We spoke to analyst Josh Kearns, as part of the EFL's Youth Development Week, about his role in our Category-Two academy at Poolfoot Farm after spending years at the club as a youth player.
Kearns, who started his time at Fleetwood Town as part of the Academy, and featured in the Youth Cup multiple times for the Under-18s had to chance to change his career path at a young age as he was offered a role to join the Analysis Team within the Academy, alongside fellow youth prospect Kyle King, and Mace Goodridge.
On his role at the club, he said: “Day to day, I work with the youth team, the First Team, and all age groups; we do pre-match and post-match analysis clips and work through them with the lads and sit down with the mentors for the players.
“Whatever we get asked to do, whether that's working with the first team, droning, learning new skills, it's beneficial to what we do here at Fleetwood Town and how we progress the analysis department at the football club.”
Due to not being selected after the Under-18s selection process, this role seemed to be the next step in his natural progression, so it only felt right to take the job.
“I think it was quite a natural progression because I've been at the club for about six or seven years as a player, I've known a lot of the staff and the philosophy of the club and everything around it to develop the fortunes of the person and develop the player, said Kearns.
“I've known Jack [Higgins] for years, as he was the Academy Manager, he was a bit of a mentor for me. I've always had a good personal relationship with him, he sat me down one day and said: ‘Look, it’s probably not going to work as a player but we’ll keep you in the office because of how you are as a person and that you can benefit our office and how it can benefit yourself in the future.’
“Every staff member has been like-for-like the best people they can be, and I've found it as a natural progression for me into the office as a player down in the changing rooms with the lads.”
Watch Josh's interview, and much more, on our official iFollow HERE.
