About Darlington Football Club Centre of Excellence

Darlington Football Club Centre of Excellence is a programme to identify players of outstanding ability and place them in a technical (and educational) programme to produce football excellence in conjunction with personal development. The club aim to produce technically excellent and innovative players with exceptional decision making skills.

The Club intend to run a Centre of Excellence that appeals to both players and parents alike. We look to develop the technical, physical, social and mental abilities of our young players.

The Centre has an outstanding record of producing players for the first team. In the last two seasons 9 youth players have represented the first team demonstrating the club's policy of nurturing young talent.

Darlington Football Club Centre of Excellence is directed by the Club's Head of Youth, Craig Liddle. Craig is supported by the Centre of Excellence manager, Neil Maddison, sports therapist Alistair Logan and Administrator Colin Galloway.

Craig heads a team of coaches who are responsible for the development of each player in the Centre of Excellence. Two coaches are allocated to each year group aged from 9 years to 16 years. A goalkeeping coach oversees the development of all goalkeepers.

This season the Club has invited local businesses and family members to sponsor a team or individual player in the Centre of Excellence. Sponsorship forms are located at the rear of this document. The finance raised goes directly into the running of the Centre.