Former Charlton Athletic and Leyton Orient midfielder, and founder of the educational wellbeing programme Sporting Way, Bradley Pritchard is our first ever guest. Bradley has not only provided personal support in my own battles, but has encouraged me to believe I have the potential to use my experiences and knowledge to make a difference within the professional game. He's the reason this podcast exists.
Bradley had an interesting route into professional football, never being at an academy and only turning professional at the age of 25 after spending the years prior to that in education and non-league football.
We discuss the need for young footballers to be rounded individuals, the identity of the professional football, how rejection was an important factor in his self-development, the mental development he needed to survive in the professional game, the avenues of support that are available for players, and the struggle of retirement.
