BRIDGWATER College and Bridgwater Town FC have united in an “exciting” partnership to help manage the club’s reserve squad.

Students from the college will become the team’s core players, with a few ex-students to add experience, as part of the college and club’s commitment towards providing a platform for young players to develop and progress into senior football Luke Buckingham, Bridgwater College sports development manager and former Bridgwater Town first team Goalkeeper - will take up the reigns as manager for Bridgwater Town Reserves alongside Dan Wright, a former Bridgwater College student and former Bridgwater Town under 18s assistant manager.

Luke said: “I’m genuinely excited by this new partnership and I have no doubts it’ll benefit the local young players and help to provide transition for players from youth football into a senior club.

“We’ll be trying to win every game, but I’ll be measuring the success of this team by the progress of the players rather than league tables and results.”

Richard Johnson, Bridgwater Town FC chairman, said: “This is an exciting project for both the college and the club, and I’m sure that it’ll benefit the younger players.

“Over the next couple of years, we are aiming to increase the number of young, local players playing for Bridgwater Town and this initiative will play a big part in that.”

The team will remain in the Somerset County Premier Division and play home games at Fairfax Park.

Bridgwater Town Reserves are also looking to recruit a physiotherapist, ball boy(s), a linesman and a turnstile operator.

Anyone interested in any of these opportunities can contact Luke Buckingham on buckinghaml@bridgwater.ac.uk