The first year group of pupils who joined the school last August through the Scottish FA Performance School of Football initiative, recently spent a day visiting English Premiership club Newcastle United. The coach for the group Gordon Craig, who has been in the game for over 20 years, made the connection through a friendship built up with former Scottish Internationalist Willie Donachie. The group travelled down to Newcastle by coach having set off early from the school and were met by former England Internationalist Peter Beardsley. He took the squad of players and coaches on a tour of the Newcastle United stadium prior to playing a game against a Newcastle United Youth Academy squad in their impressive indoor complex. The focus on the day was to see first-hand how a top Premiership club operates. The game itself resulted in the club extending an ongoing invitation to Braidhurst for future groups to have similar visits.

The coach Gordon Craig said, “This was a great learning curve for our young players not only to play against top opposition but to experience travelling as a squad and socialising away from the school environment. They were a real credit in the way they conducted themselves representing their school, club and the Scottish FA. It was a long day for the youngsters but these opportunities only come up occasionally and they grabbed the chance with both hands. Peter Beardsley commented on how impressed he was with the pupils’ confidence, charter and ability”.

The Rector Derrick Hannan said, “This was a really worthwhile day and excellent addition to our programme. Their discipline was a great credit to the excellent work done as part of the programme as well as that of their clubs. The combination of daily coaching at school and the work at club level is having a real impact”.