STONES AWARDED NATIONAL LEAGUE ACADEMY STATUS

The Stones have officially been granted National League Football Academy status for the 2025/26 season. This accreditation, confirmed by the National League’s Head of Player Development, Gary Owers, in a letter dated 16 June 2025, marks a significant step in the club’s evolution, providing a powerful platform for nurturing the next generation of local footballing talent.

The new status places Wealdstone among a select group of clubs nationally recognised for their investment in home-grown player development, under the comprehensive directive issued by the National League Board. As a Licensed Club, Wealdstone now holds a formal licence to operate a structured academy programme - officially known as a “National League Football Academy” - aimed at student-players aged 16 to 19.

The club has formally agreed to abide by the terms of this licence and to participate in official competitions including the National League Football Academy North or South division and the Academy Cup for the 2025/26 season.

Wealdstone FC’s new academy status brings with it a host of responsibilities, structures and opportunities, ensuring the highest standards of development, education and welfare for academy players:

Dual Pathway Model

• Each academy player - or “Student” - will participate in a comprehensive Football Development Programme combined with an Education Programme.

• Education delivery will be overseen by external learning providers, while football development remains the club’s responsibility.

Qualified Staffing and Welfare Standards

• The club will employ a minimum of two full-time UEFA ‘B’-qualified coaches, including one working towards a UEFA ‘A’ licence, a designated goalkeeping coach and a qualified therapist.

• A Designated Safeguarding Officer and an administrative Secretary are also required under the directive.

• Staff must maintain valid first-aid qualifications, be members of the FA Coaches Club and undergo DBS clearance.

Player Registration and Games Programme

• The club may register up to 15 players per age group (U17–U19) and provide them with access to competitive matches in the National League U19 Alliance, supplemented by sanctioned friendlies and other FA competitions.

• Players must receive at least 12 hours of coaching weekly over 40 weeks annually and take part in formal 12-weekly progress reviews, with biannual parent engagement for U18s.

Facilities and Safety

• Wealdstone must have year-round access to full-size natural and 3G pitches, changing facilities, medical treatment areas and designated meeting rooms for player and parent use.

• The club is required to maintain a Medical Emergency Action Plan, safeguarding policies and codes of conduct.

Long-Term Planning

• A comprehensive Player Development Plan will outline Wealdstone’s coaching philosophy, curriculum, budget and key performance indicators, with annual reviews and ongoing monitoring by the National League Board.

Protection and Compensation

• Licensed Clubs like Wealdstone benefit from training compensation rules, safeguarding their investment in youth development by receiving fees if players move on to other National League or professional clubs without renewal offers.

  
  

This achievement represents our dedication to embedding youth development at the heart of our footballing philosophy. By investing in infrastructure, coaching, education and welfare, the club aims to become a model of excellence in the National League system.