The Football Mental Health Alliance

Grassroots football talks often about protecting young players. It should. But one question is still too easy to avoid: who is supporting the adults who support the children? In this episode, the Football Mental Health Alliance looks at the emotional labour carried by volunteer coaches. The late-night parent messages. The selection complaints. The WhatsApp pressure. The safeguarding worries. The q...

Grassroots football can be emotional. Parents care deeply, coaches invest huge amounts of time, and young players bring their own needs, pressures and personalities into every session and matchday. This episode explores why supporting parents, carers and guardians matters just as much as supporting players and coaches. When parents feel able to speak openly about their child’s needs, and about the...

Every weekend, I watch the same scenario unfold. A young referee – 15, maybe 16 years old – walks onto the pitch. Recently trained, nervous as hell, giving up their weekends so your child can play football. They’re hesitant with decisions. They don’t blow the whistle with confidence. They go with the shout because they’re still learning what match control actually feels like. And you, standing on...

The Equality Act 2010 has been law for fifteen years. Most grassroots clubs still don’t understand their obligations. Here’s what you need to know. What the Law Actually Says Under the Equality Act, clubs have a legal duty to make reasonable adjustments for disabled players. Neurodivergence can be considered a disability. ADHD, autism, dyslexia, dyspraxia, anxiety disorders – all can qualify. You...

You’re seeing it more and more. Players who “won’t listen.” Kids who “act out.” Behaviour that disrupts sessions. Coaches are frustrated. Parents/carers/guardians are defensive. Everyone’s stuck. Here’s what’s actually happening. Mentioned in this episode: The Football Mental Health Alliance Neurodiversity, Mental Health & Safeguarding Academy The only ongoing support system that gives coaches, we...

Most clubs are one complaint away from a serious problem. Not because they’re doing anything malicious. But because they can’t  prove  they’ve done anything at all. Here’s the document that protects you. Mentioned in this episode: The Football Mental Health Alliance Neurodiversity, Mental Health & Safeguarding Academy The only ongoing support system that gives coaches, welfare officers,...

The game is changing. Parents/carers/guardians (PCGs) are educating themselves. And clubs aren’t keeping up. Here’s what’s coming. What PCGs Are Searching For Google Trends tells a clear story. Searches for “reasonable adjustments grassroots football” are climbing. “Equality Act youth sports” – rising. “Neurodiversity discrimination” – rising. “Can my child be excluded from football for behaviour”...

You’ve got a question. A challenge. A situation you don’t know how to handle. So where do you go? Facebook groups. Thousands of them. Tens of thousands of members. And within three replies, Dave shows up. Where Grassroots Football is Going For Help When you need advice, the options are limited. There’s no ongoing support system. The one-off training you did six months ago didn’t cover this specifi...

Grassroots football clubs are struggling. Coaches work in isolation. Welfare officers lack ongoing support. Parents feel frustrated and helpless. And despite good intentions, one-off e-learning courses and workshops aren't creating the lasting change clubs desperately need. In this episode, we explore the critical gaps in how grassroots football currently approaches neurodiversity, mental health a...

Fellow referees, let’s be brutally honest about what’s happening to us. You know the routine. Another weekend, another match where you’ll be screamed at, questioned, insulted and quite possibly threatened. You’ll drive home alone, replaying every decision, wondering if you made the right calls, and asking yourself why you put up with this treatment for what amounts to pocket change and a genuine l...

Meet Dr Fleur-Michelle Coiffait: clinical psychologist, founder and advocate for neurodiversity. With nearly two decades of experience, Fleur has worked across the NHS, private, and charitable sectors, specialising in autism, ADHD, and learning differences. She’s also neurodivergent herself and a parent to a neurodivergent child, bringing both professional expertise and lived experience to her wor...

In grassroots football, there’s a troubling paradox that can affect coaches’ mental health. The coaches who follow best practices – those focusing on player development, long-term growth and enjoyment over immediate results – often face more criticism and pressure from parents/carers/guardians (PCGs) than those who prioritise winning at all costs. This creates a mental health challenge that’s rare...

From pressure to performance: Match day brings a unique energy to grassroots football. The anticipation, excitement, and yes - the pressure- can create a perfect storm of emotions for players, parents/carers/guardians (PCGs), coaches and spectators alike. Learning to navigate match day mentally isn't about eliminating these feelings; it's about channelling them in ways that enhance rather than hin...

If you're listening to this as a football official, you already know what others might not fully understand: officiating is one of the most mentally challenging roles in grassroots football. You make split-second decisions under intense scrutiny, manage conflict between emotional participants and maintain fairness while facing criticism from multiple directions.

Football is full of goals – scoring them, preventing them, celebrating them. Here's a different type of goal that can boost mental wellbeing for everyone in your football community: The Kindness Goal. Research shows that acts of kindness don't just help the receiver – they actually boost the mental health and happiness of the person giving. In football, where emotions run high and pressure can bui...

"All Footballers Experience: Anxiety" transforms how we teach children about mental health through storytelling and trust. Following young Newcastle fan Jude's magical journey, readers meet their heroes in a new light - not as untouchable superstars, but as understanding mentors who share their own experiences with anxiety. Through Anthony Gordon's guidance, with help from Bruno Guimarães, Joelint...

What Actually Is Mental Health? When you hear “mental health,” what comes to mind? If you’re picturing someone having a complete breakdown on the touchline or a player who can’t cope with pressure, you’re not alone – but you’re also missing the bigger picture. Mental health isn’t just about mental illness, and it definitely isn’t just about feeling down after a defeat. Think of mental health like...

We've all been there. You wake up and everything just feels... off. Maybe you've got a work deadline looming, your family is getting on your nerves, household responsibilities are piling up, or you're just having one of those days where your brain seems determined to focus on everything that's going wrong. Some days, even getting out of bed feels like climbing a mountain. You don't need hours of f...

Let's get one thing straight: we're not about to tell you to "just be grateful" when you're struggling, or suggest that positive thinking can solve all your problems. That's not what gratitude practice is about, and frankly, that kind of advice can be pretty unhelpful when you're dealing with real challenges.

This episode draws on the expertise of our comprehensive training course designed for coaches, players, referees, parents/carers, and volunteers - Understanding Neurodiversity in Grassroots Football. In this episode, we delve into what neurodiversity means – the different ways the brain can work and interpret information, highlighting that people think differently and have varied interests and mot...

In this episode, Danny sits down with Jennie Smith, Director of Safeguarding Today to explore the crucial role of safeguarding in football, from grassroots to the professional game. Jennie shares insights from her extensive experience, including her background as a criminal barrister and prosecutor, and her work leading safeguarding education for the English Football League (EFL). Key discussion p...

This story was found on Reddit and highlights how the suppression of authentic emotional expression in neurodivergent youth doesn't simply fade away - it evolves into profound communication barriers in adulthood. When children, particularly those with autism, are consistently taught that their natural expressions of joy or excitement are "too much," they develop sophisticated masking techniques th...

As a grassroots football coach, I've seen how Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria (RSD) can significantly impact players with ADHD.

Mistakes are inevitable in football. Whether it's a misplaced pass, a missed tackle or a squandered scoring opportunity, how players respond to these moments can define their performance.

Living with ADHD feels like life is on hard mode. It's as if my brain is ruled by a never-ending pursuit of dopamine - always chasing that next hit of excitement, stimulation, or novelty.