ENGLAND boss Kevin Keegan and Liverpool striker Michael Owen will be in Widnes tomorrow (Thursday) as part of a new mini-soccer scheme which is being piloted in Halton.

They will join pupils and teachers from Halton schools for the national launch of the FA's Chartermark in Schools initiative which aims to develop the quality of footballing opportunities in schools.

The scheme will be launched at Fairfield High School where Keegan will talk to pupils in a special assembly about grass-roots football and how to take the game to a higher level.

Afterwards, he and Owen will lead 90 pupils in special coaching sessions along with players from Everton and Tranmere.

As part of Halton's Mini-Soccer Development Programme, the Sports Development Team has been working closely with the FA to develop the sport locally and regionally and to recognise this excellent work, the Council has been chosen to pilot the scheme, initiated by the FA's Director of Football, Howard Wilkinson.

Therefore, Halton schools will be the first in the country to take part in the scheme and their participation will be vital to its implementation nationally.

The Council was asked to nominate one secondary and four primary schools to be involved in the pilot.

They are: Our Lady of Perpetual Succour RC Primary, St Michael's RC Primary, Westfield Primary, Windmill Hill Primary and Fairfield High.

Council Sports Development Officer, Rob Capener, who has co-ordinated Halton's mini-soccer programme, said: "It's an excellent scheme which encourages better quality footballing opportunities for young people in Halton; it looks at teacher training, school to club links, extra-curricular coaching and coach education.

"We were chosen to pilot it as we have done a lot of work in mini-soccer and put in a plan to the FA on how we would implement the scheme."

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