21-05-2025
Young striker signs to local football club's academy in record time
A Lawn Manor Academy pupil has been signed to Chippenham Town Football Club's Academy in record time.
Year 10 pupil Bubacarr, who currently plays as a striker for Swindon Town Football Club's Boys Advanced team, was offered a contract after just five weeks of trialling for Chippenham Town earlier this year.
This is the quickest time any player has achieved this for the Under 16s team.
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The young footballer began playing at just four years old and first played for Ferndale Rodbourne YCFC, inspired by the professional footballers in his own family, with his uncle having also played for both STFC and Tranmere Rovers.
Bubacarr has already had a taste of international football, having recently competed in the Football Barcelona Cup with his STFC team, where he helped lead his team to victory in their division.
Over the two days of the tournament, Bubacarr scored seven goals and was awarded the title of Player Ambassador, a recognition of both his performance on the pitch and the leadership and professionalism he displayed off it.
He will begin training with the club in pre-season this May, with his first official match seeing him face off against Forest Green Rovers.
At Chippenham, Bubacarr will train three times a week after school, combining gym sessions with advanced technical football training and match analysis.
He is looking forward to the challenge and new opportunities ahead.
He said: "Playing with STFC and going to Barcelona was great and now that I have a contract with Chippenham, I've got a real pathway to a professional career.
"There's the chance of a scholarship, moving into the first team and even being seen by clubs higher up.
"I'm very proud to have been identified for my ability and to be going up the levels.
"But more than anything I want to make my family proud and that's what's made me thrive the most through football.
"My dream would be to play in the Premier League, for Arsenal or Nottingham Forest, I think they play a very good style of football.
"But right now, I'm just focused on improving, learning, and making the most of this opportunity."
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As he gets ready to balance his academic and sporting commitments, Sandra Muir, headteacher at Lawn Manor Academy, praised his commitment.
She said: "We've been really impressed by Bubacarr's determination to succeed and the way he is already planning how he can balance his school and football timetables so he can do his best in everything.
"He's a very talented footballer and we'll be closely following his career; we're looking forward to cheering him on as he scores in the Premier League one day."
