Young Player Development PROGRAMme
Start their football journey at the Manchester City Football School.
Any 5–14 year-old.
All abilities.
One world-class facility.
Boys and girls can now train, develop and have fun where elite footballers are made, at the City Football Academy, while experiencing the Manchester City training and playing philosophy.
Fun, skills, and dreams start here.
PROGRAMme HIGHLIGHTS
- Year round programme split in 3 courses: Autumn, Winter and Spring.
- Course 1, Autumn, starts on the 18th of September 2023 and runs for 12 weeks, with 2 training sessions a week.
- All sessions delivered by established Manchester City Coaches, following the same philosophy used to develop City’s own players, delivered in a fun, positive and safe learning environment.
- All skill levels are catered for in this exciting programme for 5-14 year olds.
Programme CONTENT
Courses have been designed to support the development of all players and will focus on:
- Learning the fundamentals of attacking play and defending.
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Developing confidence and creativity in 1v1 situations.
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Through a series of mini-games (3v3s, 4v4s…) improving understanding of the roles of players and the principles of formations and positions, preparing for 11v11 in future years.
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Have fun, learning how to make good decisions in realistic game situations, and what it means to work as a team and support each other.
2023/24 COurse Schedule
Course 1, Autumn, will run from 18th September (12 weeks of delivery).
The weekly training times vary per age group and are:
| Age Group | Date of Birth | Session 1 - Skills | Session 2 - Games |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 7 | 01/09/16 - 31/08/18 | Monday: 5.30pm-6.45pm |
Saturday: 9.00am-10.15am |
| Under 9 | 01/09/14 - 31/08/16 | Wednesday: 5.30pm-6.45pm |
Saturday: 11.00am-12.15pm |
| Under 11 | 01/09/12 - 31/08/14 | Tuesday: 5.30pm-6.45pm |
Friday: 5.00pm-6.15pm |
| Under 13 | 01/09/10 - 31/08/12 | Thursday: 5.15pm-6.30pm |
Friday: 7.00pm-8.15pm |
| Under 15 | 01/09/08 - 31/08/10 | Thursday: 5.15pm-6.30pm |
Friday: 7.00pm-8.15pm |
FULL YEAR 2023/24 SCHEDULE
Each course has 2x weekly sessions, all aligned to the school calendar year. Sessions will take place after-school and at weekends.
- Course 1: Autumn - 12 weeks (18th September to 16th December 2023)
- Course 2: Winter - 11 weeks (8th January to 30th March 2024)
- Course 3: Spring - 12 weeks (15th April to 5th July 2024)
Course 1 (Autumn) will be available to book shortly, you can also register your interest for upcoming courses now.
City Football Academy
Training sessions are delivered at the City Football Academy, home to Manchester City’s first team, Women’s team and Boys and Girls Academy teams.
Frequently Asked Questions
Courses are aimed at players aged 5-14 years old, boys and girls, who enjoy playing football and are looking to improve their skills and game understanding.
All players should be physically able to participate in age-appropriate practical football training sessions.
For players with disabilities there are a number of initiatives delivered through City In The Community (CITC) where specialist staff will oversee more appropriate session content. Please visit https://www.mancity.com/community
Course prices are as follows:
- Course 1: Autumn – 12 weeks / 24 training sessions (19th September to 17th December 2022) - £435
- Course 2: Winter – 12 weeks / 24 training sessions (2nd January to 1st April 2023) - £435
- Course 3: Spring – 11 weeks / 22 training sessions (17th April to 1st July 2023) - £399
This is the equivalent of £18 per session approx.
There is an additional fee of £60 for training kit, payable on registration for players’ first course (including Shirt, Shorts, 2x Pairs of Socks, Rain jacket and Tracksuit bottoms).
Kit purchase is optional for players who have attended a previous Young Player Development course at the City Football Academy this season.
Players should arrive already changed in their kit approximately 15 minutes before the start of each scheduled session.
The address is:
City Football Academy, West Gate, Alan Turing Way, Manchester, M11 4TQ
Parking is available at West Gate car park.
Google Map link can be view here.
All players will receive an evaluation at the end of each course detailing their progress and development areas.
The courses will focus on supporting the development of all players, regardless of ability, so that each child enjoys a positive learning experience.
For any player showing the potential to be selected to join other areas of the youth development sections of Manchester City (including Junior Academy, City Select, Regional Talent Club and Academy teams) this will be done in line with the Club and FA guidelines relating to scouting young players.
All sessions will be delivered on artificial pitches.
As such, players should wear the appropriate footwear (boots for artificial/firm ground or turf trainers – no screw-in studs or running shoes).
Each player will receive a kit pack as part of their course enrolment, charged at £60 per child. Kit sizes can be viewed here.
Purchase of kit is only required upon registering for the first time.
For any sessions missed due to short-term illness, injury or other, each player will be given access to one additional make-up session per course (days/times TBC).
Each coaching session is delivered by UEFA qualified Manchester City coaches.
All coaches are DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service background checked), hold ‘First Aid in Football’ qualifications and hold the FA Safeguarding Children award (trained to promote best practice to protect young people).
Players will be grouped by ability within age groups where possible to ensure maximum participation, positive learning opportunities and a fun experience for all.
Manchester City Football Club strives to ensure that everyone in our care or attending our activities feel safe and free from risk of harm. The Club takes its safeguarding responsibilities very seriously and we are committed to creating a safe and positive environment for everyone.
View our Safeguarding Policy.
