CLUB NEWS
Academy pathway in focus as Rugby Borough launch U21s recruitment drive
8th February 2026
Rugby Borough Women are continuing to strengthen their long-term vision off the pitch, with the club launching a recruitment drive for their Under-21s development side as part of a wider focus on pathway progression and sustainable growth.
The initiative comes at a positive point in the season for the development programme, with several young players already stepping up into first-team environments and the U21s competing strongly in a challenging league structure. At the centre of that work is Billy Osborne, who joined the club in the summer to lead the U21s and oversee the next stage of player development.
Osborne arrived at Rugby Borough following a spell with Leicester City, bringing with him experience across multiple levels of the women’s game. His journey has included time as a scholar at Rugby Borough in his early years, management roles within development teams at Liverpool Feds and Bedworth United, and academic study in sports coaching.
Since stepping into his role, Osborne has worked closely within the club’s wider structure to ensure the development side aligns with first-team ambitions, with a clear focus on preparing players to step up when opportunities arise.
Highlighting how that process works in practice, Osborne expanded on how the pathway is central to the club’s wider recruitment and development strategy.
"We monitor them closely in training and from a day-to-day perspective. Performances are really key, and we have a process of IDPs ( Individual Development Plans), so we constantly monitor progress and see where they’re at in terms of support and their needs. At the moment, we’re really proud to be in a position where the majority of our squad have at least had the opportunity to train with the first-team. With a number of those players now training regularly too. So to be able to have players like Izzy that have come from our pathway and stepping up into that environment is great, and especially with Eva and Tate making first-team debuts- that’s a big moment of pride for our pathway. Just looking at our U18s too, it's really important that the period of transition is there and we’ve got players stepping up from our U18s and we’re hoping that filters through the club. It’s also a credit to the other coaches involved in the pathway.”
Highlighting the scope of his role, Osborne also detailed the aims of the U21s setup and its place within the club.
“Mainly, I work alongside Siân in terms of guideline pathway, so it’s about setting a project out that facilitates the development of our U21s side. The aim for me is to try and promote as many as possible to the first team as we can. We want to develop them to play at the highest level of football possible. From a performance aspect, it's a real goal to produce a team that on a performance level, can deliver the same level that our first team does. So high ambitions, which we’re working incredibly hard to achieve. In terms of day-to-day, it's a mixture of everything. I’m very fortunate to have a really good support team, so I will be liaising with coaches and assistant coaches regarding training plans. There will also be communication with the medical team to keep an eye on how players are progressing with their injuries. Not just looking at the technical aspects of player development, but also from a tactical perspective, preparing for game performance and the weekend fixtures and also plenty of admin.”
On the pitch, the U21s have been competing in a demanding National Reserve League setup, with the campaign split into phases that have tested both performance levels and squad depth. Results in the opening part of the season provided encouraging signs, with strong displays against sides such as QPR and Maidenhead, before Osborne’s side progressed into the Championship division after Christmas.
While the results have been mixed, performances have shown clear development, particularly in how the team has implemented the club’s identity and playing principles in competitive fixtures.
That progress has translated into tangible pathway success, with several players now gaining exposure to the first-team environment.
The U21s manager outlined the aims of the recruitment initiative.
“Essentially, we’re just looking to add a bit of depth. We want to continue to drive the project forward. We want to recruit players with ambition; young players are always very welcome. My team is a very young team for an Under-21s side. In terms of our pathway and first-team motto, if you're good enough, you’re old enough. We want those players with a real top ambition to come to the club, so we can develop them and really try to push them into that first-team and that’s the ambition really.”
Looking ahead to the remainder of the campaign and beyond, the focus remains on creating consistent opportunities for young players to progress, with flexibility built into the pathway to support development at higher levels of the women’s game.
Osborne sheds light on the potential opportunities this season and next for current U21 players to step up into the senior setup
“Absolutely, you’ve started to see some of these players break through, and our aim is to obviously get players in there consistently, getting these minutes and opportunities. I feel like we’re at a point where we can push for that. What also probably helps is the fact that our U21s season is quite short, so as we approach the second half of our season now, we’re going to have players getting opportunities in the first team. We’ll have players dual-registered at higher levels, where they can go out and get higher experience in the women’s game. So, we’re looking very closely at that, and that’s what we are really driving towards.”
As Rugby Borough continue to build from the ground up, the academy recruitment drive represents another step in reinforcing a pathway designed to deliver both immediate impact and long-term success.
