September & October has seen a busy start to the academic year and football season for our full time students across many levels and below our Academy Manager, Craig Power reviews the first half term of the year.

A packed games programme has provided all Academy students vital development opportunities across various levels as all competitions are now in full swing!

Firstly our girls have made a strong start in the National Football Youth League (NFYL) Premier and currently sit top of the league with an unbeaten record. Our U17 girls started the season in the English College FA league however with a number of teams withdrawing we secured a late move to the NFYL Championship to provide our students with a more extensive league fixture programme. Our first year girls signed off for half time with a 3-2 win against Cambridge United in the league cup.

Whilst team success is important on the field it is the role of any academy to provide players capable of stepping into first team football and this is shown with no fewer than seven current academy students selected for the Womens FA Cup first qualifying round win.

Our boys continue to play across age group and open age football on a weekly basis in one of the most testing games programmes provided within Academy football. At the half term break we currently sit top of the ECFA Premier league having recorded six wins from six games as we look to progress onto the national playoffs later in the season. An FA youth cup run saw our U18s travel into Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Suffolk eventually earning a home tie against Lowestoft Town Academy. Unfortunately on the evening a well organised Lowestoft Town team progressed to the first round proper with a 2-1. We wish Andy Reynolds & his boys the very best for their first round fixture. The boys will look to bounce back in age group football after half term with the return of the Suffolk county cup and the English Schools Super League.

Josh Stokes continues to show all our male students that there is a clear pathway to our first team with a number of fine performances and goals that are attracting the attention of many watching scouts!! Ryan Dunne made his senior debut on 29th August 2022 when he was trusted by our first team management to start in the A134 derby against Bury Town. A game played in front of 939 spectators! Jamie Bennett, Joe Carroll, Dylan Kirk & Jack Catley have all been involved in Rick Andrews matchday squads. Congratulations and good luck to Oli Hart & Jack Catley who are set to represent the South East against the South West in the second stage of the England Schools FA U18 national team trials in November.

No week is ever quiet at the Academy including half term as on Wednesday our Under 18 girls travel to Barking Abbey in the English Schools FA Super League. A win will see the girls progress to the knockout stage of the competition. On Thursday no fewer than six academy students will look to progress to the next stage of the England College FA national team trials. Good luck to Leonie Bezant, Alex Penny, Ruby Sealey, Bobby Rea, Jamie Bennett & Jack Catley.

Finally it has been great to watch all our JPL & EJA youth teams over the past few weekends as they continue to develop and hopefully progress into our full time academy at 16.