Viva Brighton Issue #74 April 2019

FEATURE
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Lewes FC Academy
The future is bright…
“This Academy is absolutely
the real deal,” says
Charlie Dobres, Lewes
FC Director, sitting on
the grassy bank by the side
of the Dripping Pan pitch,
in the early spring sun.
There’s some big news,
which he’s clearly excited
about: Lewes FC have
teamed up with Plumpton
College in order to
expand their ‘Academy’ set
up, offering courses starting in September. I’m
here to find out more.
“We are offering young men and women, who
want to become professional footballers, the
chance to study for two years for their ‘A’ Levels
and BTEC,” he says, “whilst simultaneously receiving
intensive and high-level football coaching
from our team of experienced coaches.”
Seasoned Lewes FC-watchers might be
thinking ‘hang on, wasn’t there an academy
before? Didn’t it all get folded up?’ “Yes and
no,” says Charlie. “We had a boys’ academy,
where we used virtual educational providers to
teach the lads, here at the Dripping Pan, while
we provided the football training. This was
successful, with the likes of Ronnie Conlon and
Harry Reed making it to the first team. But for
financial reasons, we realised that wasn’t the
best model for the students or for us, so we had
to have a rethink.
“More recently we have been running an
academy for young women, which has been far
more successful, because we teamed up with
an academic establishment, Newman College.
Basically, they provide the education, and pay
us to do the football training. It’s a much more
sustainable model.” So
far Ava Rowbotham has
made it all the way to the
first-team squad; there
are sure to be others
behind her.
The link-up with
Newman will continue
for young women; the
courses at Plumpton
College will be on offer
for a new intake of both
sexes, though the Boys’
Academy won’t open its doors till 2020. Charlie
is negotiating with another local educational
establishment, so boys can also have a choice of
environments to study in.
“All the football training will take place at The
Rookery 3G training pitch on Ham Lane,” he
continues. “The girls will be given three training
sessions a week – like the first team players
– and a match. The coaches are of exceptionally
high quality. There’s Fran Alonso, the Lewes
FC Women’s manager, who used to coach the
likes of Wayne Rooney at Everton; there’s Simon
Parker, who used to be the manager of the
hugely successful Southampton Women’s team;
and there’s Jesus Cordon, another UEFA-qualified
coach.”
Lewes FC are not just in it for the sake of the
kids, of course. The best of these youngsters,
Charlie concludes, will graduate to play in the
first XI of both the men’s and women’s teams.
“We are doing what we can to nurture budding
talent, for the good of the players, and the good
of the club. This is the dawning of an exciting
new era.” Alex Leith
For more details, including of trials in April, see
lewesfc.com
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