Dover Athletic boss Mitch Brundle explains how decision to revert back to night-time training will help integrate their Academy players even further into the first-team

Manager Mitch Brundle has explained how Dover’s decision to revert back to night-time training will help to integrate their Academy players even further into the first-team squad.

Whites reverted to being part-time two years ago - although they continued to train during the day in the 2022/23 season, as they narrowly avoided National League South relegation.

Brundle revealed this meant 18-year-old midfielder Freddie Oliver only trained once a week with the first-team squad due to his school commitments at Faversham’s Abbey School, having made his league debut in a victory at Taunton in February.

“The best thing for the Academy, as well, is that they can train with us at nights because they won’t have school,” said Brundle.

“That allows them to have that real bond and connection around the group.

“Freddie last year was only training on Thursdays with us.

“That can only be a positive thing for us as a group as well because we do bring them through.”

The 28-year-old Dover first-team boss also vowed to look at more of the club’s prospects which helped them win the National League under-19 Alliance South title earlier this month when they return for pre-season.

“He does a fantastic job,” Brundle said of the work put in by Academy manager Mike Sandmann.

“There’s a lot more youngsters coming through that we have been speaking about already and they’ll be used in pre-season. We’ll have a good look at them.

“They won’t just be promoted straight up and go into a team where they don’t know anything.

“Mike has brought through a huge amount of players to play for the first-team and he’ll continue to do so.

“We’ll continue to speak every day.”

Dover have put in place a new Community Trust team.

Chairman Jeremy Simpson will be