Terry Burton

Published: 16 August, 2012
by CATHERINE ETOE

THE Premier League will hit the ground running this weekend – but for Arsenal’s Camden-born coach Terry Burton the long-term focus will be on the young guns.

Burton, who used to get the bus from Camden Town to Finsbury Park to watch the Gunners at Highbury as a youngster, is Arsenal’s new reserve and head development coach.

He has arrived fresh from helping Sheffield Wednesday earn promotion to the Championship and he is now looking to develop the Arsenal heroes of the future.

“I’m going to try to add whatever I can to the players Arsenal has today,” he said.

Burton, who skippered the Arsenal youngsters to FA Youth Cup victory in 1971, and went on to coach the likes of Tony Adams and David Rocastle three decades ago, is in for an exciting second coming as Gunners youth boss.

On August 29 Arsenal’s youngsters take their bow in the Champions League Under-19s Next Gen competition, a tournament that will initially pit them against European giants Marseille, Olympiacos and Athletic Bilbao.

Marseille will be first up in a tasty encounter at Barnet FC’s Underhill stadium and Burton says it will offer them a good grounding in Europe.

“Teams play their best youngsters and you’re often up against a different style of play or a different shape,” he said.

“It should help prepare the players in a small way for what will hopefully come in the future – European football.”

The opposition should be just as stiff on the domestic front this season, too, as the old reserve league has been replaced by a new-look under-21 league. The Barclays Under 21 Premier League is designed to bridge the gap between elite clubs’Academy and first-team sides and it will feature a group stage, knockouts and a national final, with only three over-21 outfield players and a goalkeeper allowed.

Arsenal’s first two home games will be at the Emirates Stadium, beginning with Bolton Wanderers on Monday and Blackburn Rovers next Saturday.

Home games after that will be at Underhill and the Arsenal Training Centre.

The two leagues should give Arsenal fans plenty to shout about this season while providing promising young players the level of competition needed to make a Premier League player.

Burton told Arsenal Magazine: “I think it still stands that if you have enough quality at a club like Arsenal, you’ll get the opportunity.”

• Tickets for the Emirates Stadium fixtures are £3 adults/ £1 concessions (members) and £4 adults/ £2 concessions (non-members) from Arsenal.com.