At Gloucester City our aim is to provide opportunities for the most talented local players to develop their football potential. Under the expert guidance of our team of qualified coaches, our lads are given the opportunity to play against some of the best players in their age group in the Midlands. This combination of competitive league and cup football, combined with expert coaching will, we believe, give our young players an excellent foundation on which to build their football careers, with some we hope stepping up to play for our First Team in the British Gas Business Southern Football Premier League.
We hope that in addition to developing their existing football skills, in their time with us our players will learn other skills which will of use to them in later life; self discipline, team work, dealing with pressure and self confidence to name but a few.
Above all, we also want the players and their parents to have fun!
Making the step up to the First Team
Over the years many players have taken the step up from our youth sides to star for the first team. This season alone 3 players have signed Southern League forms. Sam Ellis, Matt Sysum and Dan Wixey. Other ex youth team players who have gone onto play for our First Team include Jamie Reid, Tom Webb, Lee Smith, Jody Bevan, Lyndon Tomkins, Chris Thompson, Neil Griffiths, Steve Jenkins and many more. In 2007 / 08 three players made this move; Sam Ellis, Matt Sysum and Dan Wixey.
As our teams play a very high standard of junior football, matches are often watched by Scouts from other sides. In the last 12 months, City players have attracted interest from clubs such as Birmingham City, West Bromwich Albion and, more locally, Bristol City and Swindon Town. Indeed, we were very proud when Niall Wellington, who also played for Abbeymead Rovers, was offered a contract to join West Bromwich Albion at the start of the 2007 / 08 season and Matt Rees joined Swindon Town.
Gloucester City run boys squads from Under 12 to Under 18 level (though we do not run an Under 17 side). The Under 12 to Under 16 squads play in the Midland Junior Premier League, which is fast developing a reputation in the football world as being one of the most competitive junior leagues in the area. Playing standards in the league are high and improving year after year. The Under 18 squad play in the Midland Floodlit League which is also highly competitive. Our lads also play in the e-on FA Youth Cup and the Gloucester Football Association Youth Shield, the top Under 18 competition in the County.
Home matches are played at The Spa, in the heart of the City, for our younger age groups and at Hartpury College from Under 15’s upwards. The facilities and playing surfaces at both of these venues are excellent – our Hartpury players sharing the same dressing room complex at the international starts of Gloucester Rugby Club and this season played one match alongside Leeds United! This season, due to the loss of Meadow Park in the floods, we played our FA Youth Cup home matches at the home of Slimbridge who can boast not only good changing room facilities but a fine playing surface.
Our sides train at least once a week. During the winter months this takes place under the lights at Plock Court, St Peters School and most recently at the fantastic new rubber crumb facility recently opened by Abbeymead Rovers.
Our Coaches
Our coaches include some of the top names in local junior football who are fully committed to sharing their expertise, skills and experience with our young players. Our team managers are Shayne Bradley, Keith Hardcastle, Darren Manley, Kevin Willetts, Fred Gittings, Kenny Blackburn and Tim Hall. They in turn are supported by a team of Coaches. All are fully qualified and have completed FA enhanced CRB checks.