Robbie Cowling is confident Colchester United’s new youth set-up will be one of the best around.

And the U’s executive chairman believes their innovative Thurstable School project is “light years” ahead of anything the club has ever done before.

Colchester’s ambitious new Centre of Excellence programme is set to launch at the Tiptree venue, in September.

The number of coaching hours the club’s youngsters receive will more than double to at least 15 hours per week, as part of a full-time education and football programme.

And the U’s will tap into areas such as sports science, match analysis and sports psychology, in their drive to produce the stars of the future.

Colchester have spent more than two years researching the project, working with the likes of the Football Association and Watford Football Club.

More than 20 budding young footballers from Years 7, 8 and 9 will kick-off the Thurstable programme, in the next school year.

And U’s chief Cowling is excited by the prospect of what is to come.

Cowling said: “We’ll have one of the best youth set-ups in the whole country, without a doubt.

“It’s something I’m very passionate about.

“What we have to do at our club is breed our own.

“But we’re not just looking at players for Colchester United and League One.

“We’re looking at players who can go all of the way and on their way to that, Colchester United will benefit."

For more on this story and all of the latest Colchester United news, see Thursday's Gazette.