Maven backs digital football platform

Glasgow-based investment house Maven Capital Partners, alongside a consortium of investors led by ex-England football international, Danny Mills, have invested £775,000 in digital the football platform provider, The Coaching Manual.

The Manchester headquartered company, which has been specifically designed to help coaches and players deliver professional football coaching content, was founded by brothers Terry and Chris Barton who identified the lack of expertly curated and accessible football coaching material to players, coaches and parents in grassroots football.

The company set out to transform the way coaching is delivered by producing an interactive, digital platform using cutting-edge software tools to help deliver its best-in-class coaching material developed alongside world-renowned football academies.

Its innovative product offering has proven successful in the UK through all levels of coaching from grassroots to elite level and it has been adopted by a number of leading Premier League and Championship clubs.

NPIF Maven Equity Finance, which is part of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund, and managed by Maven, will support the business in growing its brand in the US market where it has already been endorsed by a number of state associations and multi-state football clubs. The business is also in advanced talks across the UK with a large number of football clubs and football associations.

Dave Furlong, investment director at Maven, said: “We are delighted to have this opportunity to back The Coaching Manual, and are excited by the wide range of opportunities that stand before the business. The Barton’s have built a truly differentiated platform, thoroughly addressing the needs of coaches and players alike across the growing global football community. We look forward to working with the team, together with the incoming private investors, towards achieving the company’s goals.”

Terry Barton, co-founder of The Coaching Manual, said: “The management team is delighted to announce that the investment into The Coaching Manual has completed. This gives us the ability to deliver incredible coach education across multiple digital platforms. The backing and Investment from Maven and especially Danny Mills, with his industry knowledge, further validates the opportunity that we have in front of us to make football better globally.”