Scunthorpe United FC

This summer has seen Scunthorpe United make some exciting changes within our youth set-up, headed by Academy Manager Tony Daws, as we look to further improve the development of the club's young players.

With the football club’s ultimate aim in the new stadium to move towards Category 2 status of the Elite Player Performance Plan, Neville Burbeary has taken the position of Head of Academy Coaching and Coach Development.

This newly created position is all part of the Premier League development programme, which has a dual purpose of helping people in the post develop skills and using expertise to develop the key components of a curriculum, which helps drive the creation of a system of coach development for clubs such as the Iron.

Academy Manager Tony Daws said: "Nev is a very experienced coach, having dedicated his career to youth development for the past 20 years. As well as being an A License coach, he is also a qualified coach educator and he will use these teaching skills to further develop our team and individual coaching programmes across each development phase. Nev will also be responsible for our coach development programme and for creating a programme that meets the Premier League’s coaching competency framework set within the EPPP."

Andy Dawson has been appointed in Burbeary’s place as Professional Development Phase Coach, and Daws is excited about the expertise and experience the former Iron and Hull City man, who has played at the highest four levels of English football, will be able to bring to the club’s academy prospects. Andy now has his own group of players to work with and this will help him further develop as a coach.

Daws said: "Having Andy working with the youth team is another step in the right direction to help with the development of the club’s young players. Andy is very knowledgeable and enthusiastic. With his background as a player and most recently a coach, I am really excited about the structure of the club’s academy going forward."

First team manager Graham Alexander added: “Andy is really enthusiastic about the challenge ahead. He knows exactly how we want to work at first team level, so I think having him there with Tony Daws, Nev Burbeary and the rest of the academy coaching staff will bridge the gap. Andy knows the sort of players we need coming through to the first team squad at the age of 18 to make us competitive, so I feel this will further improve the connection from youth to first team.”

The academy staff also includes Youth Development Phase Lead Coach Kevin Austin, Foundation Phase Lead Coach Rob Watson, Head of Academy Sports Science and Medicine Darren Mouatt, and Head of Academy Recruitment Daz Waring.