The 4-Week Transition Programme

"Sam has been part of the education team at Sporting Chance for a couple of years, delivering workshops to players on coping mechanisms and addiction, hitting home to scholars that what they do away from the club can have a significant impact on their wellbeing and also their chances of progressing. Sam is a rare find in our world - emotionally literate, empathetic, a fantastic communicator, always looking to soak up information and ideas and weave this into his delivery. I cannot speak highly enough of him, someone who understands the pitfalls of academy and first team football and gets this across to young players in a way few others can.."

"As a player at the club, Sam was in a unique position to identify and support some of our young players who had long term injuries. The lads now had someone who they could relate to, not because he was telling them that things would be Ok, but he was the evidence that they would. Sam brought his lived experience to reassure and offer some guidance to our young players. He understood the role he played in communicating across departments and kept everyone in the loop. Quietly enabling players to develop their own strategies to cope with what faced them.."

"Sam’s enthusiasm and dedication to ensuring the next generation of young footballers have a positive role model was clearly evident to me upon our first meeting. As club captain at Carlisle, Sam actively sought out an opportunity to give up a number of afternoons to assist my delivery of the Personal Development sessions I lead with the youth team squad at the club. Having Sam’s presence in the room clearly amplified the learning environment amongst the youth team players who were not only grateful but also inspired to have the club captain take such a keen interest in their development and share anecdotes from his own career. I have no doubt Sam’s experience, knowledge and above all, desire to make a difference to young players, will only be of a benefit to the future of the game. .”

"Sam's helped me view my injury from a different perspective and has helped me focus on the things I can control rather than the negatives that aren’t. Sam gave me simple but effective tools which I have already been using for several weeks, one of them being to make 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. I’m much more hopeful for the future whatever happens over the next few years and I can only thank Sam for this. I’d definitely recommend Beyond The Pitch to any player.”