Oxford United’s charity to deliver club’s Advanced Football Programme

Oxford United in the Community has become the delivery partner for the club’s Advanced Football Programme.

The charity has teamed up with Abingdon and Witney College to provide the training and matchday operations arm of the full-time programme.

The Advanced Football Programme, which was launched in 2023, combines twice-weekly training sessions at United’s Horspath Road training ground with competitive matches in the National Youth League.

The programme involves training sessions twice a week (Image: Fortitude Communications) The programme also includes studies towards a sports industry recognised qualification.

It is open to male and female students aged 16 to 19 and aims to develop professional skills, knowledge, and behaviours essential to football and the real world.

The charity’s UEFA accredited coaches, Rob Porter, Matt Harding, Rama Said, and Alex Blane, will lead the coaching and mentoring.

Chris Lowes, chief operating officer at Oxford United in the Community, said: “Football has a tremendous power to bring the very best out of people.

“The club’s Advanced Football Programme is a perfect example of how we can combine regular training and matches with full-time education to help students aspire to a bright future and career.

“It’s a great opportunity for students who wish to reach their full potential on the pitch while securing a qualification which can set them up for future employment in the sports industry.”

The programme is for students aged 16-19 who want to pursue a career in sport (Image: Fortitude Communications) To celebrate the new partnership with Abingdon and Witney College, students on the programme were invited to United’s recent 3-2 win over Luton Town in the Championship.

A pre-match presentation showcased the charity’s wider work and how it uses football to inspire and engage people of all ages across the county.

The education arm of the programme is led by course leader Liam Hare, a previous graduate who used his qualification to achieve a degree in sports coaching and physical education at Oxford Brookes University.

Mr Hare said: “I’ve experienced first-hand how this programme can help to shape the careers of those who enrol.

“It’s a great stepping stone to learning more about the sports industry and what opportunities are available beyond the roles we might be more familiar with as football enthusiasts.

“Equally, it provides an opportunity for students to immerse themselves in the professional environment of the training ground.

“We’re really pleased to formalise this new agreement with Oxford United in the Community and look forward to taking our delivery to the next level.”

Those interested in enrolling onto the 2025-26 programme are invited to attend a trials day on Wednesday, February 19, at Oxford United’s training ground between midday and 3pm.