Shrewsbury Town FC and School partnership embraces professional football and education for Isaac

The past few weeks have been a whirlwind for Lower Sixth student Isaac E (Rt) as he continues to progress on his journey toward a potential career in professional football.  

At just 16 years old, Isaac made his English Football League (EFL) debut for Shrewsbury Town Football Club (STFC) on Saturday 21st April, coming on as a late substitute against Northampton Town. He was named again in the matchday squad the following week as an unused substitute against Barnsley, before making his home debut with a standout, man-of-the-match performance after coming on in the 75th minute against Crawley Town during coach weekend. It was a proud and memorable moment to witness Isaac represent his hometown club at the Croud Meadow, joined by Mr Phillips (Housemaster), Mr Hughes (1st XI Assistant Coach), and his family. 

Isaac has been with Shrewsbury Town since he was 5, starting in the pre-academy and progressing through the academy age groups before signing a local scholarship with the club after completing his GCSEs last year.  

Isaac's situation is unique as he is the only scholar at STFC to continue his academic studies away from the club. He was offered a full-time PFA Scholarship, which would have meant leaving Shrewsbury School to undertake the education pathway set out by the Football Club and the EFL. However, Isaac, who joined us in 2021, was determined to stay and complete his A-levels while participating in a bespoke football development programme managed by the club and the school. This programme allows him to not only play for Shrewsbury Town but also continue representing his school, playing alongside the friends he has grown up with. 

Isaac's pathway is somewhat unconventional in the independent sector. Tim Wigmore’s article in The Telegraph on April 10, 2025, highlights a growing trend of elite football clubs partnering with independent schools to offer education as part of their pathway. For example, Manchester City sends students to St Bede’s College, and Arsenal has a partnership with St John’s, Enfield.  

However, the full-time training model (FTTM) that elite clubs have in place with 12 independent schools doesn’t allow students to represent their school or stay in the school system beyond their GCSEs at 16. The Hudl League, in which we play, boasts a list of 20 players in the past 8 years who have made their way into professional football after leaving school at 18. These players attended independent schools for their A-levels, joining after being released from professional football clubs at 16. While not regular players in elite clubs, they have joined clubs like Fulham and Burnley from independent schools after their A-levels.  

Our partnership with Shrewsbury Town and their academy offers Isaac the best opportunities in the football and educational environment. Currently, there is only one other school in the Hudl League with a similar model in place for one of their students. Our partnership with STFC allows Isaac to represent the school in cup and league fixtures. He also plays 1st XI cricket and is involved in the full day-to-day life of the school, benefiting from the ‘whole person education’ the school offers. 

The link with the academy, academy director Charlie Musselwhite, and the relationship with Isaac’s family are key to the partnership's success. It has been a new pathway for the school and the football club, and one that can be best described as being an unrivalled success at this stage.  

Since we all sat down in late June last year to discuss how it would operate on a day-to-day basis, the highlights from the partnership are impressive. Isaac has played in two ISFA National finals for the school, the ISFA 6’s at the start of September, and the ISFA Boodles final against Bradfield. As stated previously, he has made his professional first-team debut at the age of 16, making two professional EFL League appearances, and he played a leading role in the Shrewsbury Town Academy winning the U17 Professional Development League Trophy Final against Cardiff City at the Cardiff City Stadium on Wednesday evening. Isaac has also played this season in the ISFA U18 National Representative side in international fixtures against the Welsh Colleges, the English Colleges, and the Welsh Schools and Colleges U18’s. 

These opportunities come on the back of Isaac winning the ESFA U18 National Cup last year as a Fifth Former, as well as the National U17 Cricket Cup in the same year. These achievements highlight that a diverse range of sporting and academic opportunities in both environments can positively affect Isaac's development as a footballer and a person. The key for all this to flourish is the desire and flexibility from the football club and school to make the partnership work.

We are confident that this successful partnership will open doors for more talented Salopian footballers, offering them a clear pathway to pursue both top-tier education and high-quality football provision, ultimately helping them achieve their dreams of playing professionally. 

Steve Wilderspin 

Director of Football