Our under 16's annual pre-season fixture with the 'SCORE Football Programme' at SEEVIC College, has been confirmed for a 2pm kick off, Wednesday 11th August at Boots and Laces.

This is one of eight fixtures for the under 16's who have an excellent blend of playing either under 18 college teams or under 16 academy teams during July and August. It is important that these players experience and understand both the physical, technical and tactical side of the game when they reach this age.

The SCORE Football Programme is headed and coached by ex-Southend United Centre of Excellence coach Laurie Carter. Laurie spent eight years at Southend before moving on to SEEVIC in 2005.

The SCORE squad play in the premier division of the English Colleges Football League where they finished runners-up last season.

This is the Fourth season now we have played a team from SEEVIC. In this time we have found them to be ideal opposition not only for our under-16's, but also at youth team level during pre-season.

SCORE players past and present include many that have been with Southend at some point of their career. These include Matt Harold and Ricky Holmes now playing in the Football League, Mark Mason and Danny Heath now working with the club .

If players don't reach a level where they gain a scholarship at Southend United at the end of their under 16 season one of our many positive exit policy routes is that we recommend them to the score programme.

We look forward to welcome Laurie and a few old faces back at Boots and Laces on the 11th for what is normally a good competitive game of football.