Several top Premiership soccer clubs could soon be vying for the signature of Vashun Blanchette after the Bermudian teenager was awarded a four year scholarship in England.

Thanks to generous funding from the Bank of Butterfield, Vashun, 14, has been able to take up the scholarship at Chigwell School in Essex.

The school is in the heartland of several London soccer teams including Arsenal, West Ham and Tottenham. Third Division Barnet are also in the area and the school premises are close to Spurs' training ground.

The move came about as the result of a trip to England with Bermuda Football Association's former Technical Director, Clyde Best, last year when Vashun and fellow teenager Freddy Hall were offered the chance to try out for West Ham's soccer academy.

Vashun's parents visited England to check out the standard of schooling before giving their son the OK and now funding has been secured he will leave the Island at the weekend as part of the Bermuda's Under-15 squad European tour.

When their schedule of matches is over, Vashun will remain in England in readiness for his first year of schooling.

A midfielder who came up through the Somerset youth programme and went on to play for North Village, Vashun is regarded as a great prospect.

But his ambitions don't just lie on the field of play, for according to his mother, Venetia, he is also very academically minded.

"I think he will take this in his stride,'' she said. "He is very academic and his ambition is to do sports medicine. At this school he is going to get the best of both worlds.'' Mrs. Blanchette said she was very grateful to the Bank of Butterfield for providing the money to enable the move to England.

It was not something the bank did lightly, she said, but believed officials were impressed with Vashun's academic standards and his general demeanour.

Bermuda's assistant national team coach, Mark Trott said he was sure Vashun would go far.

"I think he is a very talented boy with very good grades. This is a golden opportunity for him and I'm very glad the bank was able to help him out,'' he said.