The Centre of Excellence at Barnet Football Club re-opened in the summer of 2009 with a vision and clarity of purpose which has already seen it establish a strong reputation within youth football.

A handpicked Senior Management Team consisting of Jeremy Steele as Head of Youth Development (previously with Portsmouth FC), James Thorne as Centre of Excellence Manager (previously with Chelsea FC), Ryan Gordon as Head of Recruitment (previously with Arsenal FC) and Paul Fairclough (previously Barnet FC 1st Team and current England 'C' Team Manager) as Youth Team Coach was assembled to set-up the programme.

The Centre re-opened with a full complement of teams from Under 9s all the way through to Under 18s. A team of 50 strong staff, including Coaches, Sports Scientists, Physiotherapists, Administrators, Performance Analysts and Talent ID officers, were recruited and have driven the Centre successfully forward.

The aim of the Centre of Excellence is to play a key role in supporting the long term ambitions of Barnet FC by producing home grown professional footballers capable of competing with the best players in the UK and abroad.

Mission Statement:
•To create a nationally and internationally renowned learning and development programme that shares the values and vision of the club

•To foster a learning environment based on integrity, honesty, discipline and unity

•To maintain and continually review and improve our practice so that young players are offered the best possible programme to allow them to achieve their maximum potential

Barnet FCs Centre of Excellence is endeavouring to create an enjoyable environment in which young players are able to come and express their individuality and hone their skills.

The Centre and its dedicated staff concentrate not only on developing footballers but also on developing a high level of discipline, good manners, positive attitude and confidence within each and every boy that comes through the centre.

Our aim is to match the clubs magnificent training facility with top players, coaches and support staff from the local area who have the ability and desire to go on and be the best.