A FORMER Ipswich Town footballer and a masters graduate are hoping their combined skills and experience will give students the edge on a course at University Campus Suffolk Lowestoft.

A FORMER Ipswich Town footballer and a masters graduate are hoping their combined skills and experience will give students the edge on a course at University Campus Suffolk Lowestoft.

Trevor Whymark and James Newman have been taken on by UCS to lead the football develop-ment and coaching foundation degree course from September.

It will be taught at the Lowestoft centre at Lowestoft College in St Peters Street.

Trevor played professionally for Ipswich Town between 1969 and 1979. He was also selected to play for the England squad and helped the Vancouver Whitecaps win the North American league.

Trevor has gained the UEFA B licence for coaching football. He spent three years at the Norwich City Training Academy working with the under 10s team and returned to his former club for three seasons to train 11 and 12-year-olds at the Ipswich Academy.

James is from Norwich but moved to Hampshire to study for a degree in sports science at the University of Portsmouth.

After graduating, he relocated to Indiana in America where he studied for a masters in sports psychology at Purdue University.

James gained experience of working in the sports industry as a health and fitness adviser and by coaching at school holiday camps.

James said: 'We're both looking forward to the challenge. I applied for the job as a chance to combine the two things I love; working in sport and the ability to help people through education.'

The course will have a largely practical focus with students encouraged to gain hands-on experience through local community projects and UCS Lowestoft is working to develop links with Suffolk Sport, Active Norfolk and Suffolk FA.

The foundation degree is being offered as a full or part-time course. Successful students can go on to study for an honours degree or work in a sports-related role.