Barnet FC are pleased to announce the appointment of Ross Eames as Development Coach in a new role that is designed to help our many promising Academy products cross the bridge into first team football.

Ross has been promoted from his position as Lead Professional Development Phase Coach, where he helped lead the Youth Team to the Football League Youth Alliance South East division title last season during a historic campaign.

Ross will begin his new role by overseeing the development of a group of Academy products that have all been offered one-year professional contracts – the details of which will be announced shortly.

Commenting on his appointment, Ross said that he is delighted to have been offered the chance to continue working with a group of players who he has gotten to know so well, and is now setting his sights on producing some Barnet stars of the future:

“It is a great privilege to make this step up along with a group of players who achieved so much last year. However, there is still a lot of work to be done and it is now my job to oversee this transition phase from to turn Youth Team players into first team ones in all aspects of the game – tactically, technically and physically whilst maintaining our winning mentality and desire to learn.

“I would like to thank both the Chairman and manager for offering me this promotion and I am looking forward to working with them both. I would also like to thank Academy Manager Henry Newman who showed enormous faith in me last year as coach of the Youth Team. It was my first year in the role and together we achieved history whilst playing an exciting brand of football.

“I have now been at the club for six years and it is fantastic to be part of this exciting era for Barnet FC. We have an excellent future in terms of youth development, and with the amount of talent coming through the Academy beneath this current crop of Development players I am confident that we can maintain our current momentum and help contribute to an exciting future.”

Meanwhile Martin Allen outlined the importance of Ross’ new role with regards to not only this season, but the future generation of first team players:

“Ross for sure deserves this opportunity, and he will be working closely with Adrian Whitbread, Graham Stack and myself.

“We will be working with a small squad next season and it is important that these young players are helped to develop mentally and physically in order to prepare them for the next stage of their careers playing in the club’s first team.”