Notts County are poised to deliver the perfect Christmas gift to supporters by announcing the relaunch of their youth scheme.

The Centre of Excellence and youth team were axed in May 2006 ago as part of a major cost-cutting exercise but a proposal to re-introduce the programme at all age groups from 9-16 from the start of next season was accepted at a Board meeting at Meadow Lane in December 2007.

And the plan is to re-introduce a scholarship programme for 16-19 year-olds, who will form the basis of a Notts County youth team in 2009. 

Said chairman John Armstrong-Holmes: "The youth scheme has always been the lifeblood of Notts County and the Supporters Trust Board were extremely disappointed when it was disbanded.

"Supporters like me have grown up on the likes of Tommy Johnson, Mark Draper, Dean Yates and Michael Johnson emerging from the ranks to serve the club well before moving on for substantial transfer fees.

"Even in the past couple of years we have had significant financial benefit from the successes of Leon Best, David McGoldrick and a youngster called Ewan Clarke, who signed for Watford. But over the next few years, we will miss out on that vital source of income.

"Since becoming chairman, the re-introduction of a Centre of Excellence and a focus on youth has been at the forefront of my thinking. Some concern was expressed about the fact that re-introducing the youth scheme is bound to involve a financial commitment from the Football Club but the directors are in agreement that it has to be done.

"Developing young players has always been the lifeblood of this club and the sooner we get back to doing that, the better it will be."

The decision to axe the youth scheme was taken at a time when Notts were heading towards a £500,000 loss for the second successive year, and something had to be done to cut costs.

Explained chief executive Geoff Davey: "Although our scheme was well-respected, it was extremely comprehensive and as a result, was particularly expensive to run.

"Although we received significant grants to help finance the Centre of Excellence, it was costing the club in the region of £150,000 per year on top of that and the directors felt at the time that we simply could not afford it.

"No one involved wanted to close the scheme but they were worried about the club going back into Administration and felt there was no alternative. Trimming it back by say £15,000 here or there was not the answer . . . something drastic was required.

"The proposal to relaunch the scheme is indicative of the progress we have made in getting our finances back into shape. It's very good news that the club is now strong enough to make such an undertaking.

"There will still be a need for the club to find money on top of the grants we will get to finance of the Centre of Excellence but by starting with a blank piece of paper, it means we can run the scheme within manageable limits."

The proposal is that a full Centre of Excellence will be launched at the start of next season with age-group teams from nine through to 16 years of age.

Entry trials are expected to take place during the Easter holidays in March, and the following year - in time for the 2009-10 season - Notts will re-introduce a scholarship scheme for 16-19 year-olds and reform a youth team.

Notts entered into an arrangement with Castle College following the decision to disband their own youth programme, whereby students would get the chance to develop at Meadow Lane, if they were good enough.

Added the chairman: "We are in discussions with Castle College about continuing to work with them during the first year of the Centre of Excellence but in 2009 we plan to operate our own scholarship programme. That doesn't necessarily mean that we will sever our links with the College but we still have to work out how best to go forward."