FOUR graduates from Cirencester College – David Chesterman, Henry Jones, Luke Neves and Redd Pratley – have gained football scholarships to study for degrees in America.

All four students have trained and played for Cirencester College’s Football Academy, a partnership set up 1996 with Cirencester Town Football Club, which supports students to access football training alongside their academic studies.

The quartet will be leaving early next month to start pre-season training with their respective universities. They will also be representing their university football teams in either the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) or the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA).

Steve Lowndes, head of Cirencester’s Football Academy, said, “All four players have been an integral part of the academy during the last two years. "They have been a credit to themselves, their parents and the football academy. I am sure they will continue to achieve both on the football field and the classroom.”

Luke Neves said: “I will be joining Fort Hays State University which I feel offers both a high level of education alongside high quality football.

"I cannot wait to get to the USA to experience a new environment and I look forward to contributing to the Fort Hays State Tigers, which is already a successful soccer programme.

"I'd like to thank Steve and his assistant Will Morford for a fantastic couple of years at Cirencester and I wish them all the best for next season.”

The four students will be going to: Fort Hays State University, Kansas (Luke Neves); Faulkner University, Alabama (David Chesterman); Coker College, South Carolina (Redd Pratley); Thomas University, Georgia (Henry Jones).