About Graham Jenner

I didn't start this website because I had all the answers. I started it because I had too many questions and nowhere useful to look for them.

How this started

When my son first got involved in youth football, I quickly realised how little straightforward information was out there for parents. Everything felt either overly technical, written for coaches rather than families, or buried inside Facebook groups where the same questions got asked repeatedly.

The moment he was invited to attend a development centre, I genuinely didn't know what to expect. What would sessions involve? What were the coaches looking for? How should we approach it as a family? What happened next if things went well - or if they didn't?

That gap was the starting point for Football Parent.

My background

I'm not a former professional footballer. I've never worked for an academy and I've never been a scout. I'm a football parent who has spent years navigating the same system that many families are navigating now.

My son attended Crystal Palace's Development Centre, as well as both Chelsea's Player Training Centre and their Player Development Centre. Each environment was different, with its own expectations, culture and impact on him - and on us as a family.

Alongside being a parent, I've also coached. I took my son's grassroots team from under-6s to under-8s and found it one of the most rewarding things I've done. I also hold an FA Level 2 coaching qualification, but the real education has come from the pitchside and from being a parent in the system.

What I write about

Football Parent is focused on the journey that football families go through - the parts that are not always explained clearly.

• Football academies and how they work
• Development centres and what parents should expect
• Academy trials and how to approach them
• Player development and long-term progress
• Girls' football pathways
• Football parenting, expectations and enjoyment

My editorial approach

I don't claim to have insider knowledge of how academies make their decisions. I'm not positioned inside the professional game and I don't pretend to be.

What I do have is first-hand experience, a willingness to research carefully, and a commitment to being honest about what I know and what I don't. Where things vary between clubs, I say so. I would rather acknowledge the complexity than give parents false confidence.

Who I'm writing for

Football Parent is written for the parent on the touchline who wants to support their child without getting in the way. The family who has just had a letter about a development centre and is not sure what it means. The parent whose child is disappointed after a trial or release and needs honest perspective rather than empty reassurance.

I'm not here to sell coaching programmes or tell you your child is destined for greatness. I'm here to help you understand the system, make informed decisions, and keep football enjoyable for your family - whatever level your child plays at.

Graham Jenner is the founder of Football Parent.