We are delighted to announce development of our Glentoran pathway for elite players in NI through the Glentoran Elite Scholarship Programme at Ashfield Boys' High School in Belfast.
Ashfield Boys’ has a long association with the club dating right back to the 1960s / 70s when past Ashfield pupils such as Ron McCreery, Barney Bowers, Alan Paterson and Alan Harrison all played for the club. McCreery, Harrison and Paterson went on to become part of the invincible unbeaten league championship winning team of 1980/81. Later in the 1980s and 1990s players such as Tommy Leeman, Raymond Morrison, Gary Hillis and Mark Lennox donned both the Ashfield and Glentoran jerseys with distinction. Other multi trophy winning Glens players such as Justin McBride, Darren Armour, Jay Magee and the more recent, high achieving trio of Paul Leeman, Andy Kirk and Stuart Elliott. The school has an honours record dedicated solely to an all-time Ashfield / Glentoran legends eleven.
The club and school are developing a full-time football academy for players between the ages of 16-18. These young players will have the opportunity to not just study for Level 3 BTEC Extended Diploma in Sport (equivalent of 3 ‘A’ Levels) but will also have a schedule for full time training, coaching, strength and conditioning.
Mick McDermott & Paul Millar said of the latest Ashfield developments:
"Weare thrilled to announce that Glentoran’s Elite Football Scholarship Programme, for 16-19 year olds at Harland & Wolff Welders Blanchflower Park, is growing from strength to strength with over 45 full time Elite Football Scholars currently enrolled on the two-year programme.
Since Ali Pour took over at Glentoran we have set about trying to re-establish the club’s strong connections with the local community. We are all in agreement that it is extremely important for us to not just be a club based in the community but, more notably, a club that is determined to work with, and for, the local community.
With this in mind, our full-time Elite Scholarship Programme is one example of how we want to achieve this. The Programme is designed to not just help young footballers to develop and improve as players, but also to provide them with an ‘A’ Level equivalent pathway to Further / Higher Education and the world of work.
Please read through our brochure and if you require any further information, or an application form, then do not hesitate to contact us via jmccolgan320@c2kni.net
We look forward to meeting the new Academy players and working with them over the coming two years. In the meantime, keep working hard, stay safe and good luck."
Interested students and parents can access the brochure for the Glentoran Elite Football Scholarship Programme HERE
