Pontefract Collieries FC are delighted to announce the appointment of Ian Burchnall as Football Development Manager.

Ian is an UEFA A Licence coach, who has previously worked at the Leeds United Academy for four years, and at the Bradford City Youth Centre of Excellence. Ian is also the Head Coach of the University of Leeds, and Manager for the Northern England Universities representative squad, as well as running a successful international football coaching business. He previously worked in the USA, where he was named as a “Coach of the Year”.

Burchnall said: “I am delighted to be joining Pontefract Collieries, and working with players, coaches and managers from the reception classes up to the first team. This is a long-term project which, with the right leadership, can create a centre of footballing excellence in the heart of Yorkshire.”

According to Colls Chairman, Guy Nottingham, the role of Football Development Manager is a central one in the achievement of the club’s aims and objectives. “Ian’s contribution will be central,” explained Nottingham “to the achievement of our club’s aims. All the off-field activities are geared towards supporting the development of football players, coaches and teams. Ian’s leadership, professionalism and experience will be key drivers towards our success.”

The club’s aims include providing the town with a Football League club for the first time in its history, and developing a “University of Football” for young players and coaches to benefit from the most forward-looking, professional support available. Principally, the new Football Development Manager will focus on working with all coaches, managers and players within the club to help everyone at the club achieve their potential. More specifically, these activities fall into three areas – Player Development, Coaching Development, and Team Development – and will include:

Player Development:

 1. To ensure that Pontefract Collieries players at all levels achieve the highest standards of performance, through exceptional coaching, management and support services

2. To develop the club as a “University of Football”, ensuring that players are given the best possible “holistic” development (fitness, technique, football intelligence, personal devt, winning mentality) through the implementation of best practice. To this end, the club is looking at the most progressive practices throughout the world, and not just the UK.

3. The ultimate aims in terms of Player Development are to recruit and coach players for the first team, and for promotion to professional football

Coaching Development:

1. To “coach the coaches”, and ensure that Ponte Colls coaches become the best in the business

2. To offer coaches opportunities to improve their own performance, knowledge and abilities

Team development:

1. To offer support and coordination to team managers, to ensure that there is consistency in selection, and the promotion of players through the team structure

2. To drive the club towards an exceptional, effective and integrated playing style, based on worldwide best practice

3. To ensure that the highest sporting values are achieved by the club and its players

The club are delighted to have appointed such a forward-thinking professional to lead these key activities.