Reading Football Club scholarship for Arunachal soccer players

ITANAGAR: Reading Football Club (RFC) in its bid to expand globally has announced the £20,000 John Madjeski scholarship for India to train and hone up skills of talented soccer players. RFC adviser Tomo Nomuk after a discussion with Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Nabam Tuki and Lok Sabha member Takam Sanjoy on promotion of soccer in the state announced the annual scholarship for two highly talented Arunachalee youths.Nomuk said here on Monday that after a threadbare discussion with Sanjoy - who is also the president of Arunachal Pradesh Football Association (APFA) - the MOU was signed a few days ago and now the RFC would launch a talent hunt and train the selected footballers. Towards this end, top coaches of the club would be touring different parts of the state to pick talented footballers. The exercise is expected to begin next month, Nomuk added."It is a great opportunity for Arunachal Pradesh whose hidden sporting talents have of late proven their worth globally," Sanjoy said, adding: "Instead of the APFA, it is the RFC which has voluntarily offered the scholarship.""Under the terms of the six-month RFC-APFA MoU, the coaches from the internationally famed club with our support would tour the state to identify the best footballers having the potential to become world class players," Sanjoy added."Each footballer will be provided with a tailored package of education, coaching and monitoring. All tuition and coaching fee would be sponsored by the RFC but transport and accommodation would have to be arranged and paid for either by the Arunachal Pradesh government or the individual," the scholarship offered in a letter addressed to the CM said."As an Arunachalee I'm trying my best to help the state's potential to get global exposure. The scholarship approved by the RFC management has been announced during my second visit to the state," Nomuk said. Nomuk along with RFC director Eamonn Dolan and deputy director Lee Heron during their maiden visit here in October last year were impressed with the state's soccer talents. John Madejski Academy Football Scholarship programme was instituted after Sir John Robert Madejski, an English businessman with an estimated fortune of £250 million. He is the founder of RFC as well as chancellor of the University of Reading and deputy lieutenant of Berkshire.