Advanced Centres

While much of the community scheme's work goes into putting time and effort back into the community, the project is also one of the Premiership club's greatest talent spotters.

More than a third of the youngsters currently in Charlton's academy set-up were first noticed by community scheme coaches and officers on the scheme's various courses and initiatives.

It's their job to identify the talent during sessions, and youngsters are then recommended to the community scheme's advanced centres, where the club's academy scouts can run the rule over them a bit more thoroughly.

Community officer Sean Daly explained: "The advanced centres were launched when Les Reed was first-team coach at Charlton.

"At that time, the coaches used to come across talented kids, but didn't have anywhere to send or officially recommend them.

"Les noticed the same thing, and we devised a route to enable us to feed the players into the academy set-up."

The community scheme typically coaches around 4,000 youngsters during the summer holidays, many of which display enough talent for a coach to suggest they are worth recommendation.

Sean added: "Previously, it was difficult for us to go to the academy, as it would usually involve a huge step-up in the standard of football for the players, but now the advanced centres add a filtering process."

At present, 21 per cent of players in the Charlton academy have come through the community scheme.

The advanced centres are run from U7-13 level, and anyone who takes part in a community scheme initiative, from the Charlton Challenge to beach football, has the opportunity to be recommended.

Once at the advanced centres, coaches are able to examine whether the players are still able to shine among better company - in fact, some of the advanced centre coaches also work for the academy.

Charlton's advanced centres, which are funded by the club, presently run at Swan Valley School in Swanscombe, Kent ; St Mary's School, in Swanley and Swadelands, in Maidstone.