BURY Football Club has teamed up with a school to launch an academic and sport scholarship scheme for talented youngsters.

Under the initiative, a junior player from Lord's Independent School in Bolton will be selected by the Gigg Lane club and offered a dual "school and soccer" deal.

The scholarship, to be provided jointly by Bury FC and the school, coincides with the school's 100th anniversary.

The pupil will spend four days at schoolwith the remaining weekday set aside for training with Bury's youth team squad.

And the boy selected will also join the club's highly successful Centre of Excellence at their midweek training sessions.

Ross Johnson, Bury FC's director with responsibility for Youth and Centre of Excellence, said: "The programme has been designed specifically to allow a child of 14 or 15 years-old to enjoy a high quality education combined with some of the best quality football coaching in the country.

"This revolutionary idea is yet another step that takes our highly successful youth development programme further forward," he added.

The club already enjoys links with the school as sponsors of its junior programme.

Zoe Whittle, principal of Lord's, said: "The scholarship award is the next step in the development of our partnership. We're all very excited about the opportunities."