Maidenhead United & BCA launch new academy programme

Berkshire College of Agriculture is to become the new academy of Maidenhead United after they signed a 'long term' partnership with the Conference South club.

The partnership, signed on Friday, will see talented players between 16-18 combine high level football with the Magpies alongside full time study on a sports-related course at BCA, in Burchetts Green.

BCA sports students will represent the Maidenhead United FC Academy Team in the PLFL U19 Development League from the beginning of the 2015/16 season.

As part of the agreement, Maidenhead United players will be able to train at BCA's indoor sports centre and gym.

BCA commercial director Amanda Gee said she hoped the new partnership would enable students in the college’s horticultural and physiotherapy departments to gain work experience at the club.

"This is about putting education in partnership with a potential football career.

“It’s not forgetting that these young men at some point are going to have to have a base education to enable them to go off and study something else.

“The relationship is going to be education first and the club was 100 per cent supportive of that,” she said.

Maidenhead United chairman Peter Griffin added he had been keen to establish an academy programme for a number of years and he hoped the partnership could produce players capable of playing for the club’s first team.