Success on the pitch for the first team is only sustainable if the infrastructure is in place to encourage players to make the step up from junior to senior football. With one of the biggest junior sections in the local area Portishead Town have a unique advantage that hasn’t been fully utilised in the past. Changes have been made behind the scenes to get the right people in the right positions and ensure the structure is optimised. This gives the players coming through the best chance to make the step up to senior football when the time is right.

U18 Floodlit Coaching Team, L-R Mike Tipton, Ash Clemence & Ed Geary

Director of football James Hughes worked hard behind the scenes, first concentrating on getting the right coaches for the U18 Floodlit team. With Ash Clemence and Ed Geary in place everything was focused on the primary aim of getting promotion to the Western Counties Floodlight Premier Division. Dave Griffiths came on board in August 2022 as Youth Development Rep – helping to forge a closer bond between the junior and senior sections. Dave’s role included speaking with U15 and U16 coaches, identifying player talent and making sure they had every opportunity to make the step up, at the right time.

Promotion for the U18 Floodlit was secured in 2022/23 and followed up with a strong 4th place finish in their first season in the Premier Division. Jake McCabe, Liam Noble, Gareth Hankey and Steve Pratt came on board for the Sunday U18 teams, ensuring that as many players as possible were included in the U18 pathway.

James Hughes had this to say:

It is clear that once you are playing U18s regardless of standard – floodlit or Sunday – you are on the pathway to men’s football.

Within a club our size you will always be part of the pathway. This is why we have people like Dave Griffiths in place who has a strong handle on junior and senior football and the levels players need to be.

Pathway is across the board; As a guide, Ash, Ed and Mike are getting lads ready for the firsts and ressies, Jake and Liam are pushing lads to ressies and 3rds, while Gareth and Steve are helping lads to 3rd   team men’s football.

It’s not all about the elite, it’s about giving the players the best chance to progress, be included, be professional and enable all levels of abilities and desire to be part of Portishead Town FC.

As part of the pathway U15 players have had the opportunity to attend U18 training sessions, familiarising them with the coaches and standard required and giving them a taste that they will hopefully aspire towards. The practice has been received well by the young players:

The feedback was 100% positive! Players are asking time and time again if he can go again.

Thank you to Dave, Ash, Ed and Mike for making the experience both relaxed and professional. These little tasters are a great way to keep the lads out of the clutches of other clubs.

Youth Development Rep, Dave Griffiths

U18 Floodlit manager Ash Clemence commented:

A lot of hard work has been going on in the background over the last few seasons to create the player pathway that we now have.

Portishead Town FC has one of the biggest junior sections in the country so it was important to get the pathway from junior football to men’s in place quickly and correctly.

It’s always a great feeling to see one of our own, that have come through the clubs junior section, represent our first or reserves teams and we have had plenty of examples of that over the last couple of years and let’s hope it continues!

Special mention for Dave Griffiths who is our Youth Development Representative at the club and is a vital part of the pathways success.

The benefits of the pathway are already being felt with several of the U18 floodlit team having represented the posset first team this season. Jake Packham, Alfie Griffiths, Luke Attwell and Pablo Dorado have all made appearances this season. Indeed across the U18 teams 10-15 players are regularly playing men’s football already.

With the current success of the first team in the Western League Premier Division these are exciting times for Portishead Town and, with a successful pathway in place, the future will continue to look bright.