New York's Clifton Park links up with Everton ahead of Blues' planned pre-season trip to USA

Clifton Park is the latest US soccer club to become part of Everton's growing International Academy Affiliate Programme (EIAAP), a move that could coincide with the first team returning to America for pre-season this summer.

The New York-based side is the first from the Empire State to partner with the English Premier League club's globally renowned soccer development programme.

The EIAAP initiative will provide Clifton Park with access to the finest coaching knowledge from Everton's distinguished Academy to support the growth of the Saratoga-based club and its player development programmes.

The EIAAP programme includes:

• Full access to the Everton Academy curriculum
• Weekly support from a dedicated Everton Academy coach
• Holistic approach to player, coach, and club development
• Technical support from Everton's training ground Finch Farm, home to the Men's, Women's and Academy teams
• Business and marketing support from some of soccer's most knowledgeable staff based at Everton's UK headquarters in the iconic Royal Liver Building in Liverpool.

Everton International Technical Lead, Paddy Byrne, will visit Clifton Park later this year to assist in sharing the Everton Academy curriculum and teaching methods used at Everton Finch Farm training ground, along with working with the Club closely to develop both player and coaching skills.

Staff from Clifton Park will also have the opportunity to visit Everton's state-of-the-art Finch Farm complex for further education and training and get to see how the Premier League club operates.

This summer, Clifton Park will also host their first Everton International Soccer Camps, open to players of all levels between the ages of five and 18.

Formed in 1976, Clifton Park Soccer Club welcomes more than 2,000 players each year across its youth and adult programmes. Three years ago, it launched Evolution, its dedicated player development programme for Under-8s to Under-18s, which attracts more than 350 players from across the Capital District. The EIAAP will play a key role in supporting the programme's growth, as well as wider club development.

According to the Liverpool Echo, Everton will head back across the Pond this summer with the possibility of training camps and pre-season friendlies on both coasts.

The Blues visited Florida last year even as Inter Milan and Arsenal pulled out of the Florida Cup and played exhibition games against Millonarios of Colombia and UNAM of Mexico in Orlando.

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