academy football

Season 3! BIGGER & BETTER -  The Academy Football Network. Hosted by Carlan Edgar

Emma May Walker joins the Network.

Emma is Southampton's Player Care Manager. Emma oversees Player Care across the entire club. Emma is widely thought of as one of the best in the business. Football often gets bad press about the care of its young people. We would be the first to say more work need to be done, however football has come a long way and with great practices being implemented in Clubs up and down the country. Great practices are nothing without caring people to implement these practices. Emma certainly typifies care.

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Intro Music - Woman by Krazytunez Beats

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The fifth instalment of the Academy Football Network Podcast features Fraser Franks. Fraser has shown the mentality needed to forge a career in professional football. Professional football is a rollercoaster, sometimes you are up, sometimes you are down - the key is how you handle the good and bad times. 

Fraser grew up on Surrey Lane Estate, Battersea, South London. The product of Chelsea academy from U9, Fraser remained at the club until 16 before being released. This was the start of Fraser working his way through the football league and non-league. 

Franks played 320 games in his career, including playing in a 5th round FA Cup tie against Pep Guardiola's Manchester City before retiring due to a heart condition. 

Fraser is now full of optimism and is ready to impact youth football through player care. Fraser is currently studying Directorship in Football and is a beacon of what can be achieved with the correct mindset.

This is the fourth instalment of the Academy Football Network Podcast. The aim of the podcast is to shed light on all the great work being done in Academy football. To share good practice to benefit all within the game. 

This month we are joined by Gifton Noel-Williams. Gifton made his debut for the Hornet's aged 16 and still remains the Club's youngest ever player to make his debut. Gifton grew up in Islington, North London. Gifton played for Watford scoring 43 goals (Finishing Watford's top goalscorer in the 1998-99 season). Gifton went on to play for; Stoke, Burnley, Brighton, Res Murcia, and Elche before playing in the States for Austin Aztex FC. 

Since then Gifton has transitioned to from playing football into coaching, becoming a coach educator for the PFA and is currently the Billericay Town Assistant Manager. 

Gifton shares his experience of Academy football both from a playing and coaching perspective - a truly interesting listen.  

Intro music by KP Beatz track entitled Made It