An eight-year-old girl from Warlingham has been selected to join the Brighton & Hove Albion FC Girls' Centre of Excellence. Having successfully completed an intensive round of try-outs in June, Lucy Robinson, a pupil at Marden Lodge School in Caterham, will join the Under 11 squad later this month.

The Brighton & Hove Albion Girls' COE is one of only 30 Centres nationwide to be awarded an FA Licence for the 2011-2012 season. Providing training opportunities to girls aged 8-16 years, the Centre has teams at Under 11, Under 13, Under 15, and Under 17 level that compete in the London and South East Centre of Excellence fixture programme, which includes Chelsea, Arsenal, Colchester, Millwall and Norwich.

Lucy has just completed her first season of playing with Shelton Athletic FC in Warlingham. Having got fed up watching her two brothers play every weekend, she decided to have a go herself.

"She is so excited about playing at the Brighton CoE", said her delighted mum Helen. "Although she enjoyed playing in a boys team, she is loving training with other girls who she hopes will become good friends as well as team mates."

Lucy was recently invited to the brand new Amex Stadium in Brighton for a tour of the facilities before she joins her new teammates later this month.

For more information about the Brighton & Hove Albion FC Girls' Centre of Excellence, please telephone Michelle Lawrence, Centre Manager, on 01273 978288 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..