Aston Villa goalkeeper Andy Marshall is helping to shape the future generation of stoppers – all in his spare time.

When Brad Friedel’s understudy is away from the club’s Bodymoor Heath training ground he’s busy transforming rookie goalkeepers into potential world-beaters at a unique academy which he runs on behalf of goalkeeping equipment company Sells.

Marshall has shares in the firm and set up the soccer school arm of the business, which is now starting to gain worldwide recognition.

The Sells Goalkeeping Academy has seven centres across the country – the local facility is based at the University of Warwick – and plans are already under way to set up another in Birmingham.

Marshall’s contacts and experience in professional football have enabled the academy to provide coaching for elite goalkeepers, aged between eight and 18, and also youngsters who struggle to even catch a ball.

“We want to improve the level of grassroots football, first and foremost,” he said.

“But we know the longer-term goal is to help clubs like Villa and the smaller clubs get goalkeepers in.

“In the six months we have had these centres running we’ve taken seven kids into professional clubs and one girl has represented England.

“There’s nothing of this level anywhere in the country.

“There are other goalkeeping schools out there but they are nowhere near the level we are at.

“We get a lot of kids coming through the door and we know they’re not all going to make it, but if we can improve them at the level they are at that’s half of our job done.”