Morpeth Town AFC Academy
Our post-16 Academy football/education programme began it’s recruitment of student footballers in December 2020 and after agreeing an exclusive education partnership with TyneMet College took on it’s first intake of players that summer beginning in September 2021.
The vision of our post-16 Academy was to give the young people of Northumberland somewhere they could achieve a first class education while training and playing the game they love full-time.
Building a formidable partnership with education specialists TyneMet College, and backed by extensive engineering and construction connections associated with Academy board members Ken Beattie and Dave Jenkinson, it was decided that Morpeth Town would attempt to do what no other academy had done; to offer courses in trades such as:
- Brickwork
- Plumbing
- Dry Lining
- Welding
- Engineering
- Electrical Installation
A fully integrated football programme led by professionals, we were the first programme in the UK to offer this pathway alongside the popular common university pathways of A-Levels & Extended Diplomas in areas such as sport and business. This has recently been extended to include degree pathways.
There’s a range of education options, and that is built on the foundation of the football element of the course, an outstanding programme led by our former FA Vase winning manager, UEFA A-Licence coach Nick Gray, with Sports Science & Medical support led by first team staff member Steven Shaw.
The high-quality team of coaches includes current first team players and ex-professional footballers Ryan Donaldson and Liam Noble, who are able to give the players the benefit of their experiences as well as being able to assess and highlight players who may be able to make the big step into the first team squad.
The goalkeeping department is led by first team assistant manager and ex-Newcastle United player and current academy coach Dale Walker.
The players receive daily sports science support with live GPS data analysis using the Catapult Playertek +, individualised strength and conditioning programmes and daily sports therapy support. Games are filmed on VEO camera with coaches then taking players through match analysis sessions on a weekly basis to improve both technically and tactically as individuals and as a group.
Our programme is the only one in the region that sees all games taking place on the first team’s main 3G pitch, a top of the range synthetic turf that is at the forefront of high quality football surfaces.
Taking part in the National Football Youth League, National League Under-19 Alliance, ECFA Category One and national cup competitions, including the prestigious FA Youth Cup, Morpeth’s youth teams also have an Under-18 team that competes on a Saturday to allow players a chance to develop in a competitive environment before making steps into senior football.
Despite only starting within the last few years, some of our players have already represented senior clubs at levels from Northern League Division 1 and 2, Northern Alliance and Wearside league clubs as well as having three players represent our first team in the Northern Premier League, all while only in the Under-17 age category, a phenomenal achievement that is just the beginning.
Building clear pathways to brighter futures, if you are interested in joining our academy contact us at: academy@morpethtownafc.com
Academy Honour Roll
Academy Youth System to First Team Debutants
Bailey Geliher
Debut: 14/09/21 / vs Lancaster City (H) / 2-2
Competition: Northern Premier League
Age: 16 years 2 months
Youth Pathway: Academy U17
Noah Millington
Debut: 14/09/21 / Vs Lancaster City (H) / 2-2
Competition: Northern Premier League
Age: 16 years 9 months
Youth Pathway: Academy U17
Tom Wales
Debut: 12/03/21 / Vs Mickleover FC (H) / 3-1
Competition: Northern Premier League
Age: 17 years 6 months
Youth Pathway: Academy U17/Junior
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