THE Newport County AFC Academy received another boost to their funds this week, courtesy of the Smile Council supporters group.

Smile Council members Kevin Waterhouse and Chris Thomas presented the junior academy with a cheque for £1,500 cheque on Monday night.

The presentation was made at a training session for 12 to 16-year-olds at Llanwern High School.

Smile Council member Andrew Lloyd explained: “The senior academy is funded by the Football League but the junior academy is not funded by the club.

“As a group we decided to help out a few years back. We looked at the books and decided to get the fans on board in terms of fundraising.

“We’ve put on various events like slimathons and band nights.

“We’ve tried to encourage the fans to support local traders as well so it has a two-fold effect of helping pubs like the Dodger and the Ivy Bush as well as raising money for the academy and charities as well.

“We’ve raised over £20,000 in the last three years and that’s gone on footballs, goals, bibs, training kit – anything and everything that the junior academy needs to keep going.”

And the investment in the club’s future has paid off in recent years.

“It’s been really great to see the likes of Lee Evans and Regan Poole come through over the past few years and go on to bigger clubs,” added Lloyd.

“The money that brings in keeps the club going and it really makes all the work we put in worthwhile.”

The Smile Council members involved in fundraising for the junior academy with Lloyd, Waterhouse and Thomas are Rob Santwris, Andrew and Martin Perry, Andrew Power, Dave Went, Barrie Greenhaf, Mike Jones, Gareth Perretta, Mike Edwards, Richard Preece, Steve Bevan and Mark Henson.

South Wales Argus:

Darren Broadribb, administrator for the under-12 to under-16s and Head of Foundation Phase for the County academy, said: “The generosity and support of the Smile Council has played a big part in the academy’s revival over the past few years.

“The money has helped us to raise the standard of the academy and we really do appreciate their support.

“So from everyone involved in the academy we would like to say a very big thank you.”

The club’s under-12s will be playing in Poland at the end of this season and the under-13 to under-15s in Germany.

Both tournaments will host some of Europe’s finest teams, including Arsenal, Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund and Juventus.