HC Deb 24 July 1990 vol 177 c200W
34. Mr. Oppenheim

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many members of the England football team in the world cup competition had received football training under YTS.

Mr. Howard

Two members of the England football team—Paul Gascoigne and David Platt—have received football training under YTS.

38. Mr. Stevens

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment when he last met a professional footballer who had received football training under YTS.

Mr. Howard

I met Paul Gascoigne in Naples during the quarter-finals of the world cup on 1 July.

45. Mr. Evennett

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the football training made available under YTS in recent years.

Mr. Howard

Football training has been provided under YTS and now under youth training since the introduction of YTS in 1983. All 92 Football League clubs are involved in youth training.

The effectiveness of the training is evident from the substantial number of ex-trainees now playing regular first team football at clubs throughout the four divisions of the Football League and at international level. The last four young players of the year, including this year's winner, Matthew Le Tissier, were trained on YTS, as were Paul Gascoigne and David Platt, who excelled in England's world cup team in Italy this year.