and one day promoting North Wales based players from the academy into our first team.

“We’ve said goodbye to a couple of players who have moved into the National League recently - could you imagine how proud we would all feel if a product from our academy set up progressed into the first team and then went on to make a full time career playing in the EFL?

‘With what’s happening behind the scenes here now, that could well be a reality for some kids in the not too distant future.”