Slimbridge AFC have revealed ambitious plans to reach the National League's within 10 years.

The club is hoping to gain their first promotion within five years as well as making improvements to their stadium.

Slimbridge have already made one significant improvement. They recently launched their under 18s team who hosted a Bristol City academy side. They lost 5-2 but it was a sign of the great early strides being made.

Operations manager and under 18s chairman David Morgan explained how the club plan to grow and climb the league's over the next decade.

"We wanted to put something sustainable in place to grow," said Morgan. "We're changing the model from a small football club to a small enterprise.

"We want a new culture where players want to come to Slimbridge and stay. We want to grow in the community and get the parents involved.

"On the playing side, we're aiming for the National League's in ten years so in five years we want to improve the ground and get promotion. As for this year I think we want to try and get into a comfortable mid-table position because we've been battling at the bottom recently but it's about putting an infrastructure in place to move forward with the programme

Slimbridge's ambitions are similar to Salford City's who went on a similar journey to the National League but Slimbridge don't quite have the financial backing but Morgan has outlined ways the club will bring in income as part of the project.

"The main way to raise funds is by getting more people to games so we need to give better football experience starting with better performances," he said. "We'd also like a good run in the FA Cup because of the money that bring in.

"We've set up more events such as bands and we want to get an event each month at Thornhill Park so improving the ground will help."

Morgan is also the chairman of the clubs new under 18s side who've already faced the likes of Bristol City Academy and Yate Town.

They're hoping the new team can provide a pathway for players into a career in football and to also strengthen the first team, particularly during the middle of the season when injuries and transfer can come into effect and the early signs have been extremely positive.

"We have a great vibe in the under 18s," Morgan commented. "We've had players come from as far as Newent and Cheltenham and we've had around 40/50 coming and the parents are really supportive. They're contributing match fees and willing to put money in and help out with match day sponsorship for us.

"Good leadership has been key, our coach Adam Coyle was a coach for the County youth team who got to the national finals so people want to play for him and people followed him here.

"We already have four of the under 18s already sitting on the bench for the first team and there's a good chance lads will break in this season so we want it to be a pathway to the first team. "