FC CLACTON co-owner Stephen Andrews believes the club’s new under-21 team will provide a “perfect stepping stone” into men’s football.

The Seasiders recently confirmed that they are entering a team in next season’s Essex Olympian Under-21s League.

They have announced details of a trial day, to be held at the Rush Green Bowl on June 25.

“We hope this new team can prove the perfect stepping stone between our youth football and the adult game, between our under-18s and our reserves and first team,” said Andrews.

“It will hopefully be another stage of the journey on our long-term player development pathway.

“The under-21s team will bridge what can often be a large gap, as some younger players are often not ready to compete physically or mentally in open age men’s football.

“We’ve seen it time and time again, especially in our reserves, where our technically excellent youngsters have come up against big, burley older players who, putting it politely, have been round the block a few times.

“They use this and their physical advantage against the younger players.

“As long as its within the rules, we don’t have a problem with that as such, but youngsters are telling us this often puts them off playing men’s football.”

Players interested in joining the team can attend the trial day on June 25.

They must be aged 20 or under and should be at the club by 6pm to register, with the trial starting promptly at 6.30pm.

Andrews hopes the team will help Clacton buck a worrying national trend.

“Increasing numbers are dropping out of the game at the age of 18,” he said.

“Evidence suggests under-21s teams work to reduce the number leaving the game.”

For more information, contact the team’s manager, Ian Scott, on 07581 553693.