Free Foresters Academy
The club remains committed to playing 'friendly' cricket at the highest possible level. We are keen to find new challenging opponents and recruit top young players. With this in mind, in 2008 we launched the FF Academy, whose founding Hon Patron was the late Christopher Martin-Jenkins MBE.
In early July 2009, the FF ran a second Academy Festival - a round robin U25 competition between the FF Academy, Young Holland, Ireland U19 and Combined Services. Ireland won and FF were runners up.
Since 2010, the FF Academy has played in Home Minor Counties U25 competitions (against Oxon, Herts, Bucks and Beds) in a mixture of two-day, T20 and three-day fixtures, winning the trophies on a number of occasions including doing the double in 2012 .
The FF Academy in 2013 - winners of the double
A glorious 2013 for the Academy. The double!
We are delighted that to date, during its seven years of existence, the Club has had over 70 young players represent the FF Academy. Not only have most gone on to become full members of the club, in 2015, 20 of our fixtures are match managed by FF Academicians. This is excellent news as Match Managers are part of the essential fabric of the Club!
Pre-match warm-up: It's just not cricket!
In 2025 we have a full programme of Academy fixtures. Members are encouraged to support these games.
- Tues 29th April v RAF at Vine Lane (T20)
- Tues 13th May v Army Development at Aldershot (T20)
- Thurs 15th May v Royal Navy at Burnaby Rd, Portsmouth (T20)
- Tues 20th May v Repton School
- Fri 23rd May v Eton College (T20)
- Wed 11th June v RAF Development at Vine Lane (T20)
- Tues 19th August v Club Cricket Conference u25s at Potters Bar CC
- Thurs 18th September v De Flamingos (Holland) TBC
In the pub afterwards! Academician Tom Deasy celebrating with the Tom Orford Trophy.
Ben Jeffery, Academy captain, holding the Tom Orford trophy in 2011, presented at Radley at a one-day game a week later vs Herts
- Free Foresters Academy
- Free Foresters on Tour
- Free Foresters Women