STUDENTS of a unique football coaching course will have the chance to work with a Premier League club as part of their degree.

Up to three students studying Anglia Ruskin University’s BSc (Hons) Coaching for Performance in Football will undergo work placements with Southampton FC’s academy as part of their degree course and it is expected that more students will join the scheme in the future.

Anglia Ruskin has developed the degree in consultation with clubs and football associations to address the need for more quality coaches at the higher levels of football and to provide higher education for those looking for a career in the field.

This established degree course will begin its third intake in September and it is a pre-requisite of the course to be working with a UK National League (formerly Conference) club or higher, or the equivalent in another country, and to put ideas learned on the course into practice while the student is working.

Edd Vahid, Head of Coaching at Southampton FC Academy, said: “The club has established successful work placement programmes in a number of disciplines, including sports science and video analysis.  A natural progression is to extend this provision to coaching.” 

The first placements with Southampton FC will start in September. To apply for a place on the course, visit anglia.ac.uk/football