Courtney Richards, a student from Stratford-upon-Avon College, has signed a two-year full-time scholarship with Coventry City Football Club.

Courtney, 16, lives in Birmingham and enrolled on Stratford-upon-Avon College’s Football Academy this summer. The course started in August with pre-season training at Stratford Town’s Football Club, Stratford-upon-Avon. During the pre-season training, Mark Fogarty who runs the Football Academy, noticed that Courtney had great potential and took him along to Coventry City FC to train with the club’s full-time apprentices. Courtney spent one day there and was asked to play the next day for the club against Everton in an under 18s match. After only two weeks Courtney was offered a two year contract.

Mark Fogarty commented, “This goes to show that it is never too late for a talented individual, given the right contacts and environment, to go on and succeed at the highest level possible.

“Courtney is an incentive to all our other students at the Football Academy that they too can go on and maximise their potential. This fantastic opportunity for Courtney was only made possible by the close link between the Football Academy and Coventry City FC.”  

The Football Academy at Stratford-upon-Avon College caters for talented players who wish to continue their football as well as their academic education whilst training in an environment as if they were at a professional club. The Academy has 18 students this year.

Photo opportunity: Mondays, 9.45am at The Alan Higg Sports Centre, Allard Way, Pinlay, Coventry, CV3 1HW.  Please contact marketing@stratford.ac.uk| for more information or to arrange a photo opportunity.