By Stoke City FC

  • Boys A team begin with five successive win
  • Second string seeking first victory of season
  • Girls side competing in EFL league for first time

The Football Education Academy season is well underway, with all squads having started their respective EFL competitions.

For the 2022/23 season the Community Trust’s FEA have three squads competing in the EFL Community & Education Alliance. There are currently 45 boys and 15 girls involved in the programme, training two to three times per week and playing fixtures on Wednesdays in their respective EFL divisions.

The boys A team have started in brilliant form having secured convincing wins against the likes of Bradford City, Sheffield United, Birmingham City and Barnsley in the North Central 1 Division and League Cup. The team have showed their experience in the competition and quality on the pitch week after week, and the team is confident this will continue throughout the season. This makes for exciting times ahead with five wins in five and players that have trusted the process over the time they have been involved in the programme to now be seeing the rewards for their hard work, dedication and enjoyment of football.

The boys B team are yet play the same volume of fixtures but have shown some good things in their couple of fixtures so far. Despite suffering defeat against Aston Villa and Derby County, the competitive game against the latter (finishing 5-4) showed plenty of promise for the rest of the season. Many of the players involved in this squad are young and new to the programme so there is lots of potential within the squad for development over this year and future seasons. Ultimately the team are showing what the programme is about, developing people and footballers over the time players are involved in the programme.

The girls team are competing in their first EFL season with lots of keen female footballers eager to develop their skills, grow their game experience and enjoy playing competitive football. Many of the players, new to college this year, are a part of the pioneers that will help build and grow the programme for female footballers over the coming years. Their games so far in the North Central Division and League Cup have resulted in defeat, however showing plenty of promise and optimism for the future

The Football Education Academy is a programme running alongside college education (Under 19 competition) where training and competitions are built into students’ timetables. Our partner education provider, Stoke-on-Trent College, offer a range of sports courses to study (alternative courses/education options available) whilst participating in the FEA programme.

The football provision is delivered by professional Community Trust coaches who are specifically focussed on Under 19 development football and have a wealth of professional and semi-professional team coaching experience too. The FEA squads are currently playing home fixtures at local stadium, Harrison Park (home of Leek Town FC), and training across quality facilities including the Academy Dome, Stoke-on-Trent College, Longton Rugby Club and Staffordshire University.

Participation in the programme holds many benefits including:

  • Development of football skills and game understanding
  • Delivery of training by professional Community Trust coaches
  • Experience playing and competing in stadium facilities
  • Play in the famous red and white stripes of Stoke City
  • FREE training & travel kit
  • FREE tickets to Stoke City home league games
  • FREE access to gym facilities & sports therapy/injury treatment & rehabilitation
  • Gain a top education to progress into employment and/or further studies
  • Gain and develop important life skills – time management, communication, organisation, teamwork, leadership and individual responsibility

If you are currently in years 10 or 11 at school, considering options for further education and interested in the Stoke City Community Trust Football Education Academy, we have some Development Days and Open Sessions coming up over the October half term. If you would like to attend these FREE sessions:

  • Development Day - Monday, 24th October, 10am-1pm at Staffordshire University (ST4 2BP) (Boys)
  • Open Session - Friday 28th October, 7.30pm-9pm at OSMMA (ST3 3JD) (Girls)

Please get in touch with Programme Lead, Dave Beswick (David.Beswick@stokecityfc.com) for boys or Female Lead, Dani Taylor (Danielle.Taylor@stokecityfc.com) for girls to register your interest and/or gain any further information about the programme.