The whistle blew for the official kick-off of Halifax’s new Football Academy today (Thursday 24 November). Veteran First Division footballer Wayne Allison, who began his career with Halifax Town in the late eighties, opened the Calderdale College Football Academy in a ceremony at the Shay.

The Calderdale College Football Academy, a partnership between Halifax Town FC and Calderdale College, offers talented young players aged 16 – 18 from across Calderdale and neighbouring towns the opportunity to pursue a professional football career while gaining academic qualifications.

Halifax Town is one of the first non-league clubs to take this approach and the Academy has been established with experts Navigator Educational Services who have set up Football Academies with a number of Premier League Clubs.

The two-year full time Football Academy course began in September with a squad of 19 young players who form part of an under-19 team playing at a high level in the British Colleges Sport Football League. They will progress to non-league youth football as part of the Football Conference Youth League and are coached by FA qualified coach Des Hazel, former player for Sheffield Wednesday, Grimbsy, Chesterfield and Rotherham.

Every academy player will have the opportunity of selection for Halifax Town’s under-19s side, with the chance of graduating up to the first team. Students combine three
sessions per week of practical sport with full-time educational courses which can lead to
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careers in the football or fitness industries, sports development or coaching and leaves a route open into Higher Education. Students can apply for an Education Maintenance Allowance during the two-year period. A Calderdale College Football Academy for girls will be established in September 2006.

Geoff Ralph, chairman of Halifax Town said, “The Calderdale College Football Academy will develop local talent from all the areas and communities of Calderdale and help to keep young players focused. We’re also drawing in gifted players from Bradford and Huddersfield. This is a fantastic opportunity for young sportsmen to pursue their dream of playing professionally while keeping their feet firmly on the ground”.

Monica Box, principal of Calderdale College said “The Academy offers a full programme which is very demanding and requires real determination and commitment from students. It is to their credit that our first squad has taken this on board and it is a pleasure to see their enthusiasm and enjoyment in the programme. We are also delighted to report that in their first five matches they have scored 28 goals and only conceded five - a great way to begin!”

Chris O’Hare, 18, has travelled all the way from Melbourne to train with Halifax Town and the Calderdale College Football Academy. Chris, who is staying with an aunt in Sowerby Bridge, is following in the footsteps of his father Eamon O’Hare who played for Halifax Town in the seventies. “I’ve always wanted to be a footballer and knew that by coming here I would be playing with a good team”, he said. “I’ve always planned to move to Halifax since coming here on holiday when I was 15 and training with the Halifax Youth Team. I think the Football Academy is a great idea. It means that if football doesn’t work out I can go into coaching or sports development. It’s something good to fall back on if all else fails and the coaching is spot on.”