Inspiring stories 2015/16 Go to stories.premierleague.com Inspiring stories to read more and watch our exclusive videos This is We all We all We all Premier dream support belong League “ I’m the happiest man in the world. “ Never knowing what will happen “ Lots of these kids are deemed “ Everybody will remember this season. I am proud of my team and on the pitch definitely brings unreachable – but they are This really is the League where anything everyone involved in Leicester.” us together off the pitch.” reachable by the right people.” can and does happen.” Wes Morgan, Ali Shah, Jack Ironside, Richard Scudamore, Leicester City Captain Watford fan Arsenal in the Community Premier League Executive Chairman The Football The Fans The Communities The Premier League Pages 04-09 Pages 10-17 Pages 18-25 Pages 26-33 01 “ The grounds are as full Our virtuous as they’ve ever been and we’ve engaged a lot more people. circle Play the most The success of the clubs competitive and inspires young people to get involved – sport “ If Stoke City can get the compelling football and education gives best players it shows what in vibrant stadiums them opportunity.” a powerful league we’ve got. full of committed There’s nothing near it globally. Richard Scudamore, and engaged fans Premier League Executive Chairman We’ve spent a lot on the stadium, we’ve got a new training ground. You never stop working on improving.” Peter Coates, Chairman, Stoke City Create interest and invest to benefit the whole of football and beyond Inspire through participation “ I still drop into my old Kicks project sometimes – the sessions and opportunity, Go to preml.ge/ make a big difference to young strategy to connecting with people. I’m proud to say that I’m find out more local and global a product of the Academy and of communities what the club delivers on estates.” Arsenal’s Kaylen Hinds, pictured above playing against Derby County in the U21 Premier League 03 The Football We all dream Our competitive and compelling football inspires performance and ambition. Clubs create opportunities for the next generation of players and coaches. “ I never thought I could make it to the Premier League. It really has been a dream come true.” Go to preml.ge/football Jamie Vardy, Leicester City for full stories and videos Jamie Vardy Harry Kane “ You just can’t write scored in a record 11 consecutive won the Barclays Golden Premier League matches. Boot award, with 25 goals. scripts like this” Go to preml.ge/ Sky Sports’ Martin Tyler described seasonhighlights to see our exclusive Stepping up the 2015/16 Premier League Season as Sky Sports season highlights video Whilst teamwork mattered most, many “the greatest story ever told”, as Leicester players took their game to the next level. City clinched their first ever top-flight title. Here are two of Michael Owen’s picks: Dele Alli PFA Young Player of the Year winner – involved in more goals than any other English midfielder this season. Dimitri Payet delivered the highest “ I love it that “ Lashed in by number of crosses and created the second the Premier Kone. The survival highest number of League specialists have chances in the League. can attract done it again.” “ Leicester have given inspiration to players like Martin Tyler, Sky Sports every football club, every manager, Shaqiri.” player and supporter all across the Go to preml.ge/ Jamie Redknapp, players to see Owen’s top 5 picks Sky Sports land that one day it could be them.” in our exclusive video Jamie Carragher, Sky Sports @GaryLineker people in the UK watched Premier League The last day of a most extraordinary @premierleague season. coverage on Match of the Day this season. How fitting that the sky is blue and the air is fresh. 31.3m 06 07 Our three-phase system of “ Every player develops from the “ Everton’s investment in Finch Farm moment they join the Academy has been really important to me. Home-grown youth development places and that continues right through It’s helped me become the player Go to preml.ge/ the player at its heart; to the first team. This really I am today.” homegrown for focusing on education, is a family club and there are Ross Barkley, full stories ambition so many coaches and players Everton and England coaching and preparation around to give you advice.” for their professional debut. Marcus Rashford, Manchester United and England Go to preml.ge/ barkley for our exclusive video Foundation Phase Youth Development Professional Development For the love of football Coaching for progress Excelling in an elite environment Twelve year old Ryan has been in “ We understand that there has Marcus Rashford burst onto the scene Ross Barkley joined Everton’s Academy, Go to preml.ge/ Southampton’s Academy since he was to be a good balance between this season, with displays of speed, based at Finch Farm, aged ten and rashford for our 67 exclusive video of eight. He spends a day each week at the getting our school work done and Home-grown agility and composure that have seen has never looked back. A regular for Marcus in action Academy, with half of it in the classroom improving as footballers. Although Premier League him adapt to first team football. England and a key player for the and the other half on the pitch. it’s fun, it’s also structured.” debuts in 2015/16 The Youth Development Phase sees club since his debut in 2011, having Boys like Ryan develop a love of the Ryan Finnegan, players prepared for progress as their graduated to the first team via the game alongside their education, in a Southampton Academy coaches have helped them realise Premier League’s U18s and U21s way that is enjoyable and engaging. % their talent and reach the next level. Games Programmes. 91 With a record number of home-grown Training and playing in the best of scholars players making their Premier League possible environment means players achieved advanced debuts this season, our clubs are giving can focus on their continued progress apprenticeships of opportunities to more youngsters than and performance. sporting excellence ever before. 08 09 The Fans We all support Committed and engaged fans are vital to our clubs and the competition. Home, away or abroad, their support is valued. “ Selhurst Park has been rocking this season, the atmosphere is amazing. The fans don’t stop singing Go to preml.ge/fans for 90 minutes!” for full stories and videos Tim, Crystal Palace fan Of all fans who attended Full and vibrant 96.3% a Premier League match: full – a record high stadiums: 40% 25% 14% were aged 18-34 were female were from BAME* groups Ali and Sana supporting their club at Vicarage Road Like father like daughter: Ali and Sana’s story “It was like discovering Narnia – we were dumbstruck!” says Ali Shah, as he recalls the moment in 1978 that he and his brothers accidentally discovered Vicarage Road. “It took weeks for us to persuade Dad to let us go to a match but we pestered and pleaded with him and eventually he relented. I remember the smell, the noise and the excitement of that first match so well.” Ali’s daughter Sana, 24, also a long-standing Watford season ticket holder who goes to as many home and away games as she can, remembers her first match just as vividly. “When I was ten years old, my Dad took me to my first game. It was a night game and I was so excited.” And Sana’s friends think her football- mad Dad is great, “My friends always tell me how cool my Dad is. We both love the build-up, the walk to the ground and the songs. Seeing Leicester do so well this season has given hope to us all.” Go to preml.ge/alisana to read the full story * Black, Asian and and watch our exclusive Minority Ethnic video of Ali and Sana 13 Steve and his son Luke “ I’ve been a Bournemouth Connecting the supporting The Cherries on the road fan since I was seven – and football family we’ve been following them as ‘Lads and Dad’ since my A glorious goal: George’s story boys were three and five.” Nine-year-old Everton fan George, who suffers from cerebral palsy, captured the hearts of millions after a video of him playing football in the park with his Dad went viral. Gerard Deulofeu, whose name was on George’s shirt, was so moved by George’s determination that he offered him tickets to a Premier League match. At the game, George was then invited onto the pitch at half-time to fulfil his dream of scoring a goal in front of the famous Gwladys Street end. The club entered George’s strike into their Goal of the Month competition, which he won, with an incredible 86% of the votes in the fan poll. George’s Dad has been overwhelmed by the response, “George works so hard and he’s shown other children that you can do it. We were basically told when George was very young to try to keep him away from sport and football, and that maybe by the time he was 12 he would be in a wheelchair. But George’s character has just come through and he’s pushed so hard, worked so hard, and this is just Below, George with reward for him.” the players he beat Family away days Safety supporter Steve and his sons Luke and Ben have Arsenal Safety Officer Sharon Cicco been exploring new cities as they support is responsible for ensuring a safe Bournemouth on the road.