"I can’t thank Sam enough for helping me through this period of my life. Sam was someone I found particularly easy to talk to because he understands what it’s like to be a footballer and the pressure you can put on yourself. He introduced me to techniques to manage my thoughts and emotions, and knowing that he had experienced similar setbacks throughout his own career made a real difference. I also felt more comfortable opening up to him because he wasn’t a member of staff.I was out walking on my own, experiencing thoughts that I recognised weren’t healthy so I contacted Sam and he helped me better than I think anyone could have. He became the safety net I needed during a time when I was feeling particularly low. I have never once felt pressured to message him and he has always communicated with me honestly and openly. From the very first day I reached out to BTP, I have noticed significant improvements in my mood, mindset and the way I deal with setbacks and difficult days."

"Sam is a highly-experienced individual from a high performance environment and he has been committed to sharing his experiences to the next generation. Having known Sam for over a decade, he has continually sought out opportunities to further his development beyond his role as a professional footballer and he articulates how these moments have contributed to him growing as a player and a person. As an academy player he took on additional education and maximised his opportunities alongside his pursuit of a professional football career. The colourful and rich experiences he has had throughout his career to date provide the platform for him to connect and relate with young people, and he has taken steps to ensure he is not only inspirational but can be transformational for the people he is working with. There is a clear desire from Sam to have as much impact as he possibly can with the young people he works with, meeting them in a place they can relate ."

“Sam's helped me look at my injury from a different perspective and focus on things that are in my control, rather than the negatives that aren’t. He gave me simple but effective tools which I have already been using, one of them being to make a list of things in my life that make me feel positive. From this, I’ve already started my new hobby of cooking and realised that simply spending time with my friends & family helps me to detach my thoughts from football in a positive way. Things like this have helped me realise that football is only one part of my identity and actually increased my motivation when I’m at training. Since starting with Beyond The Pitch I feel so much more prepared if there was any more setbacks as I’d know how to deal with them. It’s amazing to have someone who can relate to your injury and the difficulties it brings and I’ve already started to see how this mindset can take me further than just scholar life.