There was a triple cause for celebration at the National Stadium at the weekend as three different graduation events took place prior to Scotland's friendly against Iceland.
The latest group on the UEFA Pro-Licence and the 2025 Scottish FA JD Performance School graduates both had their ceremonies, while successful students from the Football Coaching, Performance and Development (BSC Hons) course, which is run in collaboration with Edinburgh Napier University, also gathered for their own event in the Scottish Football Museum, ahead of their university graduation later this month.
UEFA Pro-Licence
19 successful candidates have completed the 2023 edition of the UEFA Pro-Licence run by the Scottish FA, with the graduates receiving their award from Scottish FA President Mike Mulraney in the President's Lounge prior to kick off. The award, which follows completion of the A-Licence, is the highest coaching diploma available in Europe.
Over the course of the past two seasons, the candidates have completed a number of different modules, with a mixture of face-to-face learning combined with independent study and one-to-one coach development visits. The graduates attended the 2023 Under-21 European Championships, and also heard from several high-profile guest speakers, including Fenerbahce manager Jose Mourinho, Everton manager David Moyes and former Tottenham Hotspur and Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou.
Among the group are Ross County manager Don Cowie, Morton boss Dougie Imrie and Ayr United assistant manager Steven Whittaker. Two of Scotland's National Youth Team Head Coaches, Neil MacFarlane and James Grady were also among the graduates.
Former Celtic striker Scott McDonald and Kilmarnock manager Stuart Kettlewell, who were part of the previous UEFA Pro-Licence intake, were also in attendance to collect their now-completed awards.
Andy Gould, Chief Football Officer, Scottish FA: "For all the graduates, this award is the conclusion of several years of dedication to their craft and we are delighted to be able to present them with their diplomas this evening.
"We understand that in an industry as demanding as football, it is not easy to juggle the required individual work with packed working schedules, so it is testament to the candidates and their steadfast efforts in completing the programme.
"We have enjoyed getting to know them as individuals and as professionals, and hope they have benefited from the talented speakers and challenging discussions over the course of the past two years.
"It's tremendous to see so many of this group, and our 2024 intake, already working at such a high level - both at home and abroad - and I am sure we will continue to see them flourish in their careers, in the different paths they decide to take."
The full list of graduates is listed below:
Brian Kerr, Chris Burke, Chris Doig, Christophe Berra, Don Cowie, Dougie Imrie, Gil De Sousa, James Grady, Jens Wissing, Leanne Crichton, Marvin Bartley, Neil MacFarlane, Owen Coyle, Paul Nuitjen, Richard Foster, Scott McDonald, Steven Whittaker, Stuart Glennie, Stuart Kettlewell, Paul Brownlie
Scottish FA JD Performance School
In the week when Connor Barron became the seventh Scottish FA Performance School graduate to represent a full national team, the latest group of pupils were embarking on their own journeys as they celebrated the completion of their four-year programme with their families at the National Stadium.
45 pupils from six schools completed this version of the programme, which began in 2021. The Performance School programme, which began in 2012 and has helped produce the likes of Billy Gilmour, Nathan Patterson and Emma Watson, is designed to give talented boys and girls with the best potential to develop their abilities, the opportunity to play football everyday within an educational environment.
Brian McLaughlin, Scottish FA JD Performance School Manager, Scottish FA: "This event is always a highlight of the calendar year, as we reflect on the achievements of the young people within our programme as they prepare to take their next steps in football.
"The players know it will not be easy as they enter the world of competitive football, but they do not have to look far for role models and it was fantastic for them to watch Max Johnston, Gilmour and Patterson on the pitch on Friday, with Barron, Andy Irving and Callan McKenna also in the squad.
"These players have walked in the same shoes as today's group and they are all magnificent role models, not just as players, but people as well, and they are always happy to pop in and offer encouragement to the next generation.
"I am certain they would all admit their continued success is in part thanks to the talented coaches within the programme, and we are grateful for their continued hard work.
"It's been another year of on-pitch achievements for our graduates, with former Performance School pupils getting their hands on Serie A, Austrian Bundesliga, FA Cup and Scottish Cup trophies. I have no doubt that there will be future trophy winners and internationalists within this year's crop."
The full list of graduates is listed below:
Football Coaching, Performance and Development (BSC Hons)
For the second successive year, a group of fourth year students from the Scottish FA's Football Coaching, Performance and Development (BSC Hons) course, run in collaboration with Edinburgh Napier University, were in attendance at Hampden Park to mark the completion of their course.
The degree, which was the first of its kind in Scotland when introduced, was designed by the Scottish FA and Edinburgh Napier University and launched in 2020.
This degree programme sees candidates complete UEFA and Scottish FA awards alongside their university modules. The students have all completed the UEFA C (Adult), UEFA C (Children’s and Youth), UEFA B and UEFA Youth B licence diplomas, while some have also began working towards awards such as the UEFA A-Licence and UEFA Elite Youth A-Licence as they chose to specialise in their fourth years.
The four-year undergraduate programme, based at Edinburgh Napier’s Sighthill campus, is designed for people with an interest and some background in football coaching who want to develop a career in the field at all levels, from grassroots to top professional clubs. The course aims to increase the professionalism of coaching as a career by encouraging a more holistic approach, rather than focusing on just on-pitch activities.
The first ever group graduated last year and a sixth cohort will start their journey in September and it is still possible to apply for this course by clicking here.
Ian Donnelly, Coach Education and Development Manager, Scottish FA: “I want to offer my congratulations to those who are graduating, for the outstanding efforts they have put in over the past four years. This is only the second group who have completed the degree and there is so much talent in the group across different disciplines within coaching and performance.
"It's a such a unique opportunity that you can gain academic qualifications while also, at the same time, gain UEFA coaching awards through the Scottish FA. It truly is one of a kind, something that's enjoyable for students to be a part of and something that's a huge positive for the workforce in Scotland."
The full list of four year students is listed below:
Gordon Blake, Louis Britton, Ciaran Cairns, Sean Coyle, Joel Davies, Charlie Di Rollo, Josh Fairnie, Robert Greenwood, James Hamilton, Matthew Hobson, Ben Kettrick, Ross Lyle, Conor McCabe, Kyle McKenzie, Christopher Sim, Max Snedden, Jay Weir, Joel Wood, Velichko Yankov
