London South East Colleges unveils partnership with Bromley Football Club Academy

London South East Colleges is celebrating its latest signing this week as it joins forces with Bromley FC Football Academy (BFCA) to help launch the careers of local sporting talent.

Bromley Football Club Academy kicked-off in September 2019 and welcomed over 60 new students hoping to make it to the big-time as footballers, coaches, trainers and in other careers within the industry. The collaboration between club and college will widen its provision of a BTEC Level 2 Sports qualification along with the core subjects of maths, English and IT skills.

Club Chairman Robin Stanton-Gleaves is an alumni of the College and a keen advocate of education and training being made widely available throughout the local community. A successful entrepreneur and committed Bromley FC fan, Robin has huge ambitions to take the club forward and invest heavily in its future. This includes its future players, coaches and other backroom staff. 

Robin said: “The academy will help us create a sustainable commitment to nurturing new talent. I’m honoured to be joining forces with the College; together we have big ambitions to build a winning team.”

Mark Hammond is Bromley FC’s Assistant Manager and heads the football academy. Eager to provide a springboard for talented young players to join their squads and develop their careers, he is delighted with the quality of his first cohort. Having enjoyed a playing career of sixteen glorious years, he went on to gain a first-class honours degree in physical education and sports science and is a professional UEFA A License coach.

Mark said: “The new programme has been massively oversubscribed in just its first couple of months and we are on-course to exceed all the expectations we had prior to its launch. I want others to experience what I have had and go on to bigger and better things. Football is the beautiful game and there are lots of beautiful opportunities to be taken.”

College Principal and CEO, Dr Sam Parrett OBE attended the official launch along with Bromley FC’s Chair Robin Stanton-Gleaves, Club Manager Neil Smith, Directors Jon Plassard and Jerry Dolke, Academy Director Mark Hammond and the College’s Group Director of Business Development Neil Coats. 

Sam said: “We are delighted to have forged yet another great partnership that will give many young people the chance to show what they can do and provide them with lots of insight and opportunity to career ahead, not only as footballers, but in many other crucial roles within the sports and leisure industries throughout the UK.

“It has been a pleasure to meet with all the club’s officials this week and discuss the way ahead. Our motivation for entering into this partnership has been inspired by our Group strategy committing us to very positive and high-impact initiatives that improve the lives of people in our communities, as well as supporting its economy.”

If you are keen to build a successful career in the sports industry, London South East Colleges has a great range of courses and programmes to get you started.