"A lot of the boys and girls were engaged and had a lot of fun."
Wolves Academy recently hosted a South Asian Emerging Talent Day at Compton Park, aiming to tackle underrepresentation in football.
The event, held on March 22, 2025, in partnership with the Premier League, gave young players of British South Asian or Asian heritage a chance to showcase their skills and train at professional facilities.
The initiative supports the Premier League’s South Asian Action Plan (SAAP), launched in 2022 to increase diversity in football.
The plan focuses on early academy recruitment and complements the league’s No Room for Racism campaign.
Wolves have backed SAAP since its inception and continue to work on creating inclusive pathways for young players.
More than 50 under-8 and under-9 players participated in seven-a-side mini tournaments at Compton Park.
The emphasis was on enjoyment, skill development, and exposure to academy-level coaching.
At the end of the session, Wolves staff selected 22 players, ten under-8s and 12 under-9s, to represent the club at the Premier League South Asian Emerging Talent Festival at Loughborough University on May 31.
Wolves joined three other West Midlands clubs, Aston Villa, Birmingham City, and Walsall, in preparing for the national tournament.
Similar regional events took place across the country.
While the young footballers played, parents and guardians attended an optional workshop covering topics such as youth nutrition, Ramadan inclusion, and opportunities with the Wolves Foundation.
The Wolves Foundation, women’s football, and football development departments played a key role in promoting the event.
Further opportunities were highlighted through the club’s football development department, which offers skill-based coaching sessions and football partnerships.
Academy staff Jack Maydew, Darren Ryan, and Calvin Smith awarded medals to all participants and delivered closing speeches.
Jack Maydew, head of local recruitment, said:
“This is something the Premier League are really pushing and, as a Midlands club, if we look at our diversity in our teams, we can always get better.
“We’ve got some of the best stats in the Premier League, so it’s about celebrating that, but we’re always trying to capture as many players as we can from all backgrounds.
“Since I started here ten years ago, it’s massively changed.
“We’re getting different types of players from different backgrounds and ethnically diverse communities.
“Different age groups give you different things, and it’s important to focus on the girl and boy sections.
“Everyone came away from the day knowing more about the Wolves Academy ethos and what we stand for.
“We’re trying to bring everyone together from different backgrounds and it went really well.
“A lot of the boys and girls were engaged and had a lot of fun.
“Even if they didn’t get picked for the final, they had a good experience and trained at a professional academy.
“Now, everyone’s looking forward to the tournament, it’s going to be a great day, bringing everyone together to celebrate what we’re doing.”
Gurpri Bains, equality, diversity, and inclusion manager, said:
“The Premier League’s South Asian Action Plan is a long-term project.”
“There are wide statistics which show that South Asian representation on the pitch is currently not reflective of the UK population of British South Asians, nor reflective of the popularity of football amongst the British South Asian community.
“Wolverhampton is a city rich in diversity, with over 25 per cent of its population identifying as South Asian, including significant Pakistani and Indian communities, and hosting events like this helps us engage positively with parents and players of all abilities, whether they’re currently with a grassroots team or playing for fun.
“It was great seeing families enjoy the day, but there is always more to be done, particularly engaging with young girls and expanding representation across different South Asian backgrounds, and we look forward to continuing to work with our partners, including the FA, to create positive change and inspire the next generation.”
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