Joe Parkinson says the pioneering Everton Football College is increasingly woven into the Club’s fabric.

Former Goodison Park midfielder Parkinson is strengthening ties with Everton following his appointment as the college’s Head of Football back in December.

An FA Cup winner with Everton in 1995, Parkinson is responsible for overseeing a number of the college’s high-achieving football teams.

The new role for Parkinson, who has obtained every major coaching badge, also entails overseeing training instruction across multiple sites.

Trials for Everton Football College this year were staged at the Club’s Finch Farm training base, while teams from the college are poised to compete in the illustrious invitation-only Dallas Cup next month.

Parkinson, who manages the college’s national-level Under-17 team, was long coveted by senior staff for the football head post.

He was assistant manager at Hartlepool United for nearly two years until August 2021, leaving after promotion from the Football League last term to end separation from family in the north-west.

“This opportunity is the right thing at the right time, not only because of my own situation but because of the ideas and ambition and potential of the college,” Parkinson told evertonfc.com.

“We really want to move it forwards and create a strong link with Everton, we are part of the Club’s identity.

Learn more about Everton Football College here.

“I was brought in to help develop the coaching on the different sites and strengthen the football side of the college, together with the existing staff, who are brilliant.

“We make sure every individual receives tailored attention, on the training field and in the classroom, and is rewarded for their hard work in both areas.

“If anyone is not doing their schoolwork, they miss training to catch up.

“We underline that education is so important. Whether or not the student is primarily here for the football, they must be fully invested in the schooling.”

Everton Football College marries football with education and is not exclusively limited to those aiming for progress on the playing field.

Students pursuing coaching qualifications recently spent time on the island of Aruba for work experience, with similar overseas opportunities imminent.

Nutrition, football statistics and match analysis are other fields of study.

There is a scholarship programme in the USA, too, with numerous examples of college graduates crossing the Atlantic for further education programmes, which feature football and academia.

The football college, which operates independently of Everton Free School, has four hubs.

There is the multi-purpose facility on Spellow Lane, in the shadow of Goodison.

The Jericho Lane FA Hub houses students who couple football for the college’s ‘performance teams’ with academic Level 3 qualifications.

Female players wed football to sixth-form education at the South Liverpool Simpsons FA Hub, opened in September 2021.

And there is provision for Level 2 and Level 3 study, besides a clear pathway to semi-professional football, at the Ellesmere Port base, which is home to non-league Vauxhall Motors.

“We are here to help every individual reach their full potential and in a football context that might be playing semi-professionally,” said Parkinson, who has coached form the Championship through to the National League, after starting with a position overseeing the Under-9s at Preston North End.

“There are so many different pathways. We provide the football platform, which leads to further opportunities, such as the American scholarships.

“It is our intention to link more closely with the Academy at Everton, to have statisticians or nutritionists from the Club on site to share their knowledge and experience.

“We ensure every player competes at a level corresponding to their ability. Our top teams are very strong and we have sides in national competitions.

 “We have some really talented footballers, who are not quite at Academy level, and it is vital that everything about our football provision is absolutely right.

“I have gained a lot of knowledge playing and coaching through the leagues and can pass that on to the coaches, who are so receptive and want to learn all the time.

“And I am always learning from them. Something different happens every day and it is such a change for me, in respect of managing my expectations of players.

“We are all in it together and work hard for each other, with the ultimate goal of growing the football college and consistently improving the students’ experience.”

Parkinson is a long-standing associate of John Keegan, the college’s Football Coordinator, and Student Experience Manager David James.

The pair pursued Parkinson over a prolonged period. And after jobs with Wigan Athletic, where he was first-team coach in the club’s 2015/16 League One title-winning campaign, Bury, AFC Fylde, Shrewsbury Town and Hartlepool, Parkinson was attracted to a completely different challenge.

Parkinson, a combative midfielder whose technical ability was too easily overlooked outside the boundaries of Goodison during six years with the Club following a transfer from AFC Bournemouth midway through 1993/94, is additionally made up to sport the Everton crest, once more.

“I am still very proud of wearing it and to be seen in the colours,” added Parkinson, who made 107 Everton appearances.

“I love Everton, so to be back in the blue is fantastic.

“The college is a massive part of Everton, the badge is on the staff and students’ uniform, and the Club they are representing is a massive deal.

“I settled in immediately, nobody sees me as a threat, because I am not. We are a team.

“Things weren’t quite right for me [commuting to Hartlepool] and they’ve changed for the better.

“My quality of life is much improved, which is what I wanted, and I am excited about helping the college provide brilliant and valuable experiences for our students.”

Learn more about Everton Football College here.