Richmond upon Thames College

Athletics

Basketball

Football

	Training

	Fixtures

	Results

	Stats

	Player Profiles

	Photographs

Netball

Rugby

Volleyball

Academies Newsletters

Richmond College Football Development Centre

The Football Development Centre is the most popular in terms of applications to the academies at Richmond College. The college provides former professional academy players, aspiring young athletes and those who show outstanding potential a fresh chance to achieve a career in the professional world of sport. The team competes in the National Colleges Football Development Centre Leagues, in the South East Division. The academies league requires players to be coached three times per week by UEFA 'B' qualified coaches and compete once a week in addition to studying a full-time academic course.

The Richmond Squad is currently coached by UEFA Pro license coach, Mario Marinica, previously of the Romanian 16 - 21 development staff, Arsenal, Crystal Palace and Leyton Orient. Amongst the colleges achievements is the development of Nathan Ellington (West Bromwich Albion) and Giles Coke (Mansfield Town). The college is proud of the strong links that have been developed and maintained with a range of local professional and semi proffessional clubs in the area, allowing players to continue their progression in sport.

2008/ 2009 Season

The 2008/ 2009 season has started very positively for the Football Development Centre with a strong work ethic developing throughout the squad. The competition to impress the coaching staff has been intense throughout the pre season period and the team spirit that has emerged is as strong as ever. After a string of promising results during the pre-season period, Richmond began there ECFA league campaign with an 8 - 1 away victory against Eltham Green College at The David Beckham Academy. The positive attitude, teamwork and togetherness within this season’s squad has been very impressive so far, however there is still a lot of football to be played and work to be done.

The signs for a positive future are already starting to show as 12 players who played a high number of games for the current squad will form the foundations of next season’s team. The prospect of a winning future is reinforced by the players that have joined the squad, individually scouted and selected by the members of the coaching staff.