Three Nelson and Colne College students will soon be heading stateside after being awarded football scholarships in America. 

All members of the Burnley FC Shadow Team, Owen Anforth, Oliver Stephenson and Jack Oliver were thrilled to get news of their scholarship opportunities, which enables them to play university level football whilst continuing their studies.  

Owen (RIGHT) will be based in Fulton, Mississippi at Itawamba Community College, playing in the NJCAA. 

He will study and play for two years then transfer colleges for his remanding two years. 

Oliver Stephenson (CENTRE) has secured a place at Saint Scholastica College, Duluth, Minnesota. Studying there for two years initially, he will then have the option to remain at Saint Scholastica or transfer to a new college for the remaining two years.  

Jack (LEFT) will head to his destination of Texas in January 2023 to attend Tyler Junior College for two years with a view of extending his stay or transferring to a new college. 

Nathan Mottram, Football Development Manager for Burnley FC in the Community, said: “All three lads have been a pleasure to work with these past two years. On and off the pitch they have shown a desire to develop and grow as footballers and most importantly as people.  

“Going to the USA is a great opportunity for them to develop and excel even further, we look forward to seeing how their journeys go and wish them all the very best of luck.”   

The Burnley FC Shadow Team support students in developing the key personal, technical and professional skills they need in order to get ahead. 

If you’re interested in finding out more about the course and what it can offer you, you can find out more here