October Half Term Football Is Back at MGFA!

October half term is on the way, and for young players who would happily spend every day with a football at their feet, we’ve got five days of football waiting for them.

The MGFA October Half Term Football Course takes place from Monday 26th to Friday 30th October 2026 at Eastbourne Sports Complex in Darlington.

Open to boys and girls aged 5–14, our holiday courses are all about giving young players the opportunity to play, learn, improve and, most importantly, enjoy their football.

Five Days Doing What They Love

School holidays can be a long week when you have a football-mad youngster at home!

That’s why our holiday courses are designed to keep players active and engaged throughout the day. There’ll be plenty of time on the ball, with coaching, skills, challenges, competitions, small-sided games and matches forming part of the week.

Players don't need to be at a particular level to take part. Some will already play regularly for teams, while others may simply enjoy football and want more opportunities to play.

What matters to us is creating an environment where everyone can get involved, challenge themselves and enjoy being on the pitch.

Learn, Play and Develop

While having fun is a huge part of our holiday courses, there's plenty of football development happening along the way.

Working with UEFA-qualified coaches, young players will be encouraged to improve their technique, decision-making, movement and understanding of the game.

They'll get plenty of touches of the ball and opportunities to practise different skills before putting them into action during games and challenges.

Football development isn't something that happens overnight. It comes from playing, practising, trying things, making mistakes and going again.

A week like this gives young players plenty of opportunities to do exactly that.

Confidence, Friends and Football

Some of the biggest benefits of a football course aren't necessarily the ones you can measure.

Walking onto the pitch on the first morning, meeting new people, joining a team, communicating with other players and having the confidence to try something new are all valuable experiences.

By the end of the week, we want players to leave having enjoyed plenty of football, learned something new and created some brilliant memories along the way.

October Half Term Course Details

⚽ Monday 26th – Friday 30th October 2026 📍 Eastbourne Sports Complex, Darlington 👟 Ages 5–14 years old ⏰ 10:00am – 3:00pm daily 💷 £40 for the full week or £10 per day 🚌 Transport available from Newton Aycliffe

Players can attend for individual days or join us for the entire week.

Make Football Part of Their Half Term

Five days away from school. Five days to get outside, get on the ball and enjoy playing football.

Whether they're looking to develop their game, build their confidence, meet other young players or simply spend half term doing something they love, we'd love to welcome them to MGFA.

October half term. Loads of football. Plenty of opportunities to play, learn and improve. ⚽

Places are available now. Get in touch with Martin Gray Football Academy to book your child's place.