We are delighted to announce that Danny Lloyd has been promoted to Head of Academy.
Danny has been with the club since 2022, joining as Assistant Head of Coaching before progressing to Head of Coach and Player Development and, most recently, Head of Academy Football.
He has been acting as interim Head of Academy for the past month but now moves into the role permanently. His appointment ensures strong continuity across the Academy programme and day-to-day operations.
Speaking on his new role, Danny Lloyd said:
“Firstly, I would like to thank Matt, the club, and also Will Ryder, the previous Academy Director, for the support and trust they’ve shown in me during my time here. I’ve been at the club for nearly four seasons now, and it’s been a journey that I’m really proud of.
“I started as Assistant Head of Coaching, then progressed to Head of Coaching, then Head of Academy Football, and now I’m currently the Head of Academy. That progression reflects the opportunities the club has given me and the belief they’ve had in the work we’ve been doing within the academy.
“I’d also like to thank Will for the work he did with the academy and for the support he gave me during my time working alongside him. It was a really valuable period for my own development.
“During the interim period, the staff have been incredibly positive and supportive. They’ve shown real professionalism and commitment to the players and the programme, and that’s been really important in maintaining stability and standards across the academy.
“I am proud to work with such a dedicated group of staff who care about the development of our players and the environment we’re creating. I’m looking forward to continuing to work together to build on the progress we’ve made and keep moving the academy forward.”
We’re also delighted to announce several staffing and structural changes across the Academy.
Stuart Leicester will now take the Head of Coaching role across the full pathway from U9 to U18, and Chris Stirk has moved into the role of Head of Recruitment & Registrations.
In the younger age groups in our pathway, our Foundation Phase will now include the U12 age group and will be led by James Wilcock.
Meanwhile, our Youth Development Phase will now include U13 and will be led by Stephen Leyland as Youth Development Phase Lead and Assistant Head of Coaching. Stephen will be supported by Nathan Lamey, who will take on the role of U13 to U15 Technical Lead to further support player development.
