Tag Archives: Academy

Vacancy – Head of Academy

Barry Town United have an exciting opportunity to join the club as Head of Academy. All information is within the candidate pack below. Closing date is Monday 19th January.

Head of Academy Pack Download

Damian Flynn to depart as Head of Academy

The club can confirm that Damian Flynn will depart the club as Head of Academy at the end of January.

Damian departs after 11 years with the club, including six years as Head of the Academy. He joined in 2014 as First Team Coach and has been involved in over 310 first team matches winning 2 Cymru South leagues, 2 domestic cup competitions, qualifying for Europe on 2 occasions, and reaching one national senior cup final. Within the academy, Damian has succeeded in getting to 1 national youth cup final, securing academy licenses every year, and seeing players grow and find their place in professional academies whilst also managing more than 150 Development Team games.

During his time at the club, Damian has played a key role in the development of the Academy and overall structure we have today with 11 teams, 180 academy players and 25 coaches.

We would like to thank Damian for his hard work and commitment over the past 11 years and wish him every success in his new role.

We will be advertising for a full time Head of Academy role over the next few days.

Thank you Damo!

BTU Academy Round-Up!

U10s vs Cardiff Met

It was a great day out in the capital for our U10s, who came away victorious across all four games. Despite falling behind at times, they showed excellent character to bounce back against a strong Cardiff Met side.

Highlights of the day:

Goal 1: Rhodri Francis bravely stepped out from the back, beating three players before slipping in Theo James, who finished clinically to secure our first win.
Goal 2: Oliver Glossop picked up the ball in midfield and played Jake Thomas in behind, who fired a thunderbolt strike into the top corner from distance.

Other scorers: Xavier Saddler & Marcelo Max Keynon Reffell.

Key notes:

The squad are building towards the upcoming FAW National Festival.
New players have settled well and are now becoming an important part of the team.

U14s 3-1 Win vs Cardiff Met

The U14s bounced back strongly after last week’s result with a convincing win. Two early goals from James Pughe set the tone, and the boys dominated much of the first half, creating numerous chances. Rhys impressed in midfield while James also adapted well when asked to slot in at centre-back.

The third goal came from Seth Webb, whose effort from the left found the net. Cardiff Met grabbed a late consolation, but the result was never in doubt.

Scorers: James Pughe (2), Seth Webb

Next up: Carmarthen.

U15s 2-1 Win vs Cardiff Met

A strong first-half display saw the U15s play dominant football with great intensity off the ball. Goals from Owen Rakes and Luke Edwards gave Barry control of the match.

Cardiff Met scored late to create a nervy finish, but we defended well and saw the game out to secure an impressive win.

Scorers: Owen Rakes, Luke Edwards

U16s 3-4 Loss vs Cardiff Met

The U16s fell narrowly short in a seven-goal thriller. Despite conceding too many early on, they showed great fight in the second half and finished strongly, pushing hard until the end.

Scorers: Ollie Guthrie, Rio Fofana, Ben Dosomah

U19s 1-3 Loss vs Cardiff Met

In a fiercely contested home derby, the U19s saw an early opener ruled out for offside before Cardiff Met capitalised with two goals against the run of play. Barry fought back through Joe Case, who scored a superb goal to notch his ninth goal in eight games.

The game was tighter than the scoreline suggests, but Cardiff Met were more clinical and added a late free-kick to seal it.

Scorer: Joe Case

U’19s Fight Back to Claim Dramatic Win at Llanelli

Barry Town produced a spirited second-half comeback to secure a thrilling 3–2 victory away at Llanelli on Saturday.

The match came just a week after the heartbreak of a 97th-minute defeat to Haverfordwest, and the challenge for the squad was to lift themselves mentally and physically. However, optimism was high following a strong midweek performance in a friendly against Weston-super-Mare, and the team travelled west full of confidence.

Barry got off to a dream start when Harry Sturgess opened the scoring with a superb strike. But after taking the lead, the visitors eased off, allowing Llanelli back into the game. The hosts levelled through a well-taken free kick before striking again on the counterattack, sending Barry into the break 2–1 down despite much of the play going against the run of events.

Managerial changes at half-time proved decisive. Joe Case was introduced into the game and immediately transformed the game, helping Barry dominate possession and pin Llanelli deep in their own half. Case’s influence soon paid off as he netted twice, turning the match on its head and giving Barry a 3–2 advantage.

In the dying moments, goalkeeper Luke made a stunning save to preserve the lead, ensuring Barry left with all three points.

Case’s game-changing display earned him the Man of the Match award, highlighting the impact of an inspired substitution.

Barry now turn their attention to Wednesday night’s clash against Merthyr Town, aiming to build on this hard-fought victory and keep their momentum rolling

Vera Jones signs with Chelsea Women’s FC!

One of Our Own! Vera Signs Pro Contract with Chelsea Women’s FC

We are incredibly proud to share the news, that our former Academy player, Vera, has taken the next big step in her footballing journey – signing a professional contract with Chelsea Women’s FC!

Vera spent five years in our academy, progressing from U12s to U16s, and left a lasting impression with her immense talent, dedication, and work ethic. From the moment she joined, it was clear she had something special. Her technical ability, determination, and passion for the game made her a standout player, and she consistently raised the bar for those around her.

Our coaches have always admired Vera’s commitment to improvement. Whether in training or on matchdays, she gave her all. Her journey is a testament to the power of perseverance and hard work – qualities that will no doubt serve her well at the highest level.

“We are incredibly proud of Vera and her achievement, but this moment is also a testament to the dedication of our coaches and staff. Their commitment to developing young talent, guiding, and supporting players like Vera has been invaluable. I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to everyone who played a part in her journey. This success is shared by all of us.” – Damian Flynn, Academy Director.

Vera’s success is not just a personal achievement but also an inspiration for all young players in our academy. Her journey proves that with dedication, resilience, and the right support system, dreams can become reality.

Vera, thank you for your hard work and commitment during your time with us. We wish you all the success in this next chapter of your career.

Category B Academy License

We are pleased to share we have been granted a category B academy license by the FAW.

In the new categorisation programme there are 3 Academy categories and we are delighted to have achieved Category B at the first time of asking. Our status will ensure our high quality provision and games programmes continues with no changes.

The ongoing rigorous audit process has demanded much from the club over the past year, the club would like to place on record its thanks to Head of Academy Damian Flynn, David Cole, Nathan Nurton and the rest of the team for their diligence and efforts in achieving the status we applied for.

Damian Flynn, Head of Academy commented:”I’d like to thank the team at the academy especially David and Nathan for their support and dedication over the past 12 months to achieve this B status. We pride ourselves on giving our players the best opportunities to develop both as football players and human beings and I am delighted we can continue to support their development in an environment that strives to be the best it can be.”

Watch this space for recruitment day information next week…

Mo Djalo signs first contract

Barry Town United AFC are delighted to announce that 18 year old Academy striker Mo Djalo has signed his first contract with the club. Mo made his JD Cymru Premier debut on 12th March away at Connah’s Quay Nomads and has impressed throughout his involvement with the senior squad both in training and in games.This season Mo has already scored 21 goals for our Development team who sit third in their league and also scored in the Senior team Nathaniel MG Cup game in August away at Haverfordwest County. Lee Kendall, Manager commented:“Mo has shown an excellent work ethic to earn his first senior contract, he has scored 21 goals in 16 games this season and deserves this opportunity. Our academy is going from strength to strength under Damian’s stewardship and it’s fantastic to see a number of exciting prospects coming through our ranks. I and the club are looking forward to seeing Mo continue to develop both with the development and first team squads.” Damian Flynn, Head of Academy commented: “It’s been a pleasure to contribute towards Mo’s development & it’s been great to see his dedication, commitment to growth and his willingness to challenge himself weekly, which in return has granted him signing a first team contract! At the academy, we ensure we do our very best to provide players with a platform for the above to materialise and Mo is an example of that, along with Merv Bennett last season. The coaches and I are looking forward to continuing to watch Mo grow and showcase his qualities across the rest of the season!”Mo Djalo on his signing commented: “I’m delighted to have signed my first contract and to have done that with Barry Town. Since joining the club I’ve been lucky to have worked with excellent coaches who have helped me develop my game immeasurably. I’d like to thank all for this opportunity and I look forward to continuing to work hard, developing and scoring goals for this great club.”