Burnley Football Club ban academy players from school games

4:11pm Wednesday 17th October 2012 in News

A ROW has erupted after Burnley Football Club banned some of its academy players from playing for their schools.

Academy boss Jason Blake has written to the parents of players of secondary school age to tell them that they can no longer represent their school, county, representative or district team.

In the letter the Clarets said that they were taking this step to ‘enable the academy to manage the physical stress that each player is exposed to throughout the season’.

But Mike Duffy, former secretary of the Lancashire Schools Football Association (LSFA) and now their senior advisor, said the move had angered schools.

He said the LSFA had enjoyed a good relationship with Burnley over the years, but the move had been been ‘brewing for a while’.

“This letter just seems misguided and quite dismissive,” he said. “My first reaction was one of disbelief.

“There needs to be a middle ground where common sense prevails. Boys can be kept out of games that don’t really matter but they shouldn’t be denied the chance to play for their schools and with their mates.

“This is basically treating the boys as commodities, and it is not right that they should be treated that way.” In the letter to parents Mr Blake said: “The academy programme is tailored to meet the individual needs of each player... However, we are unable to control the physical demands or the target outcomes of external fixtures.”

Phil Cannon, who runs the academy at Blackburn Rovers, said its policy remained flexible: “Obviously we must avoid burnout but we tailor plans for each player.”

Comments (7)

4:39pm Wed 17 Oct 12

golazzo says...

I wouldn't worry to much, Blake will be gone shortly
I wouldn't worry to much, Blake will be gone shortly golazzo

4:48pm Wed 17 Oct 12

jellybiff says...

Obviously we must avoid burnout hahahaha you couldn't make this kind of moron quote up sometimes lol.
Obviously we must avoid burnout hahahaha you couldn't make this kind of moron quote up sometimes lol. jellybiff

5:11pm Wed 17 Oct 12

Symboy21 says...

These kids want to be pros, so they must do what the club that is funding them wants them to do. If they want to be kids then leave the club to have a kick around with their mates, they are a future investment, meaning they are selling their souls at an early age.
These kids want to be pros, so they must do what the club that is funding them wants them to do. If they want to be kids then leave the club to have a kick around with their mates, they are a future investment, meaning they are selling their souls at an early age. Symboy21

5:11pm Wed 17 Oct 12

Symboy21 says...

These kids want to be pros, so they must do what the club that is funding them wants them to do. If they want to be kids then leave the club to have a kick around with their mates, they are a future investment, meaning they are selling their souls at an early age.
These kids want to be pros, so they must do what the club that is funding them wants them to do. If they want to be kids then leave the club to have a kick around with their mates, they are a future investment, meaning they are selling their souls at an early age. Symboy21

7:07pm Wed 17 Oct 12

Whydidtheybanme? says...

Symboy21 wrote:
These kids want to be pros, so they must do what the club that is funding them wants them to do. If they want to be kids then leave the club to have a kick around with their mates, they are a future investment, meaning they are selling their souls at an early age.
Or is it the pushy parents living their dreams through their offspring?

Let them be kids.......
[quote][p][bold]Symboy21[/bold] wrote: These kids want to be pros, so they must do what the club that is funding them wants them to do. If they want to be kids then leave the club to have a kick around with their mates, they are a future investment, meaning they are selling their souls at an early age.[/p][/quote]Or is it the pushy parents living their dreams through their offspring? Let them be kids....... Whydidtheybanme?

8:34pm Wed 17 Oct 12

caballo says...

Blake needs to give his head a wobble, we've already lost a rake of the best kids and coaches with the expenses debacle, is he trying to shut the place?
Blake needs to give his head a wobble, we've already lost a rake of the best kids and coaches with the expenses debacle, is he trying to shut the place? caballo

10:54pm Wed 17 Oct 12

Colneunitedfc says...

What a load of rubbish - schools have and rightly so always come first! The kids want to play with their mates.. All this does is bring kids up to be cocky, arrogant and thinking they are above everyone else - I know kids who have left BFC to go to other clubs because they are refused permission to play a host of different sports at their school (not just football) - yet another example of professional football clubs alienating themselves from the real world!!!!!
What a load of rubbish - schools have and rightly so always come first! The kids want to play with their mates.. All this does is bring kids up to be cocky, arrogant and thinking they are above everyone else - I know kids who have left BFC to go to other clubs because they are refused permission to play a host of different sports at their school (not just football) - yet another example of professional football clubs alienating themselves from the real world!!!!! Colneunitedfc

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