Football Journeys Podcast

This Bonus Episode is also a bit of an announcement. Fraser is preparing to have open heart surgery and, unsurprisingly, that means he&aposll be out of action for a little while. In this episode he talks to Matt about his condition and the operation. We will most definitely be back but it makes sense, to take a bit of pressure off the recovery, for us to have a rest from the pod.Keep up to date on our social media @journeyspod on Twitter, Instagram and Threads and also on Fraser&aposs @fraserfranks and there will be updates to come.We are so grateful to University Campus of Football Business who we are partnering with for this and future episodes. For more information on UCFB visit their website here - https://www.ucfb.ac.uk/

The campaigner.Troy Townsend&aposs football journey is a remarkable one. From his own dreams of playing as a young boy, supporting his sons with those same aspirations, tragically losing his eldest boy Kurtis and, later, his tireless campaigning for equality. This is an emotional episode and we were so grateful to Troy for sharing with us.We are so grateful, as always, to University Campus of Football Business for their support. This episode was recorded at the University&aposs media facilities at Wembley and the production crew, led by Sam Smith, have edited the episode and our trailer. Special thanks to Sam Smith for this edit. For more information on UCFB visit their website here - https://www.ucfb.ac.uk/

The Officer.In celebration of former guest David Clarke being awarded an OBE in the King&aposs Birthday Honours List we had a Clarkie back on for a quick chat to discuss the honour but also his appointment this year as Chief Executive Officer of Paralympics GB.We are so grateful to University Campus of Football Business who we are partnering with for this and future episodes. For more information on UCFB visit their website here - https://www.ucfb.ac.uk/

The Paralympian.This is the third episode we&aposve badged the Paralympian and, like David Clarke and Jack Rutter before him, we could have given this episode with Martin Sinclair so many different titles.He talks about the "challenge" of his Cerebral Palsy, the tragic experiences that impacted his life but, more than that, the fun and adventure he has had in spite of the challenges. He and his brother Scott are the only brothers to have competed at the same Olympics and Paralympics, at London 2012, and this is just one of a number of uplifting and brilliant stories from this lovely and inspirational man.More information about Martin&aposs new venture, the Disability Football Collective, is on the company&aposs website here - https://www.disabilityfc.org/We are so grateful, as always, to University Campus of Football Business for their support. This episode was recorded at the University&aposs media facilities at Wembley and the production crew, led by Sam Smith, have edited the episode and our trailer. Special thanks to Liam McDonagh for this edit. For more information on UCFB visit their website here - https://www.ucfb.ac.uk/

This is a very personal breakout episode presented by Matt Himsworth about hearing loss and football. Matt speaks to former Watford Women FC player Emma Beckett about her hearing loss caused by a car accident at the age of 19 and he speaks to Claire Stancliffe and Ceara Toal, two members of the England Deaf Women&aposs football team who are raising funds for the team to travel to Malaysia for the 2023 Deaf Women&aposs World Cup.To help the team with fundraising you can do so here: https://www.peoplesfundraising.com/fundraising/england-deaf-womens-football-squad or here: https://gofund.me/403b112dYou can learn more on the team&aposs social media pages (supported by GB Deaf Football) at the links below:Twitter - https://twitter.com/GB_DeafFootballInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/gbdeaffootball/Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/TeamGBDF

The actor.We could have titled this episode so many things but it seems fitting to call Peter, or Mitch, the actor given that his accomplishment, in not even appearing in his school play, to having a regular part in Hollyoaks, sums up the character of the man.Like many Irish lads with footballing talent Mitch came to England as a young boy to follow his dream, securing a professional contract with Leeds United in the process. But in one moment, with a teammate driving erratically, his life changed forever. A car crash resulted in a broken back and the end of his football career. The road to recovery was far from smooth but what he has achieved has been remarkable. From representing Ireland in a Wheelchair Basketball European Championships to appearing in comedy series, Hollyoaks and Coronation Street, the good humour and determination of Mitch stands him out but, most of all, he is a husband and daddy. An extraordinary young man.We are so grateful to University Campus of Football Business who we are partnering with for this and future episodes. For more information on UCFB visit their website here - https://www.ucfb.ac.uk/

The trailblazer.If your boss calls you a trailblazer, why argue? When that boss is Les Ferdinand, it is all the more complimentary. Manisha Tailor earns that tag and then some. As a little girl growing up in a South Asian family in the 1980s opportunities to explore her talent and passion for football were limited. A combination of extraordinary desire, hard work, family love and also those tough challenges that life sometimes puts in our way has seen Manisha do incredible things in football since quitting her job as a primary school head teacher. Ten years on and she is the Assistant Head of Coaching at QPR but she doesn&apost ever rest. She is feverishly trying to pave the way for others to follow and she is a true football polymath and inspiration.We are so grateful to University Campus of Football Business who we are partnering with for this and future episodes. For more information on UCFB visit their website here - https://www.ucfb.ac.uk/

The analyst.As a lad growing up in Merseyside John McGuigan was obsessed with football. Though a decent player, he knew he&aposd never grace Anfield, and so he set off on his journey to work in coaching and analyst. His passion and work ethic saw him work for Manchester City and his beloved Liverpool as well as a short stint with the Ghana national team.He know works in Lincoln, Nebraska for the big players in football analysis Hudl. For anyone who is interested in the world of football analysis and particularly anyone who wants to work in the game, this is a must listen.We are so grateful to University Campus of Football Business who we are partnering with for this and future episodes. For more information on UCFB visit their website here - https://www.ucfb.ac.uk/

The Paralympian.Yep, another one, and what a special lad.Jack Rutter, a Man United mad kid from Gloucester, was at Birmingham City&aposs Academy, close to signing his first pro deal and preparing to play in the Semi Final of the FA Youth Cup, when he was punched at a night club. He fell and hit his head on the curb and suffered serious injuries which looked like they might kill him.With the support of doctors and the strength of his devoted mother Jack came through it but the neurological injuries he suffered ended his dream of playing professional football. He suffered in those early days but the journey he went through since has been sensational. Qualifying to play for England and Team GB&aposs Cerebral Palsy teams he has represented his country at European and World Championships and the Paralympics and he is simply a beacon of positivity.We are so grateful to University Campus of Football Business who we are partnering with for this and future episodes. For more information on UCFB visit their website here - https://www.ucfb.ac.uk/

The double amputee.If ever a title didn&apost do a guest justice it&aposs this one. Shaun Whiter, a talented non-league footballer for Newmarket Town, was hit by a drunk driver in 2016 in an incident which very nearly killed him and robbed him on both his legs.He is honest about the struggles, both mental and physical. which followed but he has not allowed what happened to him to define him. Shaun had to re-learn how to do daily tasks which we all take for granted, most notably walking, but he has proved how limitless human beings can be. Running marathons, huge cycling courses, lifting frightening weights and, most crucially, educating people on the true impact of dangerous driving.There is a danger that we can see Shaun and only be inspired. That would be to rob him of the seriousness of the battle he has faced and always faces. His Swiss Army Knife of prosthetic legs has allowed him to do amazing things but they are hard to operate, the rubs and sores, the mental anguish and grief humans go through when they experience something as life-changing as this, and the extraordinary challenge of learning how to walk around the same time as your baby son does so.We are so proud to present Shaun to our listeners and will be presenting him even more to the world as he seeks to more and more positively influence young people, and particularly young footballers and their high-powered cars, on the true impact of dangerous driving.To see Shaun&aposs amazing resilience visit him on Instagram here - https://www.instagram.com/shaun_whiter/We are so grateful to University Campus of Football Business who we are partnering with for this and future episodes. This episode was recorded at the University&aposs media facilities at Wembley and the production crew, led by Sam Smith, have edited the episode and our trailer. For more information on UCFB visit their website here - https://www.ucfb.ac.uk/

The player.In association with University Campus of Football Business this week we meet a man who was described by our previous guest and colleague Brian McDermott as a leader both on and off the pitch. Affectionately know at Reading, where he is well-loved, as Ledge we spoke to Mikele Leigertwood about his fabulous playing career, the influence of family, the experience of playing for and now managing his mum&aposs home nation of Antigua and Barbuda and about the life lessons he takes from a career spent playing exclusively in the Premier League and Championship (plus a loan at Leyton Orient!).We are so grateful to University Campus of Football Business who we are partnering with for this and future episodes. This episode was recorded at the University&aposs media facilities at Wembley and the production crew, led by Sam Smith, have edited the episode and our trailer. For more information on UCFB visit their website here - https://www.ucfb.ac.uk/

The lawyer.In association with University Campus of Football Business this week we meet a man, David Winnie, who had a hugely successful playing career in Scotland, Iceland and Australia, but it was the end of his playing career and the requirement to re-think his life, his career and his identity, which was so hard. David ultimately started all over again and re-trained as a lawyer but the mental struggles were almost too difficult to bear at one stage.This bright, intelligent and strong man speaks with admirable honesty about the struggles that all players have when their body won&apost let them play at an elite level anymore.We are so grateful to University Campus of Football Business who we are partnering with for this and future episodes. This episode was recorded at the University&aposs media facilities at Wembley and the production crew, led by Sam Smith, have edited the episode and our trailer. This episode was edited by Liam McDonagh. For more information on UCFB visit their website here - https://www.ucfb.ac.uk/

The entrepreneur.This week we speak with Michael Doughty, formerly of QPR, Peterborough and Swindon Town. Michael retired from football aged just 27, not because of injury or lack of opportunity, but because of his passion to create something lasting and sustainable.He launched Hylo Athletics, a more sustainable sports brand, and has gone from strength to strength. We talk about his early years, where his father&aposs business success meant that he was privately educated at Harrow School alongside playing at Chelsea&aposs and then QPR&aposs academies and we talk about the tragic loss of his father, Nigel, when Michael was a young man.For more information about Hylo visit - https://hyloathletics.com/

Released a week early on Patreon.The storyteller.This week broadcaster, actor and Arsenal fan, who is so used to telling other people&aposs stories, tells us his own. Those of a certain generation will naturally associate Tom with his role as Lofty Holloway on Eastenders, and he touches on those experiences as he discusses fame and pressure, but it is football storytelling that is so fascinating. From David Beckham&aposs autobiography, travels with his great friend Tony Adams, celebrity football matches and the spine-tingling Shosholoza in South Africa. Tom&aposs is a life of people asking him to do things and him saying "yes" and it&aposs been a life well-lived so far.This episode has been produced in partnership with our good friends and sponsors at Sports Fusion. Sports Fusion are a tech company who have been supporting the sports industry for many years and we are proud to be associated with them. You can find out more about the company here: https://www.sportsfusion.co.uk/Please do support us on Patreon - patreon.com/footballjourneys. For just £2 a month you can help fund the production of these episodes. You will also get early access to episodes, ad free content and benefits and content that non-Patreons don&apost get.

The manager. We&aposre proud to say that the guest starting us back up after our break is now a member of the B5 Consultancy team.Making his debut for Arsenal aged 17, becoming Sweden’s player of the year at a young age, managing Reading to the Premier League – many would think that Brian’s career was the thing of dreams. But his career was racked by self doubt, anxiety and turning to alcohol as an outlet was the worst decision he made.Now seven years without a drink and in the best mental health space he has ever been Brian is helping so many others through mentoring, advocacy and presenting to clubs, businesses and people across sport and beyond.This episode has been produced in partnership with our good friends and sponsors at Sports Fusion. Sports Fusion are a tech company who have been supporting the sports industry for many years and we are proud to be associated with them. You can find out more about the company here: https://www.sportsfusion.co.uk/Please do support us on Patreon - patreon.com/footballjourneys. For just £2 a month you can help fund the production of these episodes. You will also get early access to episodes, ad free content and benefits and content that non-Patreons don&apost get.

This week we have an update episode. Fraser and Matt chatted, shared recollections, updates and thoughts about guests from across both Series One and Two. We also have some clips, a few short follow up interviews, and a few other little bits and bobs.If you&aposre a keen listener of this podcast then this should be a lot of fun.We are taking a summer break after this episode and we will back after that break with more guests and more pods. If you can support us in the meanwhile then please do we are looking for sponsors, social media shares and promotion and if you can support us on Patreon - patreon.com/footballjourneys that would be hugely appreciated. For just £2 a month you can help fund the production of these episodes. You will also get early access to episodes, ad free content and benefits and content that non-Patreons don&apost get.

The student.This week we meet Rotherham United striker Georgie Kelly. The 25 year old is no ordinary footballer as he combines his time at the New York Stadium with a Master&aposs Degree in Renewable Energy and Finance.We talk to the Donegal lad about his love for Gaelic sports and the benefits of enjoying an array of different sporting pursuits, his educational background and how that has helped him, rather than hindered him, in his football career, and we talk about his time at Bohemians, a very different football club that shares Georgie&aposs passion for sustainability and outward looking mindset.Please do support us on Patreon - patreon.com/footballjourneys. For just £2 a month you can help fund the production of these episodes. You will also get early access to episodes, ad free content and benefits and content that non-Patreons don&apost get.

The sports psychologist.Often the role of a sports psychologist is misunderstood, many believing that it is about a win at all costs mentality but, in actual fact, as Michael says: "they just want someone to talk to".We talk to Michael about his career, from his early days as a wannabe jockey, to running the Professional Jockeys Association, and across the many sports he has worked and, particularly, his work at Brentford FC, where this episode was recorded.Michael talks in glowing terms about his former colleague Rob Rowan, who was sadly lost in 2018 to a fatal cardiomyopathy episode at the age of just 28. Given Rob&aposs legacy it seemed only right that this episode has been produced in partnership with Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY) a charity that Rob&aposs wife Suzanne has worked closely with to raise awareness and save lives. We were so grateful to Suzanne for recording the intro to this episode.You can find out more about CRY&aposs great work, and can support the charity, at their website: https://www.c-r-y.org.uk/ or on social media.Twitter: https://twitter.com/CRY_UKInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/cardiacriskintheyoung/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CardiacRiskintheYoungIf you want to find out more about Michael then visit his website : https://www.justcaulfield.com/ or follow him (and Paisley) on Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheCaulfieldWayPlease do support us on Patreon - patreon.com/footballjourneys. For just £2 a month you can help fund the production of these episodes. You will also get early access to episodes, ad free content and benefits and content that non-Patreons don&apost get.

This is our third breakout episode and it deals with perhaps the most sensitive subject that could be dealt with in the game: suicide.The episode is in partnership with the wonderful charity If U Care Share and, as its founder Matty Smith says, suicide is its own pandemic.The episode is hosted by Leigh, who speaks about her own struggles with suicidal ideation, and she speaks with Matty about losing his brother Dan and the tireless work he and his family do with their charity, particularly within football, which encourages people to share.Leigh and Matty then spoke with Alison Tynan, the mother of talented footballer Zoe Tynan, who was lost in 2016. Zoe had played for Liverpool Feds, Everton and Manchester City. She was the life and soul and a hugely popular teammate. Like Dan, her family will never know why she was lost, and like Dan&aposs family, the Tynan family work passionately to try to help others and to avoid this awful event happening to other families.If you are touched by Alison&aposs story then please do visit the Instagram account for the Zoe Tynan Tournament @thezoetynantournament and to donate or support in any way you can. We have included below links to the charities supported by the event.Finally, we were blessed to speak to Dr Sophie Cook on our LGBT episode and we have featured Sophie on this episode as she talks about her struggles with mental trauma and why the words "Not Today" keep her alive.https://www.ifucareshare.co.uk/https://darbyrimmermnd.co.uk/https://www.instagram.com/thezoetynantournament/https://www.liverpoolfa.com/news/2022/jan/11/zoe-tynan-tournament-returns

The parent."See a man, diligent in his ways, he shall stand before kings ..."Those words from Yinka Tomori, to his son Fikayo, have echoed throughout the young man&aposs life and have seen play, and succeed, with Chelsea, AC Milan and England but, more than that, the words of his father have taught him humility, responsibility and to focus always on being a good man.The pathway towards being a professional footballer is fraught and difficult for the player but also for the parent. There are so many wise words in this episode and many lessons that any parent, with a talented son or daughter, should heed.This is the parent&aposs story ...Please do support us on Patreon - patreon.com/footballjourneys. For just £2 a month you can help fund the production of these episodes. You will also get early access to episodes, ad free content and benefits and content that non-Patreons don&apost get.

We&aposre taking a short break for Easter, so that we can catch up, spend some time with our families, and come back with some exciting pods afterwards. In the meantime, we&aposve got a request.Can you help us? The podcast is a labour of love for us but we do need funds to help the cost of making it.  Please do support us on Patreon - patreon.com/footballjourneys, promote us on social media (@journeyspod), talk to people you think might want to sponsor us or give us a five star review on whatever podcast App you use.  We&aposre giving away a signed copy of Dr Sophie Cook&aposs book Not Today to our Patreon members next month and, for just £2 a month you will also get early access to episodes, ad free content and benefits and content that non-Patreons don&apost get.

The pioneer.Most famously one of West Bromwich Albion&aposs so-called Three Degrees Brendon was part of the Windrush generation who came to the United Kingdom to work and to live but found a country that was often inhospitable and unaccepting. He had never played football when he arrived here but he quickly developed as a talent which resulted in a scholarship at Arsenal and ultimately resulted in him becoming Arsenal&aposs first black player.It&aposs his time at West Brom, and the battles that he, and the much missed Cyrille Regis and Laurie Cunningham, fought that stand him out as a pioneer and a hero to us at B5 Consultancy. He speaks beautifully and modestly about his incredible life experiences and we are honoured to have had him as a guest on the pod.This episode has been produced in partnership with our good friends and sponsors at Sports Fusion. Sports Fusion are a tech company who have been supporting the sports industry for many years and we are proud to be associated with them. You can find out more about the company here: https://www.sportsfusion.co.uk/Please do support us on Patreon - patreon.com/footballjourneys. For just £2 a month you can help fund the production of these episodes. You will also get early access to episodes, ad free content and benefits and content that non-Patreons don&apost get.

This is the second of our breakout episodes dealing with an issue rather than one guest and their football journey. This episode is on LGBT people and how football, particularly men&aposs football, deals with those people.We hear from sports lawyer, and talented amateur footballer, Jamie Feldman who talks about his experiences as a young man, his time playing for Stonewall FC and his work with Rainbow Laces. We also speak to Dr Sophie Cook, a trans woman and former club photographer at AFC Bournemouth who transitioned in 2015 with huge support from the club. Sophie was born Steve and, coincidentally, was at the club at the same time as player Steve Cook, who provides his recollections of the time and his support for Sophie. Finally, we speak to Crystal Palace women&aposs goalkeeper, solicitor and Football Ramble presenter, Chloe Morgan about the lessons learned from the women&aposs game.Please do support us on Patreon - patreon.com/footballjourneys. For just £2 a month you can help fund the production of these episodes. You will also get early access to episodes, ad free content and benefits and content that non-Patreons don&apost get.

The brothers.Imagine having a career in professional football but there&aposs still debate about whether you were the best footballer in your house growing up. The McLaughlin brothers, a charismatic pair from Belfast, know exactly what that feels like. Whilst Ryan grabbed early headlines as a youngster coming through Liverpool&aposs Academy, Conor was the one that ended up going to the Euros with Northern Ireland. The boys talk about the ups and downs of life in the EFL, Ryan&aposs early days at Liverpool, projects off the pitch, representing Northern Ireland together as two Catholic boys and there are plenty of laughs in between.This episode has been produced in partnership with our sponsor, Body Mind Performance. BMP, run by Emily Tillman, is a coaching company focused on helping young athletes with the mental and physical challenges of playing competitive football. For more information about BMP visit:https://www.bodymindperformance.org/ or find them on Instagram: bodymindperformance_Please do support us on Patreon - patreon.com/footballjourneys. For just £2 a month you can help fund the production of these episodes. You will also get early access to episodes, ad free content and benefits and content that non-Patreons don&apost get.

The Paralympian. Who holds the record as the male footballer with the most caps and goals for England? Peter Shilton and Wayne Rooney? Wrong. David Clarke holds both.Born to two Scousers in Wigan, David is a lifelong Red but, having been born with glaucoma he can&apost have imagined that he would ever have been able to emulate his Anfield heroes. However, he perhaps outdid all of them. Winning 144 caps for his country, scoring 128 goals, including 5 Golden Boots at European Championships, as he puts it: "Strangely I think my life has been potentially a lot more rewarding and a lot more enjoyable than it may well have been had I been able to see"It&aposs difficult to argue with that logic when you consider that he&aposs played at several European Championships, helped light the flame at the London Paralympics, presented the FA Cup to Wigan, appeared on Strictly Come Dancing for Sport Relief, coached David Beckham, received a lifetime achievement award from the FA and many more achievements in football and in banking besides.We loved him, and his dog Dennis, and we&aposre sure you will too.For more information on David, or to contact him, visit: davidclarkeblindfootballer.comThis episode is produced in partnership with the RNIB. You can find out more about this wonderful charity, and about what more you can do to support blind and partially sighted people, by visiting their website: https://www.rnib.org.uk/Please do support us on Patreon - patreon.com/footballjourneys. For just £2 a month you can help fund the production of these episodes. You will also get early access to episodes, ad free content and benefits and content that non-Patreons don&apost get.

The Sporting Director. "In 10 years time, every club in England will have a Sporting Director". That was Damien Comolli&aposs view when he was at Tottenham Hotspur and he was not far off. A talented youngster at Monaco, he was though perhaps far off his contemporaries like Emmanuel Petit and Lilian Thuram, and he followed his passion for coaching, training, planning and everything that nowadays goes into the modern Sporting Director role.He talks to us about his remarkable career with Arsène Wenger at Monaco and later Arsenal, then to St Etienne in his native France, as Sporting Director at Spurs, Liverpool and in Turkey with Fenerbahçe and now as President with Toulouse a big club in France seeking to get back to Ligue 1.This episode has been produced in partnership with our sponsor, Kalon Financial.  Kalon is a national financial planning firm with strong connections in sport, and particularly in football. The firm offers guidance and advice to sportsmen and women at all levels and they are passionate about providing support in relation to wealth management, protection insurance and mortgages helping them in both the short and long term.For more information about Kalon visit:https://www.kalonfinancial.com/Please do support us on Patreon - patreon.com/footballjourneys. For just £2 a month you can help fund the production of these episodes. You will also get early access to episodes, ad free content and benefits and content that non-Patreons don&apost get.

The doctor. As a British Pakistani, growing up in Rochdale, there was only one thing drummed into young Zaf by his Dad: education. That work ethic, and education over everything else, meant that he was able to beat a path as a successful doctor but it was the combination of that career with his other passion, football, that brings him to the pod. Spells at Leyton Orient, Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool and now Crystal Palace means that Zaf is one of the most recognisable doctors working in Premier League football.Zaf talks about being a British-Pakistani who loves football, heart conditions and his work in the game.This episode has been produced in partnership with our sponsor, Kalon Financial.  Kalon is a national financial planning firm with strong connections in sport, and particularly in football. The firm offers guidance and advice to sportsmen and women at all levels and they are passionate about providing support in relation to wealth management, protection insurance and mortgages helping them in both the short and long term.For more information about Kalon visit:https://www.kalonfinancial.com/Please do support us on Patreon - patreon.com/footballjourneys. For just £2 a month you can help fund the production of these episodes. You will also get early access to episodes, ad free content and benefits and content that non-Patreons don&apost get.

The survivor. Ashleigh Goddard&aposs is a remarkable story. A supremely talented footballer, all she ever wanted to do was kick a ball. She excelled at Arsenal&aposs famed women&aposs Academy and an idle summer brought her to Wayne Rooney&aposs Street Striker and the exposure that a prime time Sky One tv programme would bring.But it is in her adult years that her story becomes truly remarkable. Having carved out a successful playing career at Reading, London Bees and with FC Nordsjælland and Apollon FC (winning the Danish and Cypriot titles in the process) she returned home to play for Crystal Palace in the Championship. Whilst at Palace she was knocked out during a game. The resulting scan she was sent for by the Palace physio concluded that she had a brain AVM and aneurysm which could burst at any time. She underwent surgery, during the pandemic, and woke to be told that she had had a stroke on the operating table. What reads like a tragic tale is one of hope and determination. She has taught herself how to walk again and is now training with a club with an eye on "the mother of all comebacks". She is truly an inspiration.This episode has been produced in partnership with our sponsor, Body Mind Performance. BMP, run by Emily Tillman, is a coaching company focused on helping young athletes with the mental and physical challenges of playing competitive football. For more information about BMP visit:https://www.bodymindperformance.org/ or find them on Instagram: bodymindperformance_Please do support us on Patreon - patreon.com/footballjourneys. For just £2 a month you can help fund the production of these episodes. You will also get early access to episodes, ad free content and benefits and content that non-Patreons don&apost get.

During the course of this series we intend on breaking away, every now and then, from telling someone&aposs journey and, instead, focusing on an issue that impacts football. This is our first breakout episode - on trolling.The episode is produced in partnership with Slateford Law. For more information about the firm visit their website www.slateford.law.In this episode we start by telling a bit more about Leigh Nicol&aposs story of the horrific abuse she receives as a result of being a victim of intimate image abuse. We then speak with Jess Alden, a brilliant young lawyer at Slateford, who is working with Leigh to take legal action against those who have unlawfully shared her photos and videos and/or trolled her. The importance of taking action, and seeking real-world consequences, is then emphasised by Stan Collymore who talks about the abuse he has received and the action he&aposs taken. Finally, we talk to Isabella Sorley, a young women who, whilst gripped by alcoholism, abused a feminist activist on Twitter and was subsequently sent to jail for 6 weeks. Issy tells us about those dark times but also about her rehabilitation and her move to positivity and education.Please do support us on Patreon - patreon.com/footballjourneys. For just £2 a month you can help fund the production of these episodes. You will also get early access to episodes, ad free content and benefits and content that non-Patreons don&apost get.

The referee. As the civil war raged for years in Somalia a football mad girl, Jawahir, fled with her family to England and, more particularly, to Wembley. In the shadow of that famous stadium she dreamed of only one thing - football - but a Muslim girl in a headscarf isn&apost supposed to play football, is she? This is a girl who won&apost take "no" for an answer and has broken boundaries to become the first female Muslim referee in the UK and she has much more she wants to achieve from here ...This is JJ&aposs story.This episode has been produced in partnership with our sponsor, Body Mind Performance. BMP, run by Emily Tillman, is a coaching company focused on helping young athletes with the mental and physical challenges of playing competitive football. For more information about BMP visit:https://www.bodymindperformance.org/ or find them on Instagram: bodymindperformance_Please do support us on Patreon - patreon.com/footballjourneys. For just £2 a month you can help fund the production of these episodes. You will also get early access to episodes, ad free content and benefits and content that non-Patreons don&apost get.

PART 2 - go and listen to Part 1 first.In partnership with the Revenge Porn Helpline.The co-host. With two football journeys within B5 Consultancy, and inspiring stories at that, it was inevitable that we would feature Leigh Nicol for episode two.As a kid she was known as "the football girl" in her home town of Motherwell and would go on to play for Celtic girls, follow her grandfather&aposs footsteps by representing Scotland and then come south of the border to play at Arsenal&aposs famous girls&apos Academy.She talks about the struggle to even have a team to play for at the higher levels of women&aposs football and also about the dramatic and heart-breaking story of being the victim of intimate image abuse.Please do support us on Patreon - patreon.com/footballjourneys. For just £2 a month you can help fund the production of these episodes. You will also get early access to episodes, ad free content and benefits and content that non-Patreons don&apost get.To support the Revenge Porn Helpline, or for more information, visit https://revengepornhelpline.org.uk/ or find them on social media:Twitter - @RPhelplineInstagram - @rphelplineFacebook - /revengepornhelpline

In partnership with the Revenge Porn Helpline.The co-host. With two football journeys within B5 Consultancy, and inspiring stories at that, it was inevitable that we would feature Leigh Nicol for episode two.As a kid she was known as "the football girl" in her home town of Motherwell and would go on to play for Celtic girls, follow her grandfather&aposs footsteps by representing Scotland and then come south of the border to play at Arsenal&aposs famous girls&apos Academy.She talks about the struggle to even have a team to play for at the higher levels of women&aposs football and also about the dramatic and heart-breaking story of being the victim of intimate image abuse.Please do support us on Patreon - patreon.com/footballjourneys. For just £2 a month you can help fund the production of these episodes. You will also get early access to episodes, ad free content and benefits and content that non-Patreons don&apost get.To support the Revenge Porn Helpline, or for more information, visit https://revengepornhelpline.org.uk/ or find them on social media:Twitter - @RPhelplineInstagram - @rphelplineFacebook - /revengepornhelpline

PART 2 - go and listen to Part 1 first.In partnership with the British Heart Foundation.The host. Getting this guest was a big coup for us .... Fraser&aposs is a story that deserves to be told. It is the ultimate challenge for identity for a football player when your career is taken away from you in an instant.A Battersea boy brought up playing cage football on his estate. His journey took him first to the lush green fields at Cobham with Chelsea and then a scholarship at Brentford. He experienced the tough wake up call of non-league football and then had some great moments in the lower leagues with the likes of Wimbledon, Luton Town, Stevenage and Newport County. It was during his spell in South Wales that he experienced the highest of highs, with an FA Cup triumph against Leicester City and a defeat to Pep Guardiola&aposs Manchester City, and then the unimaginable low only days later when a heart condition ended his playing career.Please do support us on Patreon - patreon.com/footballjourneys. For just £2 a month you can help fund the production of these episodes. You will also get early access to episodes, ad free content and benefits and content that non-Patreons don&apost get.To support the British Heart Foundation, or for more information, visit https://www.bhf.org.uk/ or find them on social media:Twitter - @TheBHFInstagram - @The_BHFFacebook - /bhf

In partnership with the British Heart Foundation.The host. Getting this guest was a big coup for us .... Fraser&aposs is a story that deserves to be told. It is the ultimate challenge for identity for a football player when your career is taken away from you in an instant.A Battersea boy brought up playing cage football on his estate. His journey took him first to the lush green fields at Cobham with Chelsea and then a scholarship at Brentford. He experienced the tough wake up call of non-league football and then had some great moments in the lower leagues with the likes of Wimbledon, Luton Town, Stevenage and Newport County. It was during his spell in South Wales that he experienced the highest of highs, with an FA Cup triumph against Leicester City and a defeat to Pep Guardiola&aposs Manchester City, and then the unimaginable low only days later when a heart condition ended his playing career.Please do support us on Patreon - patreon.com/footballjourneys. For just £2 a month you can help fund the production of these episodes. You will also get early access to episodes, ad free content and benefits and content that non-Patreons don&apost get.To support the British Heart Foundation, or for more information, visit https://www.bhf.org.uk/ or find them on social media:Twitter - @TheBHFInstagram - @The_BHFFacebook - /bhf

We&aposre back!Episode One is out next week but, in the meantime, here is a 10 minute chat between hosts Matt Himsworth and Fraser Franks and our new co-host Leigh Nicol about what we have in store - plus a few little snippets from the series ahead.This series is about identity. We talk to an incredibly diverse group of people who have had different roles and identities in the game of football. Those who have inspired, overcome adversity, supported the stars of the game, striven themselves, suffered heartache, achieved great things, seen incredible moments, there&aposs so much to pick over. We&aposre proud to present these guests and we hope you will love these stories as much as we do.Please do support us on Patreon - patreon.com/footballjourneys. For just £2 a month you can help fund the production of these episodes. You will also get early access to episodes, ad free content and benefits and content that non-Patreons don&apost get.

Now that the season is over, we caught up with three more lads. Pedro Chirivella, fresh from a relegation play off and beating Kylian Mbappe and his PSG teammates, Louis Robles, who came so close to the Welsh championship and Corey Whelan, who had a whirlwind spell at Wigan Athletic and ultimately helped keep them in League One.

Now that the season is drawing to a close, with Sergi Canós chasing promotion to the Premier League with Brentford and Pedro Chirivella fighting relegation from Ligue Un with Nantes, we&aposve been catching up with some of our Series One guests.In this episode we have a chat with Dahrius Waldron about fatherhood and how the pod changed things for him, Adam Anson on all of his work and interests being impacted by Covid-19 but still keeping a positive mindset and then a promotion party with MJ Williams who is back in League One with Bolton Wanderers.

Our fourth bonus episode, recorded via Zoom during the lockdown, is with Dean Hammond.Dean had a successful career, starting at his local club Brighton and Hove Albion, achieving promotions with Southampton and Leicester City and ultimately achieving his lifelong dream of playing in the Premier League. From a review of his Wikipedia page a fan could be forgiven for believing that his footballing career was smooth and always positive but Dean talks brilliantly and honestly about the poor decisions that he and others make, the pressures and mental health anguish that can so often follow a career in top level sport and the cultures in football which make good decision-making difficult.Dean speaks so well and insightfully. This pod is a must listen for those working in football, for young Academy (and first team) players and for those who have an interest in those unseen moments in the industry.This pod is sponsored by ASM Advisory who we are proud to partner up with and so grateful for their support.

Our third bonus episode, recorded via Zoom during the lockdown, is with Scott Davies.It would be tempting to regard Scott&aposs story as a sad one: a super talented young footballer with Reading FC, gripped by an addiction to gambling at a young age, and squandering his chance to play at the top level of English football, however, his is an uplifting tale. He hasn&apost placed a bet since the summer of 2015 and devotes his time now to helping young players understand the huge damage that can be caused by these addictive behaviours, whilst also continuing to play the game he loves semi professionally.This episode is brought to you by Scott&aposs current employers EPIC Risk Management. Working with EPIC Scott travels across the Football League talking to young players and warning them of the dangers of addictive behaviours.Other topics, such as peer pressure and the masculine environment are covered in this illuminating chat, Part 1, of a two Part episode.

Our third bonus episode, recorded via Zoom during the lockdown, is with Scott Davies. This is Part 2 discussing Scott&aposs struggle with an addiction to gambling, the end to his time at Reading FC, his addiction spiralling further out of control and then ... redemption with help from Sporting Chance and his employers at EPIC Risk Management.Hold on to your hats.

This is the second of our bonus episodes, recorded via Zoom during the lockdown. We&aposre delighted to have secured Natasha Dowie, the first (but hopefully not the last) female player we have interviewed.This episode is sponsored by St Mary&aposs University, Twickenham and, particularly, the suite of Football & Performance Analysis programmes. If you are interested in studying at St Mary’s please contact the programme director Tom Hounsell by email - tom.hounsell@stmarys.ac.uk You can find them on Twitter on @StMarysPFC or view the links below for more info:https://www.stmarys.ac.uk/foundation/chelsea-football-coachinghttps://www.stmarys.ac.uk/undergraduate/sports-performance-analysishttps://www.stmarys.ac.uk/postgraduate-courses-london/performance-football-coachinghttps://www.stmarys.ac.uk/postgraduate-courses-london/sports-coachinghttps://www.stmarys.ac.uk/postgraduate-courses-london/performance-analysishttps://www.stmarys.ac.uk/postgraduate-courses-london/rugby-performanceAs a young girl Natasha and her Dad Bob, a real football man, could not have envisaged a career in professional football, let alone one as prestigious as she has experienced. She played with boys as a kid but was soon representing her country as a youngster and playing with grown women for Watford FC at a very young age. Spells with Fulham and Charlton followed before an extraordinary 7 hour round commute to train and play for Everton saw her win the FA Cup and meet the woman who would later become her wife. She won the league and cup double after moving across Merseyside to Liverpool and surely became the first couple, with her wife Becky, to win a domestic double. Her wanderlust commenced with a loan spell in Melbourne and she would then visit the United States with Boston Breakers, back to Melbourne (several times) and loans at Linköping and Vålerenga, before now playing with Italian giants AC Milan.Hers is an inspirational story and there is much for those in both the men&aposs and women&aposs game to learn from hearing her.

This is the first of our bonus episodes, recorded via Zoom during the lockdown, as we prepare for a studio recorded Series Two post-lockdown (hopefully!) .In this episode we met a hugely impressive young man, Ákos Onódi, a 19 year old Hungarian goalkeeper, who had his first taste of men&aposs football with his home town club of Győri ETO FC before he came to England to follow his Premier League dream with Aston Villa. His first team debut at Villa came much earlier than he could have imagined when a Covid-19 outbreak at Bodymoor Heath meant that Villa&aposs u23s had to step in for the first team in an FA Cup 3rd Round tie against Liverpool: Mané, Salah et al. He talks about getting used to English culture and the importance of balance in his life as he studies computing at a high level whilst striving to play in the Premier League and be his country&aposs best goalkeeper.

This is Part 2 of a two part episode. Series One sees us meet Liverpool FC&aposs Academy class of 2013/14. Episode Nine is with Pedro Chirivella. Born and raised near Valencia and from a family which supported Los murciélagos, his move to Liverpool proved controversial at the time and resulted in the teenager, and his family, suffering abuse online and in person. His family gave up much to support his move to England and it has proved a savvy decision. Pedro played a total of 11 games for Liverpool but it has been his success at other clubs, on loan in the Netherlands and then a permanent move to Nantes in France, which has shown his true progress. The incredible bad luck suffered by Pedro, and his philosophical response to it, make for a roller coaster of a journey. Failed transfers saw him sit out football for a season and then an administrative issue with his registration nearly resulted in Liverpool being eliminated from the EFL Cup. Pedro is a credit to LFC, to himself and to his family and we are sure you will enjoy his story.This episode was recorded via Zoom owing to the lockdown. We apologise for any poor quality sound as a result.

This is Part 1 of a two part episode. Part 2 will be released on 4th February 2021. It is available immediately to Patreon subscribers. Go to - www.patreon.com/footballjourneysSeries One sees us meet Liverpool FC&aposs Academy class of 2013/14. Episode Nine is with Pedro Chirivella. Born and raised near Valencia and from a family which supported Los murciélagos, his move to Liverpool proved controversial at the time and resulted in the teenager, and his family, suffering abuse online and in person. His family gave up much to support his move to England and it has proved a savvy decision. Pedro played a total of 11 games for Liverpool but it has been his success at other clubs, on loan in the Netherlands and then a permanent move to Nantes in France, which has shown his true progress. The incredible bad luck suffered by Pedro, and his philosophical response to it, make for a roller coaster of a journey. Failed transfers saw him sit out football for a season and then an administrative issue with his registration nearly resulted in Liverpool being eliminated from the EFL Cup. Pedro is a credit to LFC, to himself and to his family and we are sure you will enjoy his story.This episode was recorded via Zoom owing to the lockdown. We apologise for any poor quality sound as a result.

Series One sees us meet Liverpool FC&aposs Academy class of 2013/14. Episode Eight is with Corey Whelan. A Cheshire boy who grew up a Red, influenced by his Irish father. He captained Liverpool at u23 level and lived his grandad&aposs dream when he pulled on the green of Ireland at u21 level. Loan moves to Yeovil and Crewe saw him get a taste of the harsh realities of men&aposs football. Like so many others leaving Liverpool was tough and a fresh start in the desert in Arizona, which saw him reach one USL Play Off Semi Final and win another, looked like the perfect move but, like so many others, Covid-19 hit him and Corey is now working hard to secure a move back into the Football League.

After 8 episodes and a bonus episode we are having a Christmas break but we will be back strong in the new year with new episodes for Series One and exciting plans for Series Two.So far the whole podcast has been self-funded and advertising free. We are asking listeners and supporters to help out, where you can, by signing up to our Patreon Membership - which will provide ad-free content, early access and other exclusive content and prize draws - and if your company, or anyone you know, would be interested in partnering up with Football Journeys to sponsor us then please do get in touch.Please do continue Liking, Subscribing, Commenting, spreading the word and, if you can give us a 5-star rating, that would be wonderful.We wish you a Merry Christmas and will see you in the new year.

Series One sees us meet Liverpool FC&aposs Academy class of 2013/14. Episode Seven is with Sergi Canos. A prodigious talent signed by Liverpool from Barcelona&aposs world famous La Masia Academy. Sergi talks about settling in to the English culture and language and the remarkable lengths gone to by Team Canos, his parents and sister, in order to give him the opportunity to follow his dream. Whilst he enjoyed his time with Liverpool, it is his love affair with Brentford, which is perhaps the most important time in his narrative and we spoke to him at a time when he was approaching a full recovery from the serious knee injury he suffered during the 2019/20 season. It was a beautiful coincidence that, in the week we have released this pod, he scored a magnificent goal for the Bees in front of returning fans at the club&aposs new stadium. It was an emotional goal and this pod goes some way to explaining the emotion behind it.

Series One sees us meet Liverpool FC&aposs Academy class of 2013/14. Episode Six is with Connor Randall, a local boy who managed 8 first team games for Liverpool FC. He talks brilliantly about the intense pressure that comes with fulfilling the boyhood dream of playing for the Reds, about how it impacted him mentally and how outside influences from social media and fan criticism played a part. A season on loan at Hearts allowed him to showcase his undoubted ability but he was somewhat lost when he was finally released by Liverpool at the age of 23. A "mad move" to Bulgaria followed and he is now back in the Scottish Premiership with Ross County. Connor comes across as wise beyond his years and this episode is a must listen for young footballers and their parents.

Series One sees us meet Liverpool FC&aposs Academy class of 2013/14. Episode Five is about Dahrius Waldron and it is an incredible story. Born and raised in Manchester, Dahrius had a very difficult start in life which football, and particularly the Liverpool FC Academy in Kirkby, took him away from. A special relationship with his "digs" parents whilst at LFC is a particularly rewarding listen. Much of his time at the club was well spent but, as he entered scholarship, he found himself down the pecking order and ultimately had a torrid time as an apprentice. Using LFC&aposs connections he moved to the US to join the College system there but ultimately that would fall down and he found himself back home and drifting (or "roaming" as he puts it). Tragically, he would find himself getting caught up in a fracas outside a nightclub that led to a conviction for affray and, ultimately, a prison sentence. This is, though, an uplifting listen as he now finds himself on an upward curve in football, in work and in his personal life. Strap yourself in for Part 2 of Dahrius&apos story.

Series One sees us meet Liverpool FC&aposs Academy class of 2013/14. Episode Five is about Dahrius Waldron and it is an incredible story. Born and raised in Manchester, Dahrius had a very difficult start in life which football, and particularly the Liverpool FC Academy in Kirkby, took him away from. A special relationship with his "digs" parents whilst at LFC is a particularly rewarding listen. Much of his time at the club was well spent but, as he entered scholarship, he found himself down the pecking order and ultimately had a torrid time as an apprentice. Using LFC&aposs connections he moved to the US to join the College system there but ultimately that would fall down and he found himself back home and drifting (or "roaming" as he puts it). Tragically, he would find himself getting caught up in a fracas outside a nightclub that led to a conviction for affray and, ultimately, a prison sentence. This is, though, an uplifting listen as he now finds himself on an upward curve in football, in work and in his personal life. Strap yourself in for Part 1 of Dahrius&apos story.

A B5 Consultancy podcast, presented by Matt Himsworth and Fraser Franks, telling the untold stories of the beautiful game - the pain, the graft and the rejection. Series One sees us meet Liverpool FC&aposs Academy class of 2013/14. Episode Four is about Jordan Williams, a lad from Bangor, North Wales, who at one stage, having scored a penalty in front of a packed Kop in the League Cup against Middlesbrough, was looking forward to a career at the top of the game and made the Wales squad as his country prepared for the 2016 European Championships. His journey starts though with personal tragedy, having lost his estranged father at the age of 15, his strong single mum&aposs support has been everything to him but together they have battled their own demons, and when he was told, at the age of 21, that his career was over owing to injury, his world was crashing down around him. A miraculous injury in New York, sees him now in his third season with his "new" knee and aiming to get back into the national team and to the top of the game. This episode is such a roller coaster that we had to split it into two parts. This is Part 2.

A B5 Consultancy podcast, presented by Matt Himsworth and Fraser Franks, telling the untold stories of the beautiful game - the pain, the graft and the rejection. Series One sees us meet Liverpool FC&aposs Academy class of 2013/14. Episode Four is about Jordan Williams, a lad from Bangor, North Wales, who at one stage, having scored a penalty in front of a packed Kop in the League Cup against Middlesbrough, was looking forward to a career at the top of the game and made the Wales squad as his country prepared for the 2016 European Championships. His journey starts though with personal tragedy, having lost his estranged father at the age of 15, his strong single mum&aposs support has been everything to him but together they have battled their own demons, and when he was told, at the age of 21, that his career was over owing to injury, his world was crashing down around him. A miraculous injury in New York, sees him now in his third season with his "new" knee and aiming to get back into the national team and to the top of the game. This episode is such a roller coaster that we had to split it into two parts. This is Part 1.

Series One sees us meet Liverpool FC&aposs Academy class of 2013/14. At the halfway point of the series this is a bonus episode. We were hugely grateful to Jamie Carragher, Michael Beale, Conor Coady, Dejan Lovren and John Gibbons of the Anfield Wrap for giving up their time to talk about their views on the journey that young footballers make. From plotting the path of your journey to some of the horrors and pressures of social media, there are some excellent pearls of wisdom which make for a well worthwhile 45 minute bonus episode. We hope you enjoy.

Series One sees us meet Liverpool FC&aposs Academy class of 2013/14. Episode Three is about a lad of mixed heritage, Louis Robles. Part Spanish, part Scouse, he has a brimming confidence that is so typical of goalscorers. He admits that a desire to feel wanted and important is what has driven him throughout his career and he has travelled to different parts of the world to experience that, from Liverpool, to Wigan, to the United States, Spain and now in Wales where he is near the top of the goalscoring charts in the Cymru Premier League.

Series One sees us meet Liverpool FC&aposs Academy class of 2013/14. Episode Two is a lad who has combined off the pitch success with a solid career in the upper reaches of non league football with Southport FC. House DJ, sports science student and director and coach with the Football Performance Academy. The podcast talks to Adam about the realisation that he wasn&apost going to make it at Liverpool, an alternative scholarship with Wigan Athletic and then his alternative pathway once he left the Latics.We also talk to Adam&aposs former coach at Liverpool FC Mick Beale, now a first team coach at Rangers, Jamie Carragher (whose son has also followed an academy path at Wigan having left Liverpool) and we even get a snippet of Adam&aposs single Your Love, released on OneNine Records.

Series One sees us meet Liverpool FC&aposs Academy class of 2013/14 and Episode One is the boy wonder - Jordan Rossiter. Playing in the UEFA Youth League aged just 15 and in the first team by 17, he lived the dream by scoring on his Anfield debut. Injuries, however, have blighted his young career. He is, though, on his way back up following a successful loan at Fleetwood Town from Scottish giants Rangers and has now agreed a permanent deal with the League One club. The podcast is ultimately positive and uplifting as Jordan aims to repay the faith that manager Joey Barton has shown in him. We also hear from others that saw Jordan&aposs journey at Liverpool FC, including Jamie Carragher and Wolves captain Conor Coady.

Matt Himsworth and Fraser Franks discuss a new podcast by B5 Consultancy, Football Journeys. A podcast which tells the untold stories: the pain, the graft and rejection of the beautiful game.