Key Stakeholders’ Perspectives on the Sports Science and Medicine Resources and Practices in English Non-League Male Football

Jackson, Daniel T. and Blagrove, Richard C. and Thain, Peter K. and Weldon, Anthony and Kelly, Adam L. (2025) Key Stakeholders’ Perspectives on the Sports Science and Medicine Resources and Practices in English Non-League Male Football. Applied Sciences, 15 (3). p. 1050. ISSN 2076-3417

Preview

Text
applsci-15-01050-v2.pdf - Published Version
Available under License Creative Commons Attribution.
Download (928kB)

Official URL: https://doi.org/10.3390/app15031050

Abstract

Background: Sports science and medicine (SSM) is integral to professional football clubs. The level below professional football in England, ‘non-league football’ (NLF), consists of full-time and part-time clubs. The existing literature has exclusively focused on SSM in professional football, with the resources and practices in NLF currently unknown. Therefore, this study explored the SSM resources and practices within NLF by investigating the perspectives of key stakeholders working within NLF coaching and SSM disciplines. Methods: Fifty participants (coaching practitioners [n = 25] and SSM practitioners [n = 25]) from NLF clubs completed an anonymous online survey comprising 31 multiple-choice and Likert-scale questions, alongside optional open-ended comments. Results: Support was mixed for SSM evidence-based practices across clubs in Tiers 5–10 within the National League System. The most common SSM resources were the training ground (n = 39), resistance training equipment (n = 15), and rehabilitation area (n = 13). Fitness testing was frequent (86%) pre-season but rare end-of-season (8%). Workload monitoring primarily consisted of the session duration (80%) and time–motion data (36%). Performance analysis of competitive matches commonly used video (74%) or post-match technical analysis (40%). Injury monitoring generally occurred ‘always’ (44%) or ‘sometimes’ (28%). Nutritional support on match days was mostly fluids (80%), with ‘no support’ reported most outside match days (54%). Conclusions: The SSM resources and practices vary considerably within NLF, influenced by individual club constraints and barriers, including financial support, access to facilities, and equipment availability. These findings may inform future SSM provisions in NLF to enhance team performances and player availability.

Item Type:	Article
Identification Number:	10.3390/app15031050
Dates:	Date Event 18 January 2025 Accepted 21 January 2025 Published Online
Uncontrolled Keywords:	soccer, semi-professional, match analysis, injury prevention; applied practice
Subjects:	CAH03 - biological and sport sciences > CAH03-02 - sport and exercise sciences > CAH03-02-01 - sport and exercise sciences
Divisions:	Faculty of Health, Education and Life Sciences > College of Life Sciences
Depositing User:	Gemma Tonks
Date Deposited:	15 Jul 2025 14:25
Last Modified:	15 Jul 2025 14:25
URI:	https://www.open-access.bcu.ac.uk/id/eprint/16522