Opportunity & Progression
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“Exeter City Football Club seeks to ensure the safeguarding, well-being and safety of all children, young people and adults at risk who engage in its activities.” Opportunity & Progression “I joined the Academy as a nine- year-old and it was really enjoyable. We always trained at the club’s Cliff Hill training ground, whereas most ETHOS other clubs would play in local fields. “The way you are taught to play is to be comfortable on the football and you are taught how to play in different positions all the way through. Our ethos at Exeter City is to look after the best interests of every “There is a good link between the Academy and the first team here at young player in our care and to strive to have as many of our young Exeter City and that is a big thing ROLE players as possible become professional football players. when you are coming through as a youngster because you want to see OF THE Statistics show that on average We work as hard as possible to ensure a way through to first team football. approximately 5% of boys that enter that every player in the Academy enjoys That is what you get at Exeter City. PARENTS an Academy will go on to make it as their time with us, whilst developing into There are a lot of players that have professionals. We do our utmost to look top quality football players and well- come into the first team and then As well as the commitment that after the 95% of Academy boys that rounded young men. moved on and there are many the players have to show, there is don’t quite reach their dream, whilst young players that are being given a also a large commitment needed Although playing for the Exeter City striving to produce more than the 5% chance in the first team currently. from parents and guardians. Academy requires a huge amount of average. Transporting players to and commitment and dedication, we state “There is no place that you would from training and matches is In recent years at Exeter City, we have from day one of signing that schoolwork rather go in the South West because something that we as a club consistently achieved a much higher must come first. This allows players to other clubs don’t give youngsters greatly appreciate. percentage of our Academy players fulfill their potential both in their football that chance. If you are a parent you earning a full professional contract. and academic studies, which as a club have got to look at the club where We understand that it is not we recognise to be vitally important. your child has the best chance to always possible to attend every develop into a first-class footballer training session for a number and has the possibility of first team of reasons, however we want football; there is no place like Exeter to provide every player with City for that.” the best possible chance of becoming a professional football player and to achieve this we JORDAN need to see the players as often as possible. MOORE- 2 In addition, the following list 3 outlines our ‘must haves’ for TAYLOR parents of Academy players: • Collaboration • Appreciation • Respect • Expectation The Academy takes the responsibility of providing outstanding player care extremely seriously. The best interests of the player will always be put first and any concerns raised from within the football club will be addressed with the parent or carer as soon as is practicable. Similarly, any causes for concern from a home or school-based perspective must be raised with the senior staff of the Academy, who will attend to matters in an Former club-captain, Jordan Moore-Taylor, joined the club as a nine year old, progressing all the way understanding way. through our Academy age groups before making the transition into the first team, culminating in him leading the team out at Wembley for the play-off final in May 2017. Alex Byrne Debut: 2016 Jordan’s ability on and off the ball, mixed with his competitiveness and versatility in different positions, has lead to him chalking up well over 100 appearances for the Grecians. E [email protected] T 01395 233883 www.exetercityfc.co.uk/teams/academy STAFF ACADEMY TALENT JULIAN TAGG ID & RECRUITMENT CLUB PRESIDENT & DIRECTOR OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS ALI MCGIVNEY “Conventional wisdom and Exeter City rarely match. Whether we talk of the club’s Trust ownership model, the standards the manager demands from players and staff on and HEAD OF off the field or about the resolution in our intention to develop well-rounded young men and intelligent, exceptional footballers in equal measure, our Academy’s ethos and ACADEMY approach is full of originality. RECRUITMENT It is pleasing to convey that the aforementioned approach is producing some Ali McGivney, joined the Club extremely, and increasingly, impressive results with a significant number of youth protégés currently playing first team football, whilst many others in recent history are in January 2020. Based in furthering their careers in all the professional leagues including the Premier League. Dorset, Ali has a wealth of Rome was not built in a day and there is still much improvement to be made but it is youth recruitment knowledge inspiring to see a group of dedicated intelligent coaches that not only believe in the within the South of England. “Grecian Plan” but are propagating and developing it further. He has a proven track record of It is with great pride that I endorse the Academy Performance Plan and will continue to identifying top talent, having be a willing and enthusiastic participant in its leadership and financial sustainability” previous experience as Head of Academy Recruitment, working at Premier League Category 1 and 3 Academies. ‘’My role provides the overall responsibility MATT TAYLOR for both regional and national Academy recruitment from Pre-Academy through MANAGER to U18’s at the Club. Everyone who works 4 “We’ve produced a number of good players over a number of seasons, it’s no in this Recruitment Department at Exeter 5 coincidence or surprise to us. The coaches invest in both the player and the City FC Academy are like family, working character and endeavour to make the player a better player but also the person very closely in one common goal, to a better person. That is a mantra across our Academy and through our coaching, identify and recruit the best players (as not just at 1st Team level but all the way through the Club. We develop the players opposed to quantity) within the South the best we can, aiming to make them 1st Team footballers first and foremost West of England. at our level but also players capable of playing at the highest level. The training We have an excellent reputation of routine and the schedule is hard work and challenging but it’s worthwhile because developing young players and a proven it provides invaluable interaction with coaches and teammates in a football pathway, which is testament to everyone environment where you’re always learning and always improving.” involved at this Football Club. It’s all about the player at Exeter City FC and when the Recruitment Department introduces a player to the Academy, I have the upmost confidence that my colleagues ARRAN PUGH across all Departments will support the development process of each individual ACADEMY OPERATIONS & with a bespoke, player-centred approach. We have a great support structure PERFORMANCE MANAGER in place to give each player the best “Exeter City FC is a true example of an Opportunity & Development Club. We are opportunity to fulfil their potential in very fortunate that the Club believes so strongly in the merits of developing its playing for our 1st Team and beyond. own homegrown talent. Whilst the Academy’s continued success in developing There are high level multi-disciplinary professional football players for the 1st Team and beyond is something that we are personnel in key areas of the Academy, extremely proud of, we strive to continue progress in all areas of player development. ranging from Coaching, Sport Science, We never promise a player that signs here that they are going to be a professional Strength & Conditioning, Medical, football player, we are very honest at the start and manage expectations. What we will Analysis, Talent ID, Education and Player promise is that we will do everything we can to ensure players grow as a person, both Care, which is a key element of why past on and off the pitch. We aim to instil characteristics within each young man that will and present results are so positive.’’ support them to be successful in whatever they do in life.” E [email protected] T 01395 233883 www.exetercityfc.co.uk/teams/academy E [email protected] T 01395 233883 www.extercityfc.co.uk/teams/academy “It was enjoyable throughout my whole time in the Academy. An area the coaches try and help the players with is to make it enjoyable, they always try and make it fun. “If I’d never had the help and guidance from a young age and been able to enjoy football, it might have put me off it. I always thought I wanted to be a footballer so to be in a football environment and enjoy it as a youngster made me want to keep playing football. “Every coach works specifically with individuals on ways to improve their game and they look at the small details and if a player wants to say something to a coach or ask them a question, it’s an environment where you feel as though you can ask a EDUCATION & question.