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Despite English football’s academy system coming under scrutiny following BBC Panorama’s recent Broken Dreams documentary, more proactive measures are being taken up and down the country to avoid the perceived all or nothing scenario for young players in the academy system.
Given the high stakes, the real picture is that only a tiny percentage of academy players will make the grade to become a first-team professional. That begs the question: if the percentage is so small, what are the options available to those younger players?
There is no question that the Premier League has transformed the landscape of English football. While there may be some hang-ups with the baggage, it brings with the influx of television money, player agents, excessive wage bills and inflated ticket prices.
It’s not a coincidence that English clubs continue to win European trophies year on year and were only penalties away from lifting the first major international trophy since 1966. The investment in sports science, coaching methodology and facilities has indeed born its own fruits.
Almost 30 years on since the foundation of the Premier League, with an academy system now well ingrained across the country, the culture has inevitably filtered down to the lower leagues. Still, it doesn’t necessarily follow that forward-thinking and innovative approach has to come from the top down.
Lincoln City academy launched an exciting new strand of their education programme this week with the broader development of youngsters at the heart of the academy’s values.
From September 2022, scholars completing their two-year study programme will have the option to continue their studies by moving onto a Level 4 Higher National Certificate (HNC) in Sport.
The latest development of their scholarship programme hopes to provide youngsters with meaningful insights and viable pathways into the many careers that support top-performing athletes behind the scenes within the sport.
Head of the Academy, Jordan McCann, was realistic in his assessment that not every scholar or member of the shadow scholar group will sign a professional contract with the club. Still, the new HNC programme will allow players to continue their development on the pitch and continue their journey within education.
“Academies are now thinking so much more than just about getting young boys in, coaching them and getting them into the first team. It is genuinely about holistic development. We’re really passionate about that at Lincoln. Our strapline here is that everyone leaves Lincoln City with a future.”
Opportunities to gain work experience in sports science, data analysis, coaching and media marketing are significant features of the programme that aims to raise aspirations and broaden horizons outside the career of becoming a professional footballer.
“It’s an education programme linked with practical opportunities. I think that’s the key.
“Our lads might not yet be thinking about becoming a sports scientist or a physio, but by learning the theory inside the classroom and having the opportunity to put that into practice through work experience at the club might just spark that interest.
“And that can drive the academia. If you’re out with the physios, you might want to understand more around how they work, what they’re looking for, how to diagnose and how to treat.”
Having the HNC opportunity beyond the academy’s scholarship or shadow scholarship programme will lead to pathways to not only UK based universities but American scholarships and American universities.
“We hope that when the lads finish here, if it’s not playing, they might look back and think actually, Lincoln City really helped me on my way to becoming a teacher or becoming a coach or becoming a physiotherapist.”
Having visible role models is another significant part of the offer, and there are already staff that have gone through a similar process and are now back at the club in non-playing roles. It’s a vital message to inspire others that it’s not just a case of all or nothing in gaining a professional playing contract.
When it comes to wearing the t-shirt of coming through the youth ranks and then embarking on a different career within the game, Jack Hobbs, 33, has returned to the club as one of the club’s academy coaches.
Having had his career cut short through injury, the new challenge of helping youngsters develop has reignited the former Leicester City and Nottingham Forest defenders’ passion for the game.
On coming back to Lincoln in the summer of this year, things have changed drastically since he left the club in 2005, and the facilities that the club now have at their disposal is a long way from what he experienced 15 years ago.
“It was the first time I’d seen the new training ground, and it’s amazing to see how much the club’s moved on since I was there. Especially considering that they fell out of the Football League and only just about kept the youth team going, to see the club built back up again and then be 90 minutes away from the Championship was fantastic to see. “
Since finishing his playing career at Bolton Wanderers during a particularly difficult time with the club, Hobbs now has his sights fixed on developing his coaching style. He is already working on his UEFA coaching badges but is thoroughly enjoying soaking up as much information as possible from those around him and watching the game from a different perspective.
“I’ve really enjoyed coming in and just want to crack on with it. Jordan McCann, Jezz George and Trix (Academy Coach Richard Belcher), have been very welcoming and supportive. I want to get as much of my experience and wisdom across from what I’ve learned playing through the levels and making it relatable to the lads.
“I’ve always been quite interested in self-development and I plan to speak to young coaches and pick their brains. I went to watch Leicester vs Arsenal at the weekend and was watching the game with my coach head on.
“Sometimes when you’re playing football all of the time, and you get a day off, you’d want to get away from it and do something else like spending time with the family or having a game of snooker.
“But when I watched that game on Saturday with a coaches mindset, I absolutely loved it. I was watching the formations and I was talking to Trix throughout, analysing the play and I just really enjoyed it.”
Hobbs knows only too well that his experiences as a younger man will stand him in good stead when working with youngsters at the academy, despite the changes in the game during his time as a professional.
“I signed a three-year scholarship getting paid a small sum every week, and got a BTEC in Sports Science alongside it. But I don’t remember their being anything after that so it was either pro, be a first-year pro, or you’re released. So I know that it can be quite ruthless.
“But things have changed so much since then, a lot of the coaching for the younger players is different from what it was 10-15 years ago. It’s not like the old school mentality of ‘we don’t care if it’s snowing or it’s raining, we’re going to run them.’
“It’s so much more now, mainly the social and psychological aspects of the game but what’s important is that it’s about trying to have fun as often as you can, but still trying to develop players.”
Career options parallel to playing professional football are vitally important and not more crucially than at the academy level. There is a misconception that ‘not making it’ applies to being in the higher echelons of the game.
There is still a good living to be made out of playing semi-professional football. You’d only have to ask Lincoln’s visitors at the weekend, Bowers and Pitsea FC, if it’s still possible to enjoy your football, be paid for it and still have a dual career. Their first-team squad consists of a carpenter, plumber and fashion designer.
Who says you can’t enjoy the best of both worlds? Jamie Vermiglio, manager of Chorley FC, masterminded their FA Cup run into last year’s 4th round. Not only did he write himself into town folklore in the process, but he also continued to be the Head Teacher at his local primary school.
Lincoln City Academy graduate Kieran Walker followed a similar pathway to what the club is now trying to embed in their new HNC offer. Having been a scholar at the club, Walker went onto university in Lincoln, and he’s now back with the club as Head of Sports Science and Medicine. There are more recent successes to which Jordan McCann was very proud to speak of.
“We’ve got one of our scholars last year Haydn Tear, who didn’t get a professional contract. He’s now back with us working in the strength conditioning department at 19.
“So it’s a real avenue of rounding off the process of boys coming in and starting at the ages of seven, eight and nine to when they get to 18/19 it’s about making sure that they leave with opportunities. Whether that be internally here or externally, the boys know what comes next for them which is really important.
McCann was keen to re-emphasise the importance of staying in touch with those that have moved through the doors to ensure that they know that the club are still there to support them.
“We always monitor where they go post Lincoln, we keep in touch with them just to keep that soft dialogue going all the time to make sure that they know the club’s here to support them which is really, really important.
“It’s nice to see how they’re getting on when they finish at Lincoln and the stuff and what they’re doing in the wider world.”
Lincoln City will continue to produce bright new talents from their quarters, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that they will all be professional footballers. It is possible to reconsider the notion of ‘making it’, particularly if you have a successful career regardless of vocation.
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