Gladiators announce academic partnership with Derby County Community Trust

Matlock Town FC are pleased to announce a new partnership with Derby County Community Trust ahead of the 2024/25 academic year.

The football club has been working with the Trust over the past 12 months to bring together its education programmes and the desire to build great opportunities for the young people of Matlock and the surrounding communities.

Up until now, post-16 education in the area has been limited due to the closure of Matlock College some time ago.

The programmes available will combine BTEC qualifications with professional football coaching and matches, study within the sixth form alongside playing and training for Derby County on the post 16 Football & Education Programme.

The Gladiators plan to offer both male and female provisions, with the first students arriving in September 2024.

Gladiators chairman Jay Beaumont said: "We have been working closely with the Derby County Community Trust over the past 12 months to bring together the expertise that they have in education programmes and our desire to build great opportunities for the young people of Matlock and the surrounding communities.

“It is over 35 years since Matlock College closed, meaning that the only option for post-16 education in the area is to stay on at school and this is something that we are very keen to correct. The programmes offered by DCCT combine BTEC qualifications with professional football coaching and matches which in turn will hopefully build a pipeline of players for our development teams as well as other roles within the club, whether that be journalism, physiotherapy or pitch management to highlight just a few areas.

“We plan to offer both male and female provisions with the first students arriving in September 2024.

“We are also delighted that we are able to work with our friends at Cavendish Fields Sports Association where, following their huge investment in the new 3G playing surface, they are preparing to host both the educational and footballing aspects of the course which in turn will allow them to further develop their own facilities. The work that Max and his team are doing up there is inspiring so it is great to be able to support that.

“This really is an opportunity to develop in so many areas, new opportunities for post-16 students, pipelines for Matlock Town FC and the opportunity for Cavendish Fields to not only become more sustainable but to develop and grow over the longer term.

Support from Cavendish Fields Sports Association with their new new 3G playing surface, allows them to host both the educational and footballing aspects of the course which in turn will allow them to further develop their own facilities.

If you want to find out more, then Thursday 2nd November is the date for your diaries. We'll be hosting a Football and Education open day at the Proctor Cars Stadium from 3pm.

To register your interest, click HERE.