Welcome to the Alloa FC Partnership Page.

Introduction                                                                                                                          

Barrhead United Football Club are attempting to provide children in the Barrhead and East Renfrewshire area with an opportunity to enhance their footballing skills and broader social education such that we can become significant contributors to our local community.  Our vision from the creation of the Club in June 2009 has been that we will run the Club in as professional manner as we possibly can as a voluntary organisation.  We truly believe that our role in the local community is to provide our players with the opportunity to prepare and progress their abilities from both sporting and social perspectives.

One of the major opportunities we have been able to set up is a partnership program with Alloa Athletic Football Club, a professional Club currently playing in the Scottish Football League Second Division. 

Our partnership program with Alloa provides the youth of Barrhead and East Renfrewshire with access to professional coaching and support with one of the recognised leaders in youth football development programs within Scottish Football.  The following are features of the partnership and how Barrhead United and Alloa will interact:

         -      Alloa FC professional coaching to Barrhead United players once per month (either in Barrhead or at the Alloa FC stadium)
         -      Access to Alloa FC physiotherapists for support related to sports injuries
         -      Access to Alloa FC dietricians for support related to health and drug awareness programs
         -      Extensive coaching certification programs made available to the Barrhead United FC Coaches
         -      Barrhead United FC coaches and Club officials will act as registered Scouts for the Alloa FC Youth Academy
         -      Regular team building visits to Alloa FC professional matches

                                        The Alloa Athletic FC Perspective                          

The following quotation from Hugh McCann, Head of the Youth Development Academy at Alloa Athletic Football Club provides an overview of our Partnership and what it means to Alloa FC

"As a professional club, Alloa Athletic FC have embarked on a youth program that is designed to benefit first and foremost the young player and in the long term the football club and Scottish football.  To this end we have a number of key objectives that are strategic to the success of the youth setup.  The association with Barrhead United will be encapsulated in these objectives below and indeed our mission statement;

  
         -      To provide a safe environment where young players can express themselves and enjoy their football development and education.
         -      Provide a model pathway for learning and development of youth players such that the opportunity for quality players to sign for Alloa FC is achievable.
         -      To maximise the potential of talented individuals.
         -      Develop players as responsible individuals with an awareness of their responsibilities to each other with mutual respect for others.
         -      Teach and develop young players to understand the benefits to be gained in a healthy lifestyle, diet, drug awareness, education and codes of conduct.
         -      To develop relationships with parents, schools and other professional and affiliated organisations that are concerned with the needs of you players 
                 individually and collectively"

                                              Hugh McCann Profile

Hugh McCann has been involved in professional football for over 40 years.  He started his career as a fifteen year old with Glasgow Celtic in 1969 and was farmed out to Linlithgow Rose Juniors as a 16 year old defender.  Hugh suffered a very unfortunate serious knee injury and spent 18 months out of the game, eventually recovering to play with notable clubs such as Alloa, Berwick Rangers, Sheffield United and East Stirling.

As a result of his injury, Hugh moved into coaching at the early age of 24, holding various posts including coach at Berwick Rangers, Assistant Manager at East Stirling, Manager at Alloa Athletic, Manager at Queens Park and Assistant Manager / First Team Coach at Heart of Midlothian.  Hugh has also worked with Motherwell, Falkirk, Dundee and Kilmarnock Football Clubs in various capacities from coaching teams to player reporting.  Prior to rejoining Alloa, Hugh held a post with Aberdeen Football Club as youth coach and first team reporting roles.

In 2002, Hugh rejoined Alloa Athletic as Head of Youth Development with a remit to set up the youth development program in a more robust and professional manner.  Alloa is now regarded as one of the best youth development academies within Scottish Football.

Hugh holds numerous footballing qualifications including the prestigious UEFA "A" and "B" licences for senior player coaching and various youth level coaching qualifications which include the newest addition gained in 2008, The Youth Directorship Award, being the top award for Youth Development.

Needless to say, Barrhead United are incredibly grateful to have access to a coach of Hugh's stature in Scottish Football and the above profile provides evidence of the opprtunities available to players within our Club who apply themselves appropriately.

Links to more information about the Partnership with Alloa FC

Further details of our partnership with Alloa are contained in the folllowing pages:

         -         Expectations of Youth Development Coaches at Alloa FC

         -         Scouting Expectations and Protocol for approaching players, parents and clubs

         -         Coach Education Pathways

         -         Nutrition Advice