DANNY Ashburner became the second player to make the step up from the academy ranks at Bury FC's Football College to sign semi-professional forms with Radcliffe Borough.

The young midfielder followed the same route taken by current Boro captain Ric Smith in signing for Evo-Stik First Division North side.

Ashburner is a second-year scholar at The Football College, which is based at the League One club.

The college combines full-time education with academy coaching for school leavers aged 16-18 and caters for players of all abilities.

Ashburner has established himself in the shadow youth squad at the college, which runs alongside with Bury's official Under-18s side.

While many of its players are unlikely to break their way into the League One set-up, many of its alumni, including Smith and now Ashburner, have hgone on to sign forms with local non-league sides,

It has certainly proved a rich hunting ground for Radcliffe Borough, with manager Danny Johnson spotting both players while representing the squad in matches locally.

After training with the first-team for five weeks, Ashburner played his first game for Boro earlier this month when he came off the bench in their 1-0 defeat at home to Colwyn Bay in the League Cup.

He went on to play 70 minutes last Wednesday in their Manchester Premier Cup semi-final defeat to Stalybridge Celtic.

Ashburner will continue his education at The Football College while combine also representing Radcliffe Borough at first-team level.

The Football College provides player pathways at professional, semi-professional and grassroots levels, as well as a route into higher education.

Any school leavers hoping to enrol in September can attend an open evening on Wednesday, March 9, from 5-9pm at the education campus at Gigg Lane.

During the open evening, guests can watch current students playing on the first-team pitch in the Lancashire FA Floodlit League.

For more information, email GoToCollege@BuryFC.co.uk or visit the website at www.GoToCollegeBFC.co.uk.