Manly United player to trial in English Premier League, thanks to Lucas Neill soccer scholarship

The scholarship not only provides funding, but also priceless opportunities to trial for English Premier League clubs.  Joe, who currently plays football for Manly United in the u16 Premier Youth League, will trial at English Premier League Clubs, Blackburn Rovers, West Ham United and Championship side Ipswich Town at the end of September. 
The scholarship was established by Lucas Neill so he could personally provide funding for up-and-coming footballers from his junior club, Manly United, to experience elite-level football. The scholarship, apart from arranging trials and mentoring, ensures flights, accommodation and expenses are taken care of in the UK.  Joe said of the opportunity: 
?Playing football means everything to me so to be selected from a group of other talented players is a dream come true.  I am very grateful to Lucas Neill, my coach Jim Foley and the club?s head coach, Phil Moss, for this opportunity and I won?t let them down. This is the opportunity of a lifetime to train with Premier League and Championship teams, and I am very excited and looking forward to the challenges that lie ahead.?
After an exhaustive talent identification program taking place, Joe Gibbs is the third recipient of the Lucas Neill Scholarship, after Chris Payne and Simon Beer and Joe hopes to continue in the footsteps of both players.  In 2006, Chris trialed at Blackburn and was invited back again for a further trial and in 2007 and both Chris and Simon trialed at West Ham and Charlton Athletic.
Chris also recently made his Hyundai A-League debut for Sydney FC in August 2008, the youngest ever player to do so for Sydney FC. 
Manly United head coach Phil Moss has overseen the scholarship on behalf of Lucas for the past three years and has enlisted the expert advice of former Socceroo and Sydney FC player Steve Corica, and Lucas?s father Ed Neill as part of the selection panel, who was also an integral part of setting up the scheme.  Phil Moss has best described Joe?s playing talents as follows:
?Joey is a versatile player who can play up front or as an attacking mid-fielder. He both creates and scores goals and has a very good touch and awareness of what is around him. He has a maturity on the field that belies his years and I?m optimistic that he will progress with his game in the next few years.?
?We will certainly look to fast-track his development and this scholarship is the start of that. Credit must go to our u16?s coach, Jim Foley, who brought him to the club from the Central Coast and has done a great job with Joey so far.?
Lucas, who is also the captain of English Premier League club, West Ham United, established the Scholarship in 2006 to not only ?put back? into his boyhood football club, Manly United, but also because he had a genuine desire to develop grass roots football in Australia and give young Australians an opportunity of a lifetime.  Lucas described his hopes for Joe Gibbs:
?Congratulations to Joe on winning this scholarship, and I hope that he will make the most of the opportunity it will provide for him. He is a worthy winner of the scholarship and follows in the footsteps of two good footballers before him in Chris and Simon. The scholarship is designed to give young talented footballers in the Manly Warringah area a unique opportunity to enter elite football and over the past two years I believe we have achieved this with some remarkable success.?
?As with most schemes like this one, there are people behind the scenes whom I would like to thank for their efforts in making all this possible. Firstly, Manly United and in particular Phil Moss. Secondly, I would like to thank the sponsors Nike and Sony, for their generous support and I hope that it will continue for such a worthwhile scheme.?