CEFN DRUIDS haven’t stood still during the coronavirus crisis - instead announcing a number of exciting plans for the future.

The Ancients are looking to follow the same academy model used by Crewe Alexandra in order to develop first-team players.

Academy and first-team players will also be able to use the newly revealed Lagoa High Performance Centre in Portugal, which will be “operational and functioning for some of the biggest named teams and players on the planet by spring 2021”.

Morgan Daykin made his first start and signed a contract with the club after Jamie Digwood and Des Williams joined the Druids board of directors, while several other youngsters made an impact on the senior side.

Druids, currently a category two academy, confirmed that the first-team will see an influx of young players in year one and the formation of an U23s side for the 2021/22 season. And a statement on cefndruidsacademy.co.uk added: “All the scholars playing within the first-team will do so on a full contract. There is a new BTEC Scholarship course available for the full-time players, a blended study system in association with local colleges and an affiliate system that will see players needing playing time being loaned to local clubs.

“There is also a Girls/Women’s team in the pipeline for 2020/21.

“For the 2020/21 season, the foundation age group players will have two training sessions per week, the 12-16 year-old academy players will train three times a week and the 16-19 scholars four days a week.

“Druids now have a full time head of performance and a full team of analysts to help both the academy and first-team.”

If that wasn’t enough good news for Druids’ players and supporters, then Digwood has unveiled the Lagoa High Performance Centre, “designed by architects with an elite sports background with input also from Premiership, LA Liga and Bundesliga clubs”.

Digwood invested in Druids to fulfil an ambition to “develop a football club that is a model of professionalism and helps players reach their potential in a professional environment. A football club that has the best facilities, coaching and has a reputation for excellence”.

This project in the Algarve, will allow the Cefn Druids academy a base to work from and the first-team somewhere to enjoy pre-season and the mid-season break.

“The best players require the best facilities, with their coaches around them, and the HPC will allow this working environment to do just that” said Digwood. “Having the ability to invest in these facilities means that Cefn Druids players can get a taste of what it is like to be a top level professional and see if they have what it takes to get there.”

The HPC, complete with hybrid grass pitches, pools, gymnasium, 36 bedrooms, open-plan restaurant, conferencing areas and helipad amongst other things, will also be available to all elite teams across Europe, Asia and the United States of America.

Druids have also confirmed the appointment of Marco Correia de Oliveira as their director of overseas recruitment and scouting.

The intermediary works with several top European clubs, including Benfica, and has represented Inter Milan striker Gabriel Barbosa.

“Marco brings a wealth of experience with him and his knowledge of the youth system throughout Europe is second to none,” said Druids managing director Williams. “Marco knows what we want to do in developing young players and give those players the chance to play in Europe and vice versa.”