In 2022, Manchester United launched its ‘Friends of the Academy’ initiative to support the local football community by sharing their resources and knowledge with coaches, schools, junior clubs and young players northwest of England.
At the time of the launch, the club said that the initiative, led by the Manchester United talent program, led by Jennifer Mildenhall, was to provide an opportunity for local clubs and schools to get directly involved with Manchester United and Learnn Things.
Nick Cox, head of the Manchester United Academy, said “The Friends of the Academy initiative is another aspect of our program that is specifically designed to support the local football ecosystem. Involve and interact with our community is essential for everything we do in the Academy, and therefore, we are enormously committed to our presence and activity in the region.
“We hope that many coaches, schools and clubs take advantage of this fantastic opportunity to direct learning and interact with our world leading youth development system.
Football trainers of any level can be registered To access development opportunities, including coaching clinics, guest speakers events and access to accredited FA Continuous professional development Hours.
Matt and Tony are involved in the training and handling of their children’s football and room teams, and both have attended sessions both in person, in United Cliff Training Ground or Carrington Training Complex, and online. They have found that all events are an invaluable resource, in addition to providing the opportunity to know and share ideas with other coaches.
If you are interested in getting involved and attending future events, you can Register here for friends of the Academy.
