WEEKLY HEADLINES:

As a development player you are one of the clubs main priorities . . .

Development Groups:

As a development player you are involved in our Coaching & Match Programme.

Important Information for players / parents:

All the clubs at this website agree to the same Ethos and Philosophy and place the players as the priority above the team and even the club. The player will be placed with the club team that best fulfills the needs and wants of the player. All of these clubs have an open policy in exchanging / transferring players - the priority is the player not the club team - this is unusual and refreshing !!

The following information clarifies some very important aspects:

  • Non of the players in Reception, Year 1 or Year 2 are entered into any competitive teams. The priority is their individual improvement and this is done with our own TIPS PROGRAMME.
  • We operate a policy of selecting players for competitive matches based on their 'best development'. If we feel the individual player would benefit more from 2 hours of coaching than 50% of a 40 mins match (20 mins of football), then we will place the player in one of our 'Development Groups'. These groups ensure the player develops fully and provides a fast track for their improvement - much more than a competitive match.
  • This policy starts with the Infants, continues as they move into Year 3 and continues with players of all ages.
  • If we feel a player is ready for competitive football we will sign him for the league team. If we feel the player is improving via competitive football then he will continue playing every week. If we feel he is not benefitting then we will put him in the development group and focus on his improvement. He will then return to the competitive team better placed to enjoy himself.
  • If we feel a player is not ready for the competitive team we may still sign him for the league team. The reason for this is simple - our Development Group will significantly improve the player and he may be ready in a few weeks or months. When he is ready we want him to be able to play at short notice - hence already being registered to play.
  • We may operate a large squad of players (up to 14 for 7 a side) - dependant on the number of new players who sign up during the season. Only 9 or 10 however, will ever be selected for the match - the rest will not be excluded - they will have 2 hours coaching with the development group. We consider this approach much better than giving players 5 or 10 mins play and standing on the sideline all morning - particularly on a cold wet morning.
  • Quite often our Development Groups become 'Development Teams'. When we have a large number of development players of the same age then we start arranging friendly matches for them and prepare them as a team for next season. We then enter the team into the most appropriate league based on their ability. Some of our development teams have gone straight into the top divisions others into the lower ones - but all go into the most suitable league we can find.
  • We also develop parents and prepare them in adavnce for the position of team coach and team manager etc. We do not leave our players in the hands of well meaning but inexperienced parents.
  • When our competitive teams have no match they train and integrate with the development groups. We integrate players as much as possible, particularly as movement into the development group works both ways - the development group is never considered a group for players who are not good enough. We will never replace a good player with a better new player - the better new player will play more in the development group if he arrived after the main 10 players were selected.
  • During the months of April - August all players are considered development players and we then select players for teams based on similar ability levels.
  • All the players on the 'Development Programme' (for players in Years 3, 4, 5 and 6) receive between 12 and 25 hours of professional coaching and development every month - dependant on their attendance.

    If you do not want to be part of this very high quality and fantastic value for money programme - then you can continue on our TOTALLY FREE RECREATIONAL PROGRAMME.