A Message to Our Parents

We’ve noticed more and more parents and children eager to join academies – and that’s fantastic. Ambition is what drives progress.

But we want to be completely honest with you. Josh and Matty have been there. We’ve experienced academy football first-hand. We know exactly what academy training looks like, how it’s delivered, and what it takes to get there – and stay there.

Let’s Talk About the Numbers

It’s important to be realistic about football pathways:

• Only 0.012% of schoolboys in England ever become Premier League players.
• Fewer than 0.5% of boys entering an academy at age 9 ever make a living from the game.
• The Premier League’s Elite Player Performance Plan (EPPP) sets typical weekly coaching hours at around:
• U9–U11: ~4 hours/week (Category 1–3 academies)

That shows just how much consistent, high-quality training it takes to truly develop – and how competitive the system is.

Supporting Grassroots Football

Grassroots coaches are the backbone of football. They give up their time, energy, and weekends to help children play the game they love. Without them, football simply wouldn’t exist at community level.

However, many grassroots coaches haven’t had the same level of training, experience, or access to professional development that academy-standard coaches receive. That’s not criticism – it’s just the reality of the football system.

That’s why we’re stepping up. Footy4Kids are now offering FREE CPD (Continuing Professional Development) for grassroots coaches – sharing our expertise and helping dedicated volunteers improve their knowledge and confidence. Because when grassroots coaches get better, every child benefits.

Bridging the Gap

That’s where Footy4Kids makes a real difference. We bridge the gap between grassroots and academy football — providing children with the same level of technical detail, tactical understanding, and session quality they’d get at academy level (Elite session), while keeping every session fun, inclusive, and full of confidence-building moments.

At Footy4Kids, we:
Spend hours every week planning and reviewing sessions to ensure every drill has purpose.
Constantly researching how children learn and develop through football.
Follow the Premier League player pathway and English FA model to mirror the country’s top development systems.
Invest in our own development as coaches — because your children deserve the very best.

Our Message to Parents

If you truly want your child to improve – to become more confident, skilful, and intelligent on the ball – they need more than one hour of football a week.

That might mean more sessions with us, or extra training with their team, but it has to happen. Development doesn’t come from turning up once a week – it comes from consistency, repetition, and the right environment.

And that’s exactly what we provide at Footy4Kids.

We’re not just a coaching company. We’re a pathway for development, built on years of experience, knowledge, and a genuine love for helping children reach their best.

So if your child has dreams – big or small – we’re here to help make them happen. Not by chance. By commitment, quality, and care.

Playing in a team already? Great, we are here to work alongside the managers and grassroots teams to develop your child’s development further.

Footy4Kids – Building Better Players, Creating Brighter Futures