COVID-19 has had an impact on activities across the football club. However, our academy is still up and running and doing everything it can to give FGR’s youth players the best possible opportunity to progress their football careers.

Squad goals

Our U18 squad are all full-time players and as such their season has been allowed to continue, which means they are training and playing while adhering to COVID protocols.

Competing in the Youth Alliance South West league, FGR’s U18s are fourth in the table with 29 points from 18 matches and are the joint top scorers alongside AFC Bournemouth with 53 goals. There are two matches left in this competition, and in March we will begin a schedule of seven further matches to see out the rest of the season.

Hannah Dingley, Head of the FGR Academy said: “The U18 games are always entertaining and there are always lots of goals.

One of the most pleasing things this season is to see two U16 players, Fin Bell and Jack Carter, regularly feature with the U18s and there are a number of promising young prospects coming through the system.

Normally at this stage of the season, we’d enter a merit league with four other clubs from the South West and form a league with the five top clubs in the South East, but due to the national lockdown league organisers have decided against travel between regions.

On the pitch

Matches are played at Cirencester Town FC, where strict protocols are in place. Just as with the senior squad, both teams are allocated two dressing rooms allowing players to socially distance when preparing for matches. Players can only access the ground 15 minutes before kick-off, must wear face coverings until they go out onto the pitch, and both teams go out onto the pitch at different locations.

Off the pitch

The U18 squad are on two-year football apprenticeships and education is a big part of that. They are studying for BTEC Level 3 qualifications with South Gloucestershire and Stroud College, which is currently closed, so the boys do their studying at the club in the Carol Embrey suite. The eight first years and eight second years come in and sit the appropriate distance apart, working remotely with their teachers via Microsoft Teams.

Their life skills programme is delivered by Football League Education, with Zoom sessions focusing on everything from career planning and mental health through to addiction.

The U18s do gym sessions in small groups in the morning, go home to recover, then return for their football training sessions in the evening. Although players are tested twice a week, they still adhere to COVID-19 protocols. The gym is well ventilated, and the players clean down the equipment after use. Everyone comes dressed for training and showers at home, washing their own kit.

U16s and younger

The U16 squad are allowed to continue training, however matches have been suspended. They are working towards scholarships and football apprenticeships, so they are allowed to train with the U18s and play in U18 matches so they have the chance to earn a scholarship for next season.

Unfortunately, the EFL has paused all U9-15 activity. Because the boys can’t attend school, it’s felt that they shouldn’t be coming to the academy either. However, with the vaccines there is light at the end of the tunnel, and when things are safe we will be getting everything back on track for our players.