Soccer school and sponsor team up

It's been an eventful few days in South-East London following the appointment of a new Addicks management team, player retentions and outgoings and one of the world's greatest showmen, Elton John, due at The Valley on Sunday - but plenty has been happening out in Spain as well.

The Charlton Athletic European Soccer School last week joined the club's sponsor, Spanish property firm Llanera, for a grand launch in Xtavia of their latest proposals for developments.

Each complex built by Llanera is planned to include a special area in which the Addicks soccer school will run football courses for expats and local youngsters.

Dave Greene, who heads the Charlton soccer school, said: "There was huge interest in Llanera and Charlton from both the national and local press.

"We spent two days in Xtavia, and we met officials from both Llanera and Valencia football club, with whom they are a key partner.

"Llanera were announcing their intentions with regards to property development as well as the football schools at the sites."

The partnership has been further strengthened by the donation by Llanera of more than 200 goodie bags to the European Soccer School, containing Llanera-branded beach bags, pens, coffee mugs, sweets, crayon sets and baseball caps.

These will be distributed to kids who take part in the school's football courses during the summer months.

In recent times the European Soccer School has also played a pivotal part in assisting the first team of local side UD Horadada to avoid relegation from their league.

Explained Greene: "Horadada asked for help from the soccer school to coach their first-team squad as they were in the relegation positions.

"In the period of our help Horadada had nine remaining games, of which five were won and two were drawn.

"This moved them up seven places in the table and they avoided relegation, so it was a nice end to the season for them and our links with the club are getting stronger and stronger."

It was in Horadada that former Addicks manager Alan Curbishley officially launched the Charlton Athletic European Soccer School back in May 2004.