Dunstable College Football Development Programme has been awarded with the FA Charter Standard Colleges award. Dunstable is the first college in Bedfordshire to receive this award.

Peter Brown, Bedfordshire FA Chief Executive, pictured below presenting the award to Colin Sharpe, Football Development Manager at Dunstable College said of the award, ‘I was delighted to present this award to Dunstable College; they have a strong football programme with some excellent facilities and deserved recognition from The FA.‘

James Slack – Football Development Officer, Bedfordshire FA added ‘I have worked closely with Dunstable College to achieve this award and they are the first College in county to have been recognised with the FA Charter Standard College status. I look forward to working even closer with the college and developing football further in the future.’

To achieve this award the Football Development Programme has to meet strict guidelines including having the correct staff in place from UEFA Qualified coaches to Child Protection Officers and Physiotherapists.

They must also have adequate training facilities for the players to train and play on. This is where the Dunstable College Football Development Programme goes into a league of its own. It has 4 full size outdoor pitches, 2 mini pitches, an indoor 5-a-side hall, a swimming pool, sports massage and therapy rooms which include a sauna and spa area plus their own fully equipped gym for the players to train in as part of their development as young athletes.

Also to achieve the award the college must provide additional football for the players to continue with their development outside of curriculum time. The college has many links with semi professional clubs and allow their players to play for whichever club they wish to.