Shitu Miah Named Oldham Athletic Community Trust’s Premier League Community Captain

Oldham Athletic Community Trust (OACT) is proud to announce Shitu Miah as its Premier League Community Captain, recognising his inspirational journey through the Trust’s long-running Premier League Kicks programme.

The Community Captain award celebrates individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to community projects supported by the Premier League, highlighting the powerful impact football can have beyond the pitch.

For Shitu, the recognition marks a full-circle moment in a journey that began nearly two decades ago.

 

Shitu first attended Premier League Kicks sessions over 18 years ago as a young participant, where the programme provided a safe and positive environment to spend his time and helped steer him away from negative influences.

As his involvement grew, Shitu began volunteering at sessions and quickly developed a passion for helping others. Through his commitment and dedication, he was supported by Oldham Athletic to complete his FA Level 1 coaching qualification, which OACT funded as part of his volunteering pathway.

After successfully completing the qualification, Shitu was offered the opportunity to begin working with Oldham Athletic Community Trust, delivering sessions on the very programme that had supported him as a young person.

Since then, he has continued to develop both personally and professionally, gaining further qualifications including Basketball Level 1, Handball Level 1, Youth Work Level 1 and FA Level 2 coaching.

Despite progressing within the organisation, Shitu has always remained closely connected to the Kicks sessions that helped shape his journey, continuing to engage with the programme and support the next generation of young people attending sessions across the borough.

The opportunities created through the programme have even taken him beyond Oldham, including a memorable opportunity to coach internationally in Qatar, representing a major milestone in his coaching career.

Reflecting on his journey, Shitu said the programme played a defining role in his life.

“My journey with Kicks began when I was a young participant. From the start it gave me a safe place to go, something positive to be part of and helped keep me away from situations that could have led me down the wrong path.

As I got more involved, I began volunteering and was encouraged to take my FA Level 1 coaching qualification, which Oldham Athletic supported. That opportunity eventually led to me working for the Community Trust and delivering sessions myself.

Looking back, Kicks played a huge role in shaping my life. It gave me direction, support and opportunities I never imagined possible, including the chance to coach internationally in Qatar.

Without Kicks, my journey could have been very different. The programme gave me purpose, opportunity and belief, and I’m proud to now support young people in the same way I was supported.”

 

Martin Vose, Head of Community at Oldham Athletic Community Trust, said Shitu’s story perfectly reflects the impact of Premier League Kicks.

“Shitu was a natural choice for this recognition. His journey through our Kicks programme is genuinely inspirational.

He first joined the sessions as a young participant and has gone on to volunteer, gain qualifications and build a career in sport and coaching. That pathway shows exactly what programmes like Kicks are designed to do.

At its heart, Kicks is about inspiring young people, giving them positive opportunities and helping them believe in what they can achieve. Shitu’s story is a brilliant example of that impact in action.”

The Premier League Community Captain award forms part of the Premier League’s More Than A Game campaign, celebrating individuals who have made a meaningful difference through football-led community programmes.

For Oldham Athletic Community Trust, Shitu’s journey highlights exactly what these programmes aim to achieve: creating opportunities, inspiring ambition and supporting young people to build positive futures.