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College footballer joins elite development programme with Tottenham Hotspur’s WSL Women’s Academy

London, UK

Barnet and Southgate College student Rose Mylam, who studied on the Barnet and Southgate College Tottenham Hotspur Football Development Programme, has been signed to the full Tottenham Hotspur Women FC Women’s Super League (WSL) Academy (U19s). 

Rose joined the Barnet and Southgate College and the Tottenham Hotspur Spurs Football Development Programme in August for the 2025–2026 academic year and season, while studying the BTEC Level 3 Foundation Diploma in Sport at the Southgate Campus.  

After having trialled for the programme in February 2024, Rose was offered a place for the 25/26 Academic year and season. Her talents were quickly spotted by the Tottenham Hotspur FC Coaching staff who referred her for further opportunities and monitoring with the WSL Academy staff. 

Rose, a goalkeeper who commands her area, and displays a strong presence between the posts with her composed handling and leadership of the defenders, continued to attend training sessions when invited by the programme staff in the holidays and then undertook pre-season after completing her GCSEs. 

In addition to these, she continued to work to be invited to additional opportunities with the coaching staff for the WSL Academy, in particular, Brad Morgan, Women’s Academy Goalkeeping Coach. Brad comments: 

“Rose has had a very unique journey, but one that massively complemented what we’re looking for and what we’re after. We have very good connections with the guys at Spurs Football Development, so it was recommended that she should come across and to have a look at her in some of the training sessions. We previously had exposure with Rose when we hosted a goalkeeper day in the summer, which she attended, so we knew of her capabilities and when she got accepted at Barnet and Southgate College, we heard some excellent reports from staff and players. We decided to invite her back into the programme to see how she would fit into our environment, and her attributes and attitude really suited the culture we have here.” 

Rose was also playing Senior Women’s Football for Millwall FC prior to joining Barnet Southgate College, the BSC Tottenham Hotspur Football Development Programme and subsequently the WSL Academy. She managed to do all of this whilst also achieving extremely impressive GCSE results. These gave Rose a choice between studying an A Level Study Package or a BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma in Sport, eventually deciding upon the latter.

Rose, who has been steadfast in her ambition to make it as a professional in the game, said, “My time at Barnet and Southgate was excellent and had a great time. I was surrounded by great, unique individuals. I had previously been at a private school, so my background was a lot different to everyone else, and I have never experienced people who were creative and so intelligent about the sport they love. It gave me a different outlook and it was such a good thing for me at the time.” 

This outcome is an illustration of how the Barnet and Southgate College partnership sits as a part of the women’s pathway for the Football Club. Rose is only the latest example of a student athlete going from Barnet and Southgate College and Tottenham Hotspur Football Programme into becoming a full-time player at the club. Prior to this, Olga Okram signed into the WSL Academy, and before that,  Jess Naz, who is still an integral part of the Women’s First Team in the WSL. Over the course of the 16-year partnership, in excess of 15 young women have gone from the BSC programme into playing for the 1st Team of Tottenham Hotspur Women FC at various levels. 

Nick Hardy, Women’s Academy Technical Coaching Manager, said, “We’re really grateful for the connection we have with our Spurs Football Development programme, who run education and development centres from 16-19 in and around north London, Essex and Hertfordshire. This is a great example of the work they do and all the different possibilities for Women and young girls in the local area to forge a career and an opportunity to join our player pathway – and Rose is a great example of that.” 

“We take real pride in being well aware of their recruitment process and getting ourselves, as staff, over to these events to see players and just keep tabs on those that are working on the programmes. Rose is very fortunate that such an opportunity arose at the beginning of her journey at Barnet & Southgate College as part of one of those programmes. But that can happen at any point of her two years in the programme, and the same for any girls who continue to be a part of them.” 

Barnet and Southgate College, through its partnership with Tottenham Hotspur Football Club, continues to provide a unique pathway for talented young players to combine academic study with professional-level football training and development.

To apply to the programme for the 26/27 Academic year, please visit the sports trials registration page on the Barnet Southgate College website. 

 

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