Ayr United Football Academy scoops top award

Feb 5 2010 by Mike WIlson, Ayrshire Post (main ed)

THE Ayr United Football Academy have once again received the top level award available to clubs participating in the SFA’S youth initiative development programme.

The £35,000 award sees the Academy receive the top award for the fifth consecutive season following an audit of its youth development programme.

The audit looked into all aspects of youth development, including coaching, facilities, scouting and administration. The award has been viewed as a rubber stamp from the game’s governing body for what the Academy is trying to achieve.

Welcoming the award, chairman Ian Welsh said it proved that the Academy was continuing to develop in the right direction.

He said: “The SFA audit is very thorough and this award proves that we are doing things properly at the Academy and are continuing to progress in the right direction.”

Mr Welsh also praised the work of the volunteers who have helped make the Academy the growing and successful organisation that it is.

He added: “It has to be said that what we as an organisation have achieved would not be successful if it were not for the work of all the volunteers who give up their spare time each week to work for the Academy.

“At the last count we have over 80 volunteers working for us in all aspects of the organisation from administration to coaching and this award is recognition of all the hard work that they have put in over the past year to ensure the Academy continues to develop.

“2009 has been another successful year for the Academy with four players signing professional contracts for Ayr United, with one of those, Aaron Connolly, having made his first team debut recently.

“That is why we exist, to give young players the best possible coaching to allow them to achieve their ambitions of playing professional football here at Ayr United.”

However, the chairman reminded everyone that the £35,000 award will only partially fund the Academy over the next year.

Welsh revealed: “Last year it cost over £75,000 to run our youth development programme at the Academy. That is money that we have to raise ourselves and that requires a lot of fundraising through organising events and sponsorship to make it all possible.

“The directors of the Academy are currently investigating the possibility of the Academy sides progressing to play at the SFA Performance Level but to achieve that will require approximately a 25 per cent increase in funding that we are raising at the moment.”