WINSFORD United have a sparkling new youth set-up.

Junior club Winsford Diamonds will move in and provide the Blues with a conveyor belt of talent from the age of seven to adult.

It is the third time in recent years that United have attempted to build an infrastructure similar to the one that has worked so well for neighbours Middlewich Town.

This time it is for keeps, insist both clubs. The Blues and Diamonds are staging an open day on Saturday (10am-noon) at the ground when boys and girls aged six, seven, eight and nine are invited to join in a game and training routine.

Diamonds chairman Mike Fox said: 'What we will do is give Winsford United a future. There is loads we can and want to do, but we have to sit down with United to formalise the relationship.

'Then we can set about providing the club with a junior structure that takes children from seven right through to the first team.'

Blues manager Dave Twite said: 'This is a great plus for us. I hope Diamonds are involved for many years to come.'

Winsford were originally tied in with Junior Blues and, a year ago, Over Three were leading a comprehensive link between the club and the town's junior players, but both schemes have foundered.

Fox added: 'People may be sceptical but, given the opportunity, we can take United forward and generate the enthusiasm they need.'

Middlewich, albeit at one level lower, have seen the likes of Rob Hopley, Chris Hurst and Adam Morris make the transition from promising juniors to first-teamers. Manager Terry Murphy is hoping his reserve-team counterpart Steve Moore will produce two or three more next season.