Swindon Town Under-18s manager Sean Wood has stated that “success looks different for each player” as his side’s 2024/25 campaign drew to a close.
Town has endured yet another positive season, finishing seventh in the Youth Alliance League, reaching the latter stages in two cup competitions, and having various players make the step up to first-team football, with forward Botan Ameen being nominated for the League Two Apprentice of the Season Award.
Wood reflected on the true meaning of prosperity within youth football, which he insists goes way beyond results.
“Sometimes the results – people look at that first and judge our under-18 and youth teams around results in terms of finishes in the league and how you do in the cup – but success for us is in lots of different ways,” said Wood.
“Success is boys getting in the first team, which we’ve done this year. Success is having some good cup runs, which we’ve done this year. Success is developing people into good people and how they conduct themselves.
“I’d like to hopefully see some of our players that are not with us in a few years’ time developing into different careers, and hopefully we’ve played a massive part in their journey as a person as well.
“There’ll also unfortunately be some boys leaving us this year, and hopefully they’ll go into another football club and continue to play football. That’s really important for us.
He added: “Each year is so different, and we have to look at each week, each month and everyone’s individual journeys differently and be proud of what we’ve done as an academy this year.”
With the second-year scholars gaining valuable experiences within Town’s first team or while out on loan at non-league clubs in the closing stages of the season, it has provided many opportunities for players in younger age groups to feature for the Under-18s side.
Wood believed that this would have a positive impact on their development going forward within the academy.
“There’s a lot of work that goes into that with all the staff at the football club,” he revealed.
“Constant discussions around who is ready, who’s conducted themselves in the right way on and off the pitch, who deserves the opportunity, who’s ready, and who needs a challenge maybe.
“Naturally with the second years progressing up with their careers, it allows opportunities for some of the younger players, 15s and 16s, to be around the under-18s, and we’ve done that over the last six to eight weeks, which has made our squad a little bit younger.”
This time of year also signals a period of uncertainty for players not being retained.
For those moving on, Wood emphasised the focus shifts to care, support, and transition, helping every player find their next step.
“It is sad, but we have to look at supporting them through player care programmes, exit trials and communication with other clubs to help them into another football club,” Wood continued.
“Secondly, supporting them in any other sort of career that they look to go into, whether that may be university or abroad, we’ve got all that information and a database of contacts that we can use, and we’ll do everything we can to support them boys.
“And you’ve got the boys that are progressing to the first team who will be here with us next year; naturally that’s brilliant and a proud moment for the academy to see more boys go across into our first team; that’s big for us, a really proud moment.”
Keep up to date with all of the latest news from around Gloucestershire HERE!
