Player Development Centres Close - Ipswich Town News

The Player Development Centres for youngsters aged seven to 16 run by the ITFC Charitable Trust have closed.

The PDCs - which replaced the previous Advanced Coaching Programme in 2008 - were an Ipswich and Bury-based invitation-only scheme designed to provide weekly advanced coaching for the best young footballers in Suffolk who weren't in an academy set-up.

Parents received letters telling them that the centres were closing last week and in some cases have reacted angrily to the surprise announcement on the Trust’s Facebook page.

It is thought that the club will look to revive a coaching programme for younger players as they make the move to academy Category One ahead of the 2014/15 season, although it's believed that no firm plans are yet in place.

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