Ramprakash Backs Chelsea Drive  (Sky Sports)

England batting coach Mark Ramprakash has thrown his weight behind Chelsea's Asian Star initiative.

The scheme, which is designed to boost Asian participation at all levels of football, is the first of its kind undertaken by a professional football club.

Chelsea's Asian Star was launched in 2009 and this year’s event will take place on Monday, May 25 at the club's training ground.

"I am delighted to support Chelsea's Asian Star initiative as sport can have a huge positive effect on young people and the communities they live in," said Ramprakash, who is of Indo-Guyanese descent.

"There has never been a doubt in my mind that the desire to play football is there among the Asian population so it is great to see a programme dedicated to providing an avenue for this passion to be showcased.

"To be returning for a seventh year shows the interest is still there and I’m sure the coaches who attend will confirm the talent is there as well. It is an anomaly as to why there are so few British-Asian professional footballers and this programme is helping to address that issue."

Ramprakash played 52 Test matches for England and scored almost 36,000 runs in first-class cricket, including 114 centuries.

But the British Asian Trust ambassador was also a talented junior footballer and had a spell on the books of his local club Watford as a youngster.

"It is not just about finding the football stars of the future, it is about getting youngsters interested in sport in general, which in turn leads to healthier lifestyles for the children involved," Ramprakash added.

"Most of the cricketers I know love football or rugby and improved as cricketers by playing a variety of sports at a young age.

"The opportunities that the programme offers can be of huge benefit to the young people involved and I wish all those taking part the best of luck."

Over 400 youngsters are expected to attend Asian Star and participants will play in matches and undergo tests specifically designed and used by the Chelsea Academy to examine speed, skill and ability.

Chelsea will also be inviting managers, coaches and scouts from clubs at all levels of the game to identify talented youngsters, and information will also be on hand for Asian players to find clubs in their area.