David DUNCAN:
ABERDEEN Academy
In just two years, David has built We Make Footballers Aberdeen into one of the fastest growing academies in the network - coaching over 500 players, converting half of all trialists and renewing around 83% of families each season.
From side project to full time football business
When David first opened We Make Footballers Aberdeen in mid 2023, it started as a side project alongside his full time job. He saw a gap for fun, structured football coaching in the city - something that would welcome complete beginners as well as support ambitious young players who wanted a clear pathway into teams and academies.
Demand grew quickly. Word spread through schools, local clubs and parents sharing recommendations. Within 24 months the academy became the first franchise outside of head office to officially hit 500 registered players - an internal benchmark for what is possible with the model when the right person leads it.
By early 2025 David made the decision to step away from his previous career and run Aberdeen as an owner-operator business. Going full time meant he could spend more hours on the pitch, more time developing his coaching team and more energy on building deeper links across the city.
Today, We Make Footballers Aberdeen coaches over 500 boys and girls each week across training, camps and school sessions, with a 50% trial to booking conversion rate and renewal rates around 83%.
From first venue to 500+ players
We Make Footballers Aberdeen offers weekly group sessions, holiday camps, 1-on-1 training, birthday parties and school coaching for boys and girls aged 4–13. David has grown the academy by investing heavily in his coaching team, providing regular CPD and setting clear standards for how every session should look and feel, while creating a warm, welcoming culture at each centre so new trialists settle in quickly.
He stays fully engaged with the local community – from schools and grassroots clubs to word of mouth among parents – and markets consistently, closing deals quickly when trial enquiries come in so families are never left waiting for information. By providing clear pathways from first kicks at age 4 through to local grassroots teams and, for the most committed, academy opportunities, he has built an academy that not only attracts a high volume of new players but keeps them, with one in two trialists becoming weekly members and around 83% of players renewing their memberships each season.
Measuring success beyond the numbers
Every player in Aberdeen has their own story - but a few headline stats show just how far the academy has come in a short space of time.
ACTIVE STUDENTS
Average renewal rate
Franchise to 500 players
Trialist conversion
How David built his football coaching franchise
early 2023
David opens We Make Footballers Aberdeen while still working full time, starting with a small number of sessions and a handful of venues around the city
Late 2023
Positive word of mouth spreads among parents. Trial lists grow, camps begin to sell out and early Trustpilot reviews highlight the quality of coaching and how much the children enjoy sessions.
2024
David broadens his coaching team, putting strong emphasis on training, consistency and culture. Temporary WhatsApp camp groups, regular photo updates and direct communication with parents help create a tight knit community feel around the academy.
Early 2025
With numbers climbing rapidly, David leaves his previous job to run We Make Footballers Aberdeen full time, allowing him to dedicate all his attention to the business, his coaches and the players.
Mid 2025
Aberdeen becomes the first franchise outside head office to officially reach 500 registered players in under 24 months - a landmark moment for the academy and a new benchmark for the wider network.
2026
With 509 students, a 50% trial conversion and 83% renewal rate, David is continuing to expand carefully across the city, filling remaining spaces while keeping standards on and off the pitch as high as ever.
A day in the life of a football coach
As an owner-operator, David splits his time between running the business and leading from the front on the pitch.
Planning, people and parents
Mornings and early afternoons are usually spent on planning and communication. David checks new trial requests and renewals, allocates players to the right age groups and makes sure each centre has the coaching cover and equipment it needs. He speaks regularly with parents, answering questions and checking in on how their children are getting on. Camp weeks also mean setting up dedicated WhatsApp groups and preparing content to share with families each day.
Sessions, camps and community
By late afternoon he is out at venues greeting players and parents. Sessions are high energy and tightly organised, with a focus on ball mastery, 1v1s and small sided games. During camps he and his team capture short clips and photos to share with parents, helping them feel part of the experience. At the end of the day he reviews which players stood out, follows up with trialists and responds to any thank you messages - often inviting happy parents to leave a review so more families in Aberdeen can discover the academy.
“Parents are trusting us with the most important thing in their lives, so I want them to feel completely involved in what we are doing. If they can see the sessions, hear about their child’s progress and know we genuinely care, everything else - the numbers, the reviews, the growth - follows from that.”
Aberdeen Franchise
Ready to start your football coaching adventure?
David’s story shows what can happen when you fully commit to your local area, your coaching team and your families. With a proven system behind you and strong support from head office, a We Make Footballers franchise gives you the tools to build a sustainable academy in your own community.
