New university could be recruiting ground for Peterborough United as parties talk-up partnership

At a recent public meeting John Hill, director of business and skills at the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority - which is leading the university project - told city councillors that Posh co-owners Mr Neale and Stewart ‘Randy’ Thompson were “very keen to integrate with the (proposed) sports science faculty”.

This was subsequently confirmed by Mr Neale who spoke to the Peterborough Telegraph about a potential partnership in the future.

The new technical university is set to open next year by the Embankment with the new sports faculty expected to welcome its first students in 2027. By that time Posh hope to be playing nearby in a new 17,500 seater stadium which will also include function rooms that can be utilised outside of match days.

Mr Neale told the PT that Posh would be keen to partner with ARU Peterborough on its programmes, with space at the stadium such as lecture halls used by students on sporting courses.

He said: “We’re keen to have a strong relationship with the university and the city. When the new stadium happens it will be a significant investment.

“We want to be friendly and cooperative with the university as our neighbour.”

The sports faculty is expected to teach topics such as science, coaching, psychology and analytics.

Asked if students could be employed by Posh after completing their course, Mr Neale replied: “We’re always keen to recruit locally.”

He also confirmed that himself and Mr Thompson would like to use space in the new stadium as a technology incubator.

Explaining what that would mean, Mr Neale continued: “One of the things we would like in the stadium, Stewart and myself, is we’re very keen on early to mid stage tech companies.

“We could have a whole slew of uni-led companies in sports science spinning into our tech accelerator. That would be a great benefit for employment opportunities in the local region.

“It could be everything from a physical building hosting early stage tech companies to mentoring and coaching and potential investment, as well as connections within the wider tech community in wider Cambridgeshire and throughout the UK.

“There is a lot of enthusiasm for it which can benefit Peterborough.”