By Matt Bishop
ON Tuesday, as the clock approached midnight and January turned to February, the transfer window slammed shut with millions of pounds spent and huge contracts penned for players from all over the world.
But, as fans sat glued to the news channels waiting to hear if their club had splashed the cash on a new star, Basingstoke Town's mantra could barely be more different.
Unlike at some clubs higher up the footballing Pyramid, the Dragons reward hard work and determination – both on and off the pitch.
Four years ago, Basingstoke teamed up with SCL, the education provider to give their young Academy members the opportunity to develop themselves and study alongside their fledgling football careers. They haven't looked back since.
With education programmes and community schemes aplenty, the Southern League Premier Division side are developing a style that will help them and their young stars continue to rise.
First-team manager Terry Brown told The NLP: “I have been watching under-21 games for the last six months, and several players I have seen will be looking for full-time contracts in the summer.
Workshops
“What we can offer them here is a unique opportunity to train full-time under first-class coaches, in a supportive disciplined environment that will help them grow both on and off the field.
“Some will progress quickly and be sold onto professional clubs, the later developers will form the spine of our team that will enable us to progress through the Pyramid, playing passing football and hopefully enjoying several exciting cup runs.”
But as well as the success Brown hopes to see on the pitch, he, along with SCL and Academy boss Jason Bristow, knows that the education and well-being of the Academy players off the pitch is of vital importance too.
Across the Academy, the club have 59 full-time players who are all on their way to completing their Level 1 coaching badges, with first-aid training and safeguarding children workshops.
Couple those qualifications with fitness instructing programmes, personal training qualifications that allow the boys to go on to Higher Education if they want, diplomas in sport and GCSEs in Maths and English, and it shows the club are clearly doing something right with their young players.
Bristow said: “All of the academy players are receiving coaching from A Licenced coaches and have an excellent programme in place which includes regular feedback and one-to-one meetings about development, video analysis of individual and team performances, self evaluations of matches, regular fitness testing and players' individual learning plans.”
This is not the Premier League where players are signed for millions and make millions; this is Non-League, where every detail counts if a club wants to be successful, and where players need to work as hard as they can to provide themselves with all they can to be successful.
SCL is clearly passionate about helping those young players, as shown at Basingstoke, and Head of Education at SCL, Lawrence Blair, told The NLP: “The education we provide is just as important as the football from our point of view.
Passionate
“Of course, Basingstoke want players to make it into their first team and beyond, but we offer them a chance to further themselves and provide themselves with further opportunities if football isn't their port of call.
“We joined forces with Basingstoke nearly four years ago now, after they saw the work we were doing with nearby Woking FC, and now our relationship is going from strength to strength.
“We work closely with Jason (Bristow), and we develop our programme with the club to suit all parties. We have recently introduced more apprenticeship opportunities and community schemes, and they give back to the local community with the Academy boys teaching PE in nearby schools.
“We have given Basingstoke a more flexible environment, and that can only help the boys – we can provide everything they need under one roof – learning and football.
“Sadly, some of these boys won't make it all the way to the top, but we offer them a chance to further themselves and provide themselves with further alternate opportunities.
“And finally, we can also help these 16-year-olds develop into young men – something just as important for their futures.”
