Premier league footballer Ben Osborn offering academy-standard coaching for local footballers

The Sheffield United midfielder, who has also played for Nottingham Forest and Derby County, set up EFD Sport and Education with business partner Jack Andrews to help coach young grassroots players.

Throughout October, the pair put out an offer for free weekly coaching sessions for footballers playing in the under 7s up to under 10s age groups, every Tuesday at Lees Brook in Derby – all spaces filled up nearly immediately.

Ben said: “We decided to relocate our Derby evening sessions to Lees Brook Academy for several reasons. Firstly, the footballing facility is state of the art and provides us with arguably the best playing surface in Derby City. Secondly, the location is perfect for us, as we know that the surrounding areas are full of grass roots football teams and budding young footballers.

“We offer academy standard coaching, whilst always maintaining a fun environment for our players to develop. Our lead coaches are all professional or semi-professional footballers who are UEFA qualified.”

In November, the sessions will continue, at a cost of £5 each, with coaching for under 11 to under 13s available on the same evening.

Clare Watson, head teacher at Lees Brook Academy, said the school’s sports facilities were popular and used for matches each weekend as well as for sessions in the evening.

She said: “It has been fantastic to welcome Ben to our school. The sessions by EFD Sport and Education have proved hugely popular, and we are delighted so many young people have had the opportunity to come and learn from the best and experience the fantastic 3G facilities we have here at Lees Brook Academy.”

The school is also in talks with Ben to start working together from September 2024 onwards on a mentoring programme which his company offers out schools; they are already partnered with various primary and secondary schools in the Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and South Yorkshire areas.

The mentoring programme uses sport as a vehicle to deliver a bespoke personal, social, health and careers education curriculum. The programme aims to help students to develop key positive skills, behaviours and attitudes which will help them progress in education and beyond, feel empowered and enjoy learning.

The Academy, which is part of the Archway Learning Trust, now has 3G pitches, a large sports hall, gym, dance studio, netball courts, additional football pitches and a multi-use games area.

Sian Hampton, Chief Executive of Archway Learning Trust, said: “It’s brilliant to have Ben and EFD Sport and Education making such good use of the fantastic facilities at Lees Brook Academy. Working with communities close to our academies and helping to enrich the lives of young people is so important to us as a trust and I’m delighted to see that these sessions are so popular.”