Finch Farm is the training ground for Everton F.C., in the Liverpool suburb of Halewood.
The School of Science is the nickname given to the complex by some supporters, referring to a long-standing nickname for the club. The training ground houses both the Everton first team and the youth academy. The first team squad officially moved to the complex on 9 October 2007, some time behind the target date of pre-season. Plans were drawn up for the Cheshire County Council owned site in 2002.[1]
Finch Farm was acquired in 2006 by Everton who later sold the land on for £2.1 million and then had it developed to the club’s specification by developers ROM Capital (an arm of the aAim Group). On completion, Finch Farm was valued by ROM Capital at £17 M. Everton signed a 50-year tenancy agreement with ROM Capital for Finch Farm.[2] Everton have an option to purchase the site after 5 years.
[edit] Description
The facility boasts some of the finest training facilities in the world, and features 10 full-size grass pitches on three plateaus, one of which is a floodlit along with an additional floodlit synthetic pitch and specialist training areas for fitness work and goalkeepers, as well as an exact recreation of the pitch at Goodison Park. Inside the training complex there are extensive changing facilities for both the senior squad and the Academy players. The state-of-the-art facilities on offer will arguably make Everton a big draw for future signings and should also provide a boost in the development of the Club's Academy players, with the facilities including the following:
- Gym
- Synthetic indoor training pitch
- Hydrotherapy pools
- Spa
- Sauna
- Physiotherapy rooms
- Media centre
- Video lounges including a video editing suite
[edit] Trivia
- Everton's original training ground Bellefield was built in 1965 and has lasted 41 years
- Some residents of Halewood objected to the new academy being built on Finch Farm as it is on greenbelt land.
- The academy cost £9.5 million to build — one of the most expensive in the country.
- Everton originally tried to find land in Liverpool but eventually settled on the 55-acre (220,000 m2) site, off Higher Road and Finch Lane in Halewood.
[edit] Gallery
Plan of new academy in Halewood |
[edit] Current Academy players
| Player | Hometown | Position | International Caps | Previous Club |
| 4th Year Scholars (players born between 1 September 1989 and 31 August 1990 ) |
 | Kieran Agard[nb 1] | London | Striker | – | Arsenal F.C. |
 | Lars Stubhaug | Haugesund, Norway | Goalkeeper | Norway Under-19 | SK Vard Haugesund |
| 3rd Year Scholars (players born between 1 September 1990 and 31 August 1991 ) |
| Hope Akpan[nb 2] | Liverpool | Midfielder | – | – |
| Moses Barnett | London | Defender | England Under-17 | Arsenal F.C. |
| Lewis Codling | Bootle | Striker | – | – |
 | Georg Krenn | Neuberg, Austria | Midfielder | Austria Under-18 | VfB Admira Wacker |
| James McCarten | Liverpool | Defender | – | – |
 | Karl Sheppard | Dublin, Ireland | Striker | Ireland Under-17 | Shelbourne FC |
| Jack Rodwell | Southport | Defender | England Under-21 | – |
| 2nd Year Scholars players born between 1 September 1991 and 31 August 1992 ) |
| Jose Baxter | Liverpool | Striker | England Under-16 | – |
 | Shkodran Mustafi | Bad Hersfeld | Defender | Germany Under-17 | Hamburger SV |
| Ger Kinsella | Dundalk, Ireland | Midfielder | Ireland Under-16 | – |
| James Wallace[nb 3] | Liverpool | Midfielder | Ireland Under-16 | – |
 | Nathan Craig | Caernarfon, Wales | Midfielder | Wales Under-16 ,Wales Under-17, Wales Under-19 ,Wales Under-21 | – |
| Jon Nolan | Liverpool | Midfielder | – | – |
| Shane Duffy | Derry | Defender | Northern Ireland Under-16
Northern Ireland Under-17
Republic of Ireland Under-17
Northern Ireland Under-19 | Foyle Harps Y.F.C. |
| Conor McAleny | – | Striker | – | – |
| Adam Davies | Warrington | Goalkeeper | England Under-16 | – |
| Adam Forshaw | Liverpool | Midfielder | – | – |
 | Aristote 'Toto' Nsiala | Congo | Defender | – | – |
| 1st Year Scholars players born between 1 September 1992 and 31 August 1993) |
| Connor Roberts | Wrexham | Goalkeeper | Wales Under-16, Wales Under-17, Wales Under-19 | Tranmere Rovers |
| Jake Bidwell | Southport | Defender | England Under-16 | – |
| Adam Cummins | Maghull | Defender | – | – |
| Luke Garbutt | Harrogate | Defender | England Under-16 | – |
| Daniel Murphy | Everton | Defender | – | – |
| Thomas Donagan | Liverpool | Midfielder | – | Blackburn Rovers |
| Ryan Watson | Crewe | Midfielder | – | – |
| Femi Orenuga[nb 4] | London | Midfielder | – | Southend United |
| Zac Thompson | Bilinge | Midfielder | – | – |
| Luke Dobie | Ormskirk | Midfielder | – | – |
| Possible Future Scholars (players born between 1 September 1993 and 31 August 1994 ) |
| Hallum Hope | – | Striker | England Under-16 | Manchester City |
| Ross Barkley | – | Midfielder | England Under-16 | – |
| Jordan Barrow | – | Defender | – | – |
  | Abraham Donzo[nb 5] | – | Striker | – | |
| Ryan Higgins | – | Midfielder | – | – |
| Anton Forrester | – | Midfielder | – | – |
| Chris Long | – | Striker | – | – |
| Jordan Parker | – | Goalkeeper | – | – |
| Adam Thomas | – | Midfielder | – | – |
| John Lundstram | – | Defender | – | – |
| Matt Pennington | – | Midfielder | – | – |
- ^ Kieran Agard is eligible to play for Jamaica
- ^ Hope Akpan is eligible to play for Nigeria
- ^ James Wallace has played for Ireland's youth teams but is not eligible for their national team.
- ^ Femi Orenuga is eligible to play for Nigeria
- ^ Won a scholarship through Soccer Dreams tv series
[edit] Achievements & Awards
- Academy Manager: Ray Hall
- Technical Manager 9-19 years: Neil Dewsnip
- Academy Coach 17-19 years: Kevin Sheedy
- Academy Coach 6-12 years : Tosh Farrell
- Academy Director of Goalkeeping: Kevin O'Brien
- Head of Recruitment : Phil Cannon
- Head of Local Schoolboy Recruitment: Martin Waldron
- Academy Physiotherapists: Steve Hardwick
- Assistant Physiotherapist: Richie Porter
- Sports Psychologist: Carmel Triggs
- Academy Office Manager: Joan Farrelly
- Head of Education and Welfare: Mike Dickinson
[edit] Past Academy Players
The following players are just a handful of past Everton academy members currently playing for clubs in either the Premier League, The Football League or in another country. Those in bold have been capped at International level.
[edit] References
[edit] External links
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| Premier League | | | Competition | | | | Statistics and awards | | | | Finances | | | | Associated competitions | | |
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