Rossett School Announces Exciting Partnership with Harrogate Town AFC to Launch Football Academy

Rossett School is delighted to announce a new and exciting partnership with Harrogate Town AFC, which will see our school become the home of the newly established Harrogate Town Football Academy.

This collaboration will provide talented young footballers with the opportunity to receive top-quality coaching and a structured games programme, all while completing their academic studies at Rossett School. From the 2025/26 season, the Harrogate Town Football Academy players will train with professional coaching staff, play their home fixtures on our state-of-the-art 3G pitch, and compete in a competitive league.

As part of their education, players will study for a BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma in Sport at Rossett School. This qualification is equivalent to three A-Levels, allowing students to progress to university or explore further career opportunities in sport and beyond. Additionally, we are pleased to offer a flexible approach to academic studies, with options to study alternative courses on a case-by-case basis.

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This partnership aligns with Harrogate Town AFC’s new Youth Development Strategy, which aims to create a clear pathway for local talented players to progress towards professional football. Rossett School is proud to play a key role in supporting the Club’s ambition of nurturing the next generation of footballers, both on and off the pitch.

Tim Milburn, Headteacher of Rossett School, commented, “Rossett School is really proud to partner with Harrogate Town AFC. By working together, we now offer a pathway for young people to pursue their dreams of professional football while also gaining a valuable education. Our fantastic facilities, combined with the expertise of Harrogate Town’s coaching team, will provide students with the best possible environment to develop as players and individuals. We look forward to welcoming the first cohort of students and seeing their successes both in the classroom and on the pitch.”

Dave Riley, Operations Director at Harrogate Town AFC, added, “We have a great partnership with Rossett School, and we are excited to further strengthen it through this initiative. This new Football Academy will allow us to focus on developing local talent, ensuring a strong pathway from our Player Development Centre through to first-team football. The support from Tim Milburn and the school has been invaluable in making this a reality.”

Richard Jones, Academy Manager, commented, “Ensuring a transition from our APDC and external U16 footballers into an U18/U19 football programme has been a key priority. The Harrogate Town Football Academy will enable players to continue their studies while benefiting from a dedicated football development programme. Our partnership with Rossett School also provides the flexibility for students to study other subjects alongside the BTEC course, which is an exciting new development for us.”

Applications for the Harrogate Town Football Academy are now open. Prospective students can apply via the link below. The application process will include an educational review and football trials, which will be scheduled in the coming months.

Apply Now

For further information and updates, please visit the Harrogate Town website and follow their social media channels.

If you have any questions about the Harrogate Town Football Academy, please contact Dave Riley at Daveriley@harrogatetownafc.com

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