Brentford celebrates 20 years of running Premier League Kicks sessions | OneFootball

Brentford Football Club is celebrating 20 years of providing free football sessions for young people aged 8-18 through Premier League Kicks.

Premier League Kicks uses football and sport to inspire young people to reach their potential. The programme creates opportunities for young people who are at risk of anti-social behaviour and youth violence.

It provides more than just football providing positive role models, offer volunteering, coaching pathway opportunities and mentoring. This support can help young people to make the best choices for their lives.

Since 2006, the club’s Community Sports Trust has delivered almost 14,000 Kicks sessions to more than 16,000 participants, encompassing more than 30,500 hours of activity in our community.

In 2025 alone, the Trust held 665 sessions, engaging with just over 1,000 young people.

Brentford FC Community Sports Trust run Kicks sessions up to six times a week across seven locations in Hounslow, Ealing, Surrey and Berkshire.

Brentford FC Community Sports Trust chief executive Lee Doyle said: “From being part of an initial pilot, we have proudly delivered 16,000 Kicks sessions to almost 14,000 participants over the course of 20 years. Premier League Kicks has since been rolled out across 93 clubs.

“Some of our participants are now employees and role models for the next generation. Football, sport and social time are the draws for our young people, but the positive outcomes for them and our society are numerous. We look forward to supporting more young people through Kicks and other valuable community centred programmes.”

Celebrating 20 years

Last week, the Premier League held its 20th anniversary celebrations for Kicks at the Trust’s Gunnersbury Park Sports Hub. Politicians and representatives of some of the 93 Premier League, English Football League and National League clubs now delivering the Kicks programmes discussed their power in helping young people.

Brentford players, Sepp van den Berg, Ellery Balcombe and club ambassadors Marcus Gayle and Karleigh Osborne were all in attendance at the event.

The celebration included 4v4 sessions, skills activity and a community mapping exercise for young people.

Graham Gooden, senior manager communities at the Trust, has coached young participants in Premier League’s Kick sessions since 2006. He said: “Hosting the Premier League Kicks 20th Anniversary celebration was a genuine privilege, marking a milestone moment for a programme I’ve proudly been part of for two decades.  

“Bringing colleagues, young people, volunteers, partners, four other London clubs and The Premier League together across Gunnersbury Park Sports Hub and our Clubhouse Café created a vibrant, community‑focused atmosphere that truly reflected what Kicks stands for.”