EDINBURGH UNITED F.C.CLUB DEVELOPMENTPLAN 2012-2016

EDINBURGH UNITED F.C.CLUB DEVELOPMENTPLAN 2012-2016

ContentsIntroduction

Purpose of the PlanAssessment of Current Situation

The FutureThe Action Plan

Introduction

Edinburgh United FC is a Scottish Junior football club. It was formed in 2006 when Pentland Panthers Youth and Edinburgh United merged in 2006. The Junior team have been formed since 1985 and were one of the major forces in the Scottish Juniors Football Association (SJFA).The SJFA is a national association of the SFA. The term “Junior” refers to the level of football played, not the age. The closest equivalent to junior football would be Non-League football in England

such as the Conference, thus meaning the teams are all of semi-pro level. There are 164 members of the SJFA and they are split into 3 regions, North West and East, Each region contains severaldivisions, the East and West regions also being split into further geographical sections in the lower divisions. Edinburgh Utd presently compete in the East Region South Division, the third tier of the Junior football. This is poor compared to the heights of the team in the peak competing in the top division. Edinburgh Utd play their home games at Paties Road Recreation Ground in the Colinton area of the city. This ground holds 2,500 spectators, 200 of whom can be seated in the fairly well developed stand, this stadium is a council lease however it is exclusive to the club. Edinburgh United play in black and white strips and usually attract a small home following between 50 and 100 spectators. The U19 Youth Squad won the Scottish Cup in 2010 after beating many of the favourites on the way, including previous holders Leith Athletic,Celtic BC & St Mirren FC. However the adult squad have been highly unsuccessful in both league and cup competitions. The Club are under new management with effect from June 2012, thanks go to retiring Secretary of 27 years service, Brian Smith and retiring President, Alan Forrest. Brian Hart, Chairman and Brian Williamson, Administrator also left the Club. The club currently has 8 teams from youth level up to adult level with 138 players signed on to the club. The club also hold Scottish Quality Mark award at development level. Edinburgh Utd’s vision is:

To Provide Opportunities for talented young players in the Edinburgh area.

In reality this means developing youngsters and being able to bleed them into the Junior squad as soon as possible to develop a winning club playing at high a level as possible by having a high quality of coaching and good facilities for the players.

Purpose Of The Plan

The overall aim is to initially propose and present Edinburgh Utd’s first ever development plan.It will be used to help it achieve its aim of retaining youth players and developing them into first team players and generally increasing the competiveness of the club.

The plan is in line with the SFA’s regional development initiative, this document will be used as it is practical enough for the club to use in its future work. The plan will be reviewed and edited annually if needed. Progress of the plan will be reviewed at the committee’s monthly meeting this is where minor alterations may be made with approval from the clubs Sport Development Officer and the SFA’s regiona ldevelopment officer if further advice is needed.

The developing of this plan as a guide for the direction of the club is important to ensure we have a clear vision of what we hope to achieve over a 4 year period.

The club’s vision has 4 main aims:

1. To develop a high quality competitive football club by focusing on bringing on youth and developing them into first team players.

2. To increase the awareness of Edinburgh Utd in the local community.3. To recruit, train and develop coaches and also to further recruit other club officials.4. To develop football and community facilities to permit the other parts of the vision to

take place.

Assessment Of Current Situation

Participation and Members

At the present moment in time Edinburgh Utd currently has a total of 8 teams from youth level up to Adults. Across the 8 teams the club has a total of 138 players signed on, With 3 of the players currently on professional contracts. Also of the 20 adults signed on to the club only 5 have come from Edinburgh Utd’s youth. The club is one of only 2 Junior clubs in Edinburgh, with Edinburgh being the second largest city in Scotland numbers shouldbe much higher within the club. The club has only just joined social networking and only rarely updates these. The club currently recruits most of its first team players from otherclubs, these tend to be older players at the end of their career.

Coaching Development

Currently there are a total of 6 active coaches working within the club with 2 head coaches. The club prides itself on bringing in highly experienced ex-pro coaches. Only 4 ofthe current coaches are above the SFA level 2. The club actively tries to encourage it’s coaches to attend courses to develop their knowledge and experience. At the start of each season each coach is formally welcomed to all the players and players are told of the coaches experience and details. The club currently holds the SFA Development Quality Mark

Award, due to its work within football development.

Community Awareness

Edinburgh Utd is a well-known name but not with the same standing as previous years when the Juniors were a force in Junior football in respect of playing ability. The club currently has many Sponsorship links with local businesses which not only greatly helps finances but gives the club a good name around the community as it is playing a role in supporting local business. The development of website and new Twitter account creation and use of team Facebook ensure the Edinburgh Utd name is being spread online.

Facilities

Edinburgh Utd currently have an exclusive lease from the council for Paties Road Stadium, the ground has a capacity of 2500 and has changing facilities and a clubhouse. The club currently has a pitch maintenance contract in progress and also have an application for storage container to be installed. As it stands it is mostly internally self-funded improvements such as painting is being undertaken.

Performance

Edinburgh Utd currently play in the 3rd tier of Junior football. In the last 5 seasons the Juniors have not achieved any decent standings within the league or cups which is seen as amassive disappointed as the club used to be one of the major forces in Junior football. However the youth teams have been very successful with the U19’s winning the national Scottish Cup. Within the last few seasons the club has been producing very talented youngsters that have moved on for sizeable fee’s to Scottish Football League clubs and Scottish Premier League Clubs.

The Future and where the club wants to be

Participation and members

The main aim for Edinburgh Utd’s future is to be able to hold on to the clubs talented youngsters and develop them throughout the youth teams and bleed them into the first team. It also wants to increase the numbers of teams to over 14 by the end of the 4th year. It also aims to have at least 1 girls team to help achieve the Community Quality Mark Award. The club is also hoping to develop links with the 2 professional teams in Edinburgh, Hibernian FC and Heart of Midlothian. This would enable for the club to get talented youngsters on loan and be able to have first pick on youth players that are not getting contracts with the clubs. The club currently has a committee however it intends to make further roles available within the club such as HMRC Administrator, New Manager, Technical Coach, Fund Raiser, Facilities Co-ordinator, general appointments where possible.

Coaching Development

The club is wanting to have a coach of minimum SFA level 2 for every single one of its teams. This will ensure the quality of coaching is second to none within the club and will incredibly increase the development of youth. The club is also aiming to have at least 1 fully qualified goalkeeping coach to further aid all the keepers within the club.

Community Awareness

The clubs website needs to be updated regularly as it has little information on it. There is also a lot of dated information on the website which makes the club look unprofessional

and could put off any potential player wanting to join the club. The club needs to produce flyers and posters and make them available in the busy city centre. The club should also fully utilise social networking and keep producing club updates on these regularly to keep the community interested.

Facilities

The club are currently seeking further funding to be sought to help improve facilities. In the long term the club want to completely buy out the facilities from the council and make them their own. This would give the club its own sense of identity. This would come with better performances in the team as players could be sold to fund the buying of the facilities. Also with the club wanting to expand its number of teams the club will invest on new equipment.

Performance

The club would to achieve a mid-table finish in the first year while developing the youngsters in the first team, with the team aiming for promotion and becoming a hard team to face in the cup in the second year. Also with the increased development of youth the

club would have more young assets to sell to improve the team and facilities. The club understands that it has to be a selling club to improve in the long, long term.

Current Season 2012-13

Year 1 Year2

Year 3

No. of teams

8 13 14 18

Adult Men

AdultWome

Boys Girls

Adult Men

AdultWome

Boys Girls

Adult Men

AdultWome

Boys

Girls

Adult Men

AdultWomen

Boys Girls

Age Groups

Junior

U8U9U11U13U14U16U19U19 (jnr)

JuniorsAMT

DVPU9U10U12U14U15U16U17U19U19 (jnr)U21

Firsts AMT

DVPU7U10U11U13U15U16U17U19U19(jnr)U21

U14 Firsts AMT

1 team

DVPU7U8U11U12U13U14U15U16U17U19U19 (jnr)U21

U14U11

Participation Development TableTHE ACTION PLANDevelop a high quality competitive football club by focusing on bringing on youth and developing them into first team players.

Objective Targets Method/Tactic

Timescale

Responsibility

Outcomes Cost

1.To ensure an appropriate

To encourage lifelong participation in

Retain all current players.

Annually Committee Attempt to plug any gaps in pathway .EnsureU21 squad have

£0

player pathway to all players connected to the club.

the game at Edinburgh Utd by offering a pathwayfromChildren’s to Youth to Adult football

opportunity to progressto adult football with the Amateur or Junior team.

To offer players attached to the Club adequate training and playing facilities.

Liaison withlocal pitch providers and Local Authority.

Annually Committee Good facilities to encourage young footballers to join/stay at the club.

Facility Hire

To ensure players participate in a minimum of one coaching session per week.

At least 1 training session a week.Keep a club register

Annually Head coach, Committee

Good structure for the youth and adequate coaching time to develop players.

£0

To ensure the welfare of all players at all times.

Keep up to date on CRB etc.

Annually Club Welfare Officer

Players feel safe and comfortable at the club

£0

To work towards the community level quality markaward.

Check Criteria

Year 3 Committee Increases the status ofthe club within the community

£1000

To introduce mini-soccer developmentteam for U6’s

Contact local schoolsRecruit coach

Year1 Committee New development team launched each season. Always a constant pathway of teams.

Cost of coach

To develop a girls’ youth team in at least one age group.

Recruit ManagerAdvertise

Year 2 Head coach, Committee

Club status in community increases. Step toward Quality Mark Award, Community Level

£350 plus cost of kit

Increase the awareness of Edinburgh Utd in the local community

Objective Targets Method/Tactic

Timescale

Responsibility

Outcomes Cost

1. That an appropriate publicity,marketing andfundraising campaign is in place to ensure Edinburgh Utdachieves maximum exposure and support

Liaise with local press to promote and report on clubactivities.

Regular dialogue with newspaper.

annually Committee Regular content within local presssports pages.

£0

Link with local schools to promoteClub activities and recruit new players / volunteers.

Coaches/ Volunteers have a strong relationshipwith all schools in community

Annually Head Coach, Development Officer

High awareness of the club to youngsters and parents in the local community

TravelcostsFlyer cost

Organise at least Liaise with End of Secretary £1,000 +. Complete £0

within the local community.

1 major fundraising event per year.

local business.

each year.

independent audit of Club accounts.

To achieve community recognition & additional fundingthrough attaining Community Amateur Sports Club status.

Check criteriaSubmit necessary forms to HMRC

Year 1 Chairman Additional funding £0

Develop further the club’s websiteas a community information resource for football, fitness and social and other activities associated with the club

Create website separate from community website.Consult clubmembers on current website content.Offer space on website to advertiseactivities within and

End of Current Season

Committee Increases the status ofthe club within the online community

£130

outside the club.

Promote the wearing of club clothing.

Tracksuit for all Adult players.Widen range of club clothing available for purchase

Year1 Committee Engender community spirit and a sense of belonging around the football club.

£900

Recruit, train and develop coaches and also to further recruit other club officials.

Objective Targets Method/Tactic

Timescale

Responsibility

Outcomes Cost

1. To monitor and developall coaches / volunteers connected with Edinburgh Utd FC.

To create a database of all coachingstaff connected with the Club containing detailsof coaching qualifications, firstaid qualificationsand disclosure Scotland number

Email to allcoaches.

annually Head coach.

All players, supporters, parents, committee members can be kept up to date withcoaches development.

£0

To ensure all coaches are disclosure Scotland checked

Coaches needto:Ensure CRB checked.

Beginning of every year.

Club welfare officer

Good facilities to encourage young footballers to join/stay at the club.

£500

and adhere to the Club Child Protection Policy.

Obtain validfirst aid certificate.

To encourage all lead coaches to achieve Level 3 ofSFA Coach Development Programme.

Coaches paidfor by club to achieve level.

Annually Head coach, Committee

High coaching quality throughout the club to aid development.

L2 - £45L3 - £45

To ensure a coach representing the Club attends SFA level 4 Children/Youth license course.

At least onecoach attends SFA Children / Youth license coursePaid for by club.

Year 1 Head coach.

Enables top quality coaching for the younger teams.

£180

Identify future potential coaches at all levels.

Team Managers recruit assistants from playerswithin club.

annually Head coach Allows the club to develop future coaches while also developing players.

£0

To ensure a coach representing the Club attends SFA

At least onecoach attends SFA

Year1 Head coach Ensures speciality coaching for the goalkeepers at the

£30 per course

Goalkeeping Certificate

gk certificate.Paid by club.

club.

Designate a committee member as Volunteer Co- ordinator

Modify club constitution

Year 1 Committee,Chairman

Designated person to work with volunteers.

£0

Identify and recruit volunteer administrators to run the various teams within the club

3 volunteersto ensure smooth running.

Year 1 Volunteer Co-ordinated

Less workload for committee.

£0

Develop football and community facilities to permit the other parts of the vision to take place.

Objective Targets Method/Tactic

Timescale

Responsibility

Outcomes Cost

1. To maintain / improveEdinburgh Utdaccess to facilities within the local community.

Relay existing pitch

Contact contractors,get quotes.

Year 3 Committee Better playing surface to attract better players to the club.

£55000

Buy a large storage container

Contact businesses, get quotes.Seek planning permission.

Year 1 Committee Adequate storage for clubs equipment

£10000

General touch up work to building

Painting, Decorating etc.

Annually Committee,Volunteers

Good impression for thelocal community.

£500

Re-establish the public display of club photographs and memorabilia.

Display photos/ memorabilia/Club logo’s

annually Committee Good exposure for the club and its history.

£50

in suitable public placeand round ground.

References

Edinburgh United, 2011. About Us. [online] Available at: < http://www.clubwebsite.co.uk/edinburghutd/AboutUs > [Accessed 13 December 2012 ].

SFA, 2012. SFA Youth Action Plan. [online] Available at: < http://www.sporttayside-fife.co.uk/media/pdfs/EastRegionPlanWeb%20250107.pdf> [Accessed 12 December 2012]