Edusport Academy

Edusport Academy
Full name Edusport Academy
Founded 2011
Ground Galabank, Annan
Ground Capacity 2,504
Managing Director Chris Ewing
Head coach Ricky Waddell
League South of Scotland Football League
2014–15 South of Scotland Football League, 5th
Website Club home page

Edusport Academy is a residential football academy for young French footballers, based in Scotland. The academy was founded in 2011 and was initially based at the Ravenscraig Regional Sports Facility in Motherwell, North Lanarkshire, before relocating to Lesser Hampden in Glasgow in 2015. A second centre based in Edinburgh opened in 2014. An Edusport Academy team has also competed in the senior South of Scotland Football League from the 2014–15 season onwards, the only private academy to do so in a recognised senior league. South of Scotland matches were initially played at the Hamilton Palace Sports Ground in Hamilton, South Lanarkshire, before moving to Galabank in Annan, Dumfries and Galloway, from 2015.

History

The Edusport Academy was founded in 2011 by Chris Ewing with the aim of helping talented young French footballers to develop their skills in football and the English language, and gain opportunities with British professional clubs.[1] Initially, the main training venues were the Ravenscraig Regional Sports Facility in Motherwell, North Lanarkshire, and the Hamilton Palace Sports Ground in Hamilton, South Lanarkshire,[2] with English classes taking place at New College Lanarkshire.[3] Edusport expanded in 2014, opening an Edinburgh centre with training at Ainslie Park and education at Edinburgh College.[4] In 2015, they decided to relocate from Motherwell to a new Glasgow base; the Academy now trains at Lesser Hampden with educational classes at Glasgow Clyde College.[5]

In June 2014, Edusport Academy successfully applied for membership of the semi-professional South of Scotland League in the sixth tier of the Scottish football league system,[6] becoming the first private football academy in the world to operate a team in a FIFA-recognised senior league.[7] They made further Scottish football history in a league match against Creetown in September 2014, when they first fielded a team composed entirely of French nationals.[7] The senior team won two trophies in their first season, the South of Scotland League Cup and the Cree Lodge Cup.[8]

Edusport applied to move up a level to the Lowland League in 2015, but their application was rejected.[9]

Four women were added to the Edusport Academy programme in 2015. They are based at the Edinburgh centre and will gain senior experience through a partnership with Spartans of the Scottish Women's Premier League.[10]

Stadium

Grandstand and football pitch at Galabank
Galabank, where Edusport Academy play their home fixtures

For the first season, South of Scotland League home matches were played at the Hamilton Palace Sports Ground. From 2015 onwards, the team are groundsharing with Annan Athletic at their Galabank stadium in Annan, Dumfries and Galloway.[11]

Honours

Edusport Academy honours
Honour No. Years
South of Scotland League Cup 1 2014–15
Cree Lodge Cup 1 2014–15

Academy staff

As of 12 November 2015[12]

Position Name
Owner / managing director Chris Ewing
General manager Laurent Ciechelski
Head coach – South of Scotland League Ricky Waddell
Coach Colin Cameron
Head coach – U20 Development League Stuart McLaren
Coach Jim Chapman
Coach Ryan McCann
Coach Hector Buraglia
Goalkeeping coach Andrew McNeil
Coach Jérémy Burlet Parendel
Sports therapist Ross Anderson

References

  1. Mitchell, Robert (9 November 2011). "Edusport academy hopes to make footballing stars in Ravenscraig". Daily Record. Retrieved 21 September 2015.
  2. "Football". Edusport Academy. Retrieved 21 September 2015.
  3. "Education". Edusport Academy. Retrieved 21 September 2015.
  4. "Edinburgh". Edusport Academy. Retrieved 21 September 2015.
  5. "Edusport Academy evolves". Edusport Academy. Retrieved 21 September 2015.
  6. Gillespie, Stuart (6 June 2014). "St Cuthbert Wanderers boss welcomes new sides". Daily Record. Retrieved 21 September 2015.
  7. 1 2 "South of Scotland League". Edusport Academy. Retrieved 21 September 2015.
  8. "Wigtown unlucky in Cree Lodge cup final". The Galloway Gazette (Newton Stewart). 2 June 2015. Retrieved 21 September 2015.
  9. Thomson, Paul (3 June 2015). "Lowland League welcome Cumbernauld Colts for next season". Daily Record. Retrieved 21 September 2015.
  10. "Spartans welcome French quartet to Ainslie Park". Spartans F.C. Women. 8 September 2015. Retrieved 12 November 2015.
  11. Rutherford, Nichola; Rinaldi, Giancarlo (29 July 2015). "South of Scotland Live". BBC News. Retrieved 20 September 2015.
  12. "Meet the team". Edusport Academy. Retrieved 12 November 2015.

External links

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