Ciaran Donnelly leaves Fleetwood Town to rejoin Blackpool as new academy director
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The 36-year-old makes the short move down the Fylde coast to link up with the Seasiders once again, having previously served the club both as a player and a coach.
The Blackpool-born former midfielder enjoyed major success at the club in his previous stint, steering the Blackpool Under-18s to a league and cup double in 2017.
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Hide Ad“I’m delighted to be returning to the club that is home to me after three years away,” Donnelly said.
“The potential to achieve something great as an academy and a club is now very much real. It feels like a new Blackpool Football Club and I can’t wait to get started.
“The whole club feels fresh and on the cusp of something special and returning to be a part of that was just something that ignited real passion inside of me.
“With the support of the academy staff and other key stakeholders amongst the club I want to finally deliver an academy that the club’s supporters can be proud of and feel engaged with.
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Hide Ad“I have spent my life in the town and it’s now time that the youngsters of the Fylde coast now had an elite level academy on their doorstep. I am determined to deliver that and help produce home grown players for the first team in years to come.
“I want to thank Simon (Sadler), Ben (Mansford), Brett (Garrity) and Neil (Critchley) for giving me this opportunity to help the club achieve its aspirations. I am convinced that the future is bright for the club.”
Donnelly will help in the club’s bid to produce the best category three academy in the country before eventually progressing to category two level.
The former England youth international will also lead the academy into the 2020s and deliver the club's '5 in 25' academy vision, the club announced.
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Hide AdThis is the club’s objective to see five academy products reach the first-team squad by 2025.
“I am thrilled to welcome Ciaran, a fellow Warbreck Old Boy, back to Bloomfield Road as academy director,” owner Simon Sadler said.
“As we’ve previously stated, we see the academy as one of the three pillars along with coaching and recruitment that are needed to build a sustainable future for Blackpool Football Club.
“I am confident Ciaran will be just the person we need to help us realise our aim of becoming the best category three academy in the country with an aspiration of progressing to category two and in doing so develop players from our local community to ultimately step out in tangerine for the first team at Bloomfield Road.”
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Hide AdFleetwood, who recently launched plans to upgrade their academy, continue to evaluate candidates following Donnelly’s recent departure.
Town owner Pilley recently said: “To be honest we’ve been blown away by the quality of applicants which have come in so far.
“It shows how highly regarded the club now is in the footballing world.
“We are looking for someone to take us to the next level, so it’s a big appointment for us at a crucial time.”
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Hide AdTown’s academy was established in 2013, since when there have been 300 starting appearances in the first team by players it has produced.
Twelve products of the academy have been granted first-team debuts since Joey Barton was appointed head coach at Highbury two years ago. with one of them, Billy Crellin, tipped by the Town boss to become a full international.
Fleetwood recently confirmed a £1m investment in a new indoor pitch as the club’s academy bids to rise from category three to category two status.