A YOUNG footballer has been signed by Everton as his junior team in Alderley Edge forges links with the Premiership club.

Eleven-year-old Jack Kiersey was playing for Alderley Athletic Junior Football Club when he was spotted by a talent scout and whisked off to Liverpool for trials, playing with the Everton Under 11s Academy team against Port Vale three days later.

Jack says he is grateful to the ‘Squirrels’, who started playing together two years ago, training at Chorley Hall Lane.

The thriving team is working closely with Everton, with a personal link through under-11s player Jon-Paul Rowley, whose late grandad Jimmy O’Neill played 200 professional matches in goal for Everton in the 50s.

The young players visited the Goodison Park ground to watch a match in December.

Bramhall boy Jack, who is a pupil at Pownall Green Primary School, said: "I’m very lucky, there are hundreds of other boys who want a place in the Academy.  I was nervous when the scout came to watch me at Alderley but just tried to imagine he wasn’t there. I enjoyed playing with Alderley, I made lots of friends and they helped me a lot."

After a six-week trial the nippy central mid-fielder, who also played for the Manchester City Under nines, secured a contract to play for Everton for the season.

He now trains three times a week and plays matches on Sundays.

His dad Rick said: "Jack always has a ball at his feet!

"He has really come on in the last 12 months, he understands how the game is played and is a good passer of the ball, I’m proud of him. He really enjoyed his time at Alderley, the club is making a real effort to give kids something special."

Chairman Allan Hodges said that Everton is the perfect club for Alderley Athletic, with a motto ‘pressure-free junior football’, to become involved with.

Allan, who lives at Broadwalk, Wilmslow, said: "Everton is known as a club of the community, a family club, and that’s very much a part of what we believe in.  Jack is a terrific young footballer and a terrific lad, we are delighted."

When the season ends, Jack is hoping to sign again for Everton’s under 12s - and work his way to the top.

The former Manchester United fan, who has split his alliegance now to support Everton too, said: "I love football, it’s an exciting game, good exercise and I love scoring goals.  The training is fun and I get to play against other academies, like Manchester Utd.  I want to be a professional footballer, like my favourite player Mikel Arteta, he is a central midfielder like me."