User:AFCWYouth/sandbox

AFC Wimbledon Youth Development Programme
AFC Wimbledon is an English football club currently playing in the Football League 2.The club formed in May 2002 and entered the Combined Counties Football League. During the first season first team manager Terry Eames suggested to the club board that they should form youth teams. He set about discussions with some of his football colleagues and plans were soon in place for three teams to enter local junior football leagues under the AFC Wimbledon name.

The Dons Trust Board was given responsibility for overseeing this development and Nigel Higgs was appointed as the responsible director. The three team managers and coaches, the first team manager and Dons Trust representatives Nigel Higgs and Lou Carton-Kelly met several times to form the new youth section. Under the guidance of one of the team managers, Paul Bentley, the section became well-established and the number of youth teams was increased each season until there were at least two teams at each age group from Under 7 to U16. In the early days teams played in Guildford & District Yuth League, the Epsom and Ewell Youth League and the Surrey Youth League.

During this period wider ambitions for the section were laid down and the title of AFC Wimbledon Youth Development Programme was formally adopted.

As the section became more of a cost to the Football Club it was decided to incorporate it formally into the operations and Nigel Higgs was appointed Youth and Community Director with a seat on the Football Club Board in October 2007.

Football League
In May 2011 AFC Wimbledon won promotion to the Football League. The YDP team