Joe Sutton, a former academy scout and coach at Manchester United and Arsenal, will be on the lookout for talent during the 2025 Fifa Under-17 World Cup Qualifiers, which will be played on island next month.

Head of Future Pathways at Academia & Football, Sutton also previously worked with English Premier League sides Brentford and Fulham and will be in Bermuda from February 12 to 17.

Sutton is hoping to learn about the football community and player development across the island, support any academy players on Bermuda’s roster, Identify talent across the Concacaf region, showcase football development pathways in the UK and forge long-term relationships with key stakeholders.

“This will be an amazing experience,” Sutton told The Royal Gazette. “I’m really excited to see the level of player competing and how they compare to the standards within the UK and Europe.”

Sutton has also served in various capacities at Brighton & Hove Albion and the English Football Association. He holds a Uefa coaching licence, an FA Advanced Youth Award and a FA Talents ID Level 4 in leadership and management.

Academia & Football run elite football programmes at Beechwood School, Trinity School and Lucton School, with plans to expand to Spain next year.

Their programme promises a tailored approach to individual development, combining world-class football training with strong academic support. Designed to help students reach their potential in both sport and education, the programme creates clear pathways to success for the next generation of young athletes.

There are four Bermudians involved in the Elite Football Programme at Beechwood School, among them under-15 national academy midfielder Roman Wilkinson, and three at Trinity School.

“All of these players are developing significantly after being exposed to our philosophy of individual development alongside the high level of coaching and exposure to clubs,” Greg Thurstans, the organisation’s cofounder, chief executive and director, said.

“It's imperative to add that they are also all developing in the classroom academically, whilst growing into young adults holistically and socially.

“Ninety-nine per cent of these players have the ambition to be a professional football player and, whilst we believe we have a long list of players that are now playing professional football at the highest level, our entire philosophy will always be based around uniting academic and football excellence.

“This is why we have a highly qualified and experienced Head of Futures Pathways [Sutton], whose role is to ensure each player receives the support they need to follow a bespoke pathway. This could be in professional football, US Colleges, British Universities or even vocations in the wider football industry.

“We have always had a strong relationship with Bermudian players as we are fully aware of the talent they possess.

“We also have more Bermudian students we expect to join our new programme at the independent boarding school, Lucton, in the West Midlands and that will give access to clubs like Aston Villa, Wolves, West Brom and other clubs in this region.”

All of the programme’s full-time coaching staff are highly qualified and have experience at top professional academies in the Premier League, La Liga and Women’s Super League.

In a partnership with aiScout and Alpha Schools, Academia & Football recently launched the Lucy Bronze Scholarship Award, which is an exciting new competition designed to support young female athletes striving for excellence in both football and academia.

Named after Lucy Bronze, one of English football’s most decorated players, the scholarship offers a unique opportunity for young girls to combine their passion for football with a top-class education.