Cliftonville Academy chief in 'opportunity knocks' vision as club outlines plans

Photo shows Cliftonville Academy players training
-Credit: (Image: Cliftonville FC)


A leading youth football coach believes 'opportunity knocks' for young footballers in Northern Ireland. Marc Smyth is Head of Youth Development at Cliftonville FC's burgeoning academy, and also manages the Reds' Under 18 side.

The North Belfast club's underage set-up has produced several players who have made moves across the water in recent years, while many have also gone on to play senior football.

Cliftonville have made significant investment in their own academy set-up, including offering their talented youngsters the chance to combine sport with education.

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The Solitude outfit recently announced it has relocated its new training and education complex to Marrowbone Millennium Park. It will see Cliftonville offer full-time education and football to 30 young players.

Smyth said: "Our Under 18s have been full-time for two years. We were previously in partnership with Belfast Met which was fantastic. This year we decided to go standalone with the education side of things.

"We tied in with the Steven Gerrard Academy as they had done such a good job on the education side of things down at Larne. So we went standalone.

"We have 28 players this year who are full-time. The benefit of that is they are full-time professional footballers, and they receive full-time education.

"Larne were the first club who drove it and did it properly, and they deserve a lot of credit for that. Kenny Bruce invested a lot in it and their model is very professional..

"Now you have the likes of Cliftonville, Linfield and a couple of others who do something similar. For me and David Begley (Chief Operating Officer) who has been a great help, we are getting our model as close to English and Scottish full-time academies.

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"We have a super set-up, and beside Larne we now have the best facilities and set-up in the country."

The new facilities at Marrowbone, which is nestled in North Belfast, include an IFA intermediate standard 3G pitch, a pavilion with 128 spectator seats, changing facilities, a multi-use games area, an outdoor gym and a community events space.

But it's the multi-use community space and classroom feature that drove Cliftonville's decision to move there.

Smyth added: "Crumlin Star, Shamrock and Ardoyne have done a great job in the community in terms of pushing for this facility, which benefits the whole community in North Belfast.

Photo shows Young players pictured in the classroom
Young players pictured in the classroom -Credit:Cliftonville FC

"Our move was driven by the education side of things. The club and I would have loved this to be at Solitude, but from an education point of view we understand what the kids need. And with the classroom facilities at Marrowbone, it made sense to move there. We just don't have the required education facilities at Solitude at this time.

"Marrowbone is a state-of-the-art facility, and we are fortunate that it is available during the day. So it suits everyone. There is a significant investment from Cliftonville which goes back into the community, which is important.

"And we benefit as we have state of the art classrooms and pitch. And I don't think there are many facilities like this in the UK and Ireland."

Cliftonville have linked up with Blessed Trinity College, with players offered the chance to do three A-Levels.

"The other benefit is we have tied in with Blessed Trinity College. They have been amazing with us in terms of offering extra support to the kids. Our kids will be enrolled in the school as year students," Smyth said.

"They provide extra support and tutors to us, and the kids can avail of the course and do extra Maths and extra English, or whatever they need."

Smyth believes the move to Marrowbone is an "investment in our students". He also says the continued growth of Cliftonville's Academy is a "dream come true".

He added: "There has been a big investment in time and finance from the club, into the academy ranks. We are happy to invest in the Marrowbone because it is an investment in our students.

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"It is a dream come true for me. I was full-time in England and Scotland for 13 years. Did I think our academy would be where it is now? Probably not but I aspired for it to be the best.

"You walk in now and we have full-time coaches, individual development coaches, strength and conditioning. You are living the dream, basically.

"The most important thing is we are investing in a local facility which isn't being used during the day. We have got players in the community enrolled in the programme, who don't play for Cliftonville. We have a young lad from Crumlin Star but will do the programme with us.

Photo showing Cliftonville U18 manager Marc Smyth
Cliftonville U18 manager Marc Smyth -Credit:INPHO/Presseye/William Cherry

"He will get the full-time education and football, and also be able to play for his local club. We felt it was important to branch out, and if there are kids to play for Ardoyne and Crumlin Star, and they are up to standard, then we are prepared to look after them.

"The opportunities are unbelievable. We understand that not everyone will become a professional footballer. But the reality is you will get a better opportunity than ever because you are in an elite environment every day.

"And they are also getting full-time education as a fall back. That is vital.

"From a Cliftonville point of view, Ryan Corrigan, Caoimhin Hawthorne and Sean Moore, are three examples of young players who were all on the programme the last two years and look what they have done. So the opportunities are there."

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