YORK College’s Football Development Centre have been crowned ECFA North East and Humber Cat 1 League winners with two games to spare.

The title success follows on from the team’s ECFA National Cup victory last year and cements York College’s reputation as one of the best football coaching programmes in the area, with the assistance of their partnership with the i2i Academy.

Focus has now turned to ensuring that the teams finishes this season off as unbeaten “Invincibles” after winning seven games and only drawing one during the current campaign, with matches left to play against Gateshead College and Tyne Met College.

Hailing the side’s achievements, i2i Football Academy head coach Mikey Morton said: “This season has been truly phenomenal. Myself and Simon Collins didn’t think we could top last year’s success, but the boys have really shown an appetite for wanting more.

“To win the league with games left has really sent out a statement on how well the partnership between York College and i2i has developed. We are very lucky to be working with such a great programme which allows lads to combine excellent education with first-class football.”

Following the end of the regular season, the attention of the Football Development Centre will switch to the ECFA play-offs, which sees the top two teams from across the Cat 1 leagues compete to be crowned overall champions for the 2017/18 season.

On that target, Morton added: “After being disappointingly beaten in our quest to retain the ECFA National Cup, we are determined to carry on our good form in the play-offs. The desire shown by the lads is really pleasing to see and makes this a real goal for the team.”

York College Sports Development Centre Coordinator, Gaz Lee went on to express his pride following the team’s excellent efforts.

“This league success is absolutely outstanding for the students involved with the college’s Football Development Programme,” Lee enthused. “The work done by the college and our partners The i2i Football Academy in following up last year’s National Cup success is testament to the hard work of the coaches Mikey Morton and Simon Collins, we are excited to see the lads go on and try to win the ECFA Play-offs and bring more success to the College, furthermore increasing our sporting reputation on a National scale.”

If you are interested in being a part of the York College Female Development Centre please contact Gaz Lee (Glee@yorkcollege.ac.uk) to discuss more.