Crawley Town stars oversee Academy training as they forge closer relationship with set up

Since appointing Director of Football Chris Galley, Crawley Town has taken steps to forge a closer relationship with the Foundation’s youth set-up in hopes that it’s pathway will prosper.

Galley talked of the importance of the link: “Community Foundations are really key to football clubs and having education as part of the course is fundamental for the boys to grow and become adults and find their own way in life; whether that is as a footballer for Crawley Town, or in any other capacity.

“Football is good for resilience. There are lots of ups and downs and you learn a lot by winning and losing games. Equally you learn a lot by working with players in the team and teamwork is essential for that, but also in any walk of life.”

Whilst football is on the door, the Academy’s BTEC education programme ensures that a player’s pathway is not limited to football and striker Telford talks about his own experience as a scholar at Blackpool.

“I was a scholar [at Blackpool] and out of my scholarship group of about twenty players I think only two or three went on to have a career in the game, so it is massively important,” he said. “With it being in sport [sports-related education] a lot of those lads are coaching now and they're coaching a good standard. It leaves you in good stead for your next step - whatever you want to do in life - even if best-case-scenario you end up playing football then amazing, but you'll need it at some point.”

Galley agreed: “The opportunities as a professional football are few and far between and so having education alongside it is important - I was unfortunate that my career was cut short by injury for any opportunity and that could happen any day, to anyone, at any time.”

Education Academy head coach Rob Semark and coach Adam Djellab took the session with Telford, Tsaroulla and Galley on the sidelines watching, The Foundation’s 2020-21 PFA Community Champion Award winner Nick Tsaroulla was impressed. He said: “The quality has been high, I think a few of them are challenging me from my spot at the minute I’ve got a few to be worried about! They’re good boys here that are working hard and we’ve got some good technical footballers. The future is bright in Crawley.”

The ‘A’ team’s game was postponed on Wednesday due to rail strike but the momentum from the Academy teams’ great starts will have been bolstered by the players first-team appearance. Telford and Tsaroulla talked about their experiences in the game and that can only serve to inspire the Foundation’s youth to follow their own pathways in, or out, of the game.

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