MK Dons Sport and Education Trust are delighted to announce a new link with MK College for the 2008/09 season to launch the MK Dons Women's Football Academy.

The Academy, for girls aged 16-19 years of age, continues the solid foundations laid in 2007/08 by the MK College Women's Elite Squad whilst adding the quality coaching offered by the SET and the chance to run out in the prestigious white and gold of MK Dons.

Having already played three matches against Bedford, Huntingdon and Middlesex the Academy team are starting to gel and we should be seeing some good results coming through the remainder of the season as they play in the British Colleges League and Cup (BCS) and the Southern England Students Sports Association 6 A-Side League and Cup (SESSA).

MK Dons SET Girl's and Women's Development Officer Charlene Ward said: "This is a great progression for our Girls Centre of Excellence and I am looking forward to working with Marlese and the girls at the college to continue this progression in the future."

The Academy will provide an exit route for our Girls Centre of Excellence alongside the opportunity to learn at MK College and is the next step to the eventual creation of MK Dons Ladies team in hopefully the very near future.

Women's football is one of the biggest participation sports in the UK and in the US, and with this it must now be a priority in the lead up to 2012 for us to develop the talent on offer and the MK Dons Sport and Education Trust are hoping to be at the forefront of this development.

For more information on The MK Dons Women's Academy, Girls Centre of Excellence or Player Development Centre please contact Charlene Ward, Girls and Women's Development Officer on 01908 622886 or charlene.ward@mkdons.com