Andrew Brownrigg
As football strives to reach greater heights, the pressure on the modern day footballer intensifies even more. The current day footballer is in such demand on the pitch and off it, with interviews, commercial adventures, sponsorship commitments and the glare of public demand there is little a footballer can do these days without being noticed.
This is why more and more football clubs are turning to using psychologists to help their players relieve some of the stress and tension built up around the modern game.

Sells Goalkeeping Academy is extremely fortunate to have the opportunity of recruiting ex-professional footballer turned sports psychology graduate Andy Brownrigg. Andy began his career playing for Hereford United, before being sold to Norwich City where he was being labelled as the next big thing. From the outside everything looked rosy for Andy, a career most men could only dream of and the glamour and prestige that come with it. Behind the scenes though things where very different Andy was finding it extremely difficult to deal with the stress and pressures that inevitably come with success in Professional Football. Unable to deal with his problems Andy’s life lost control, leading to a downward spiral which he quickly led to him experience the ugly side of football, but life. His problems continued to plague Andy and he found himself falling deeper into a hole, where he subsequently lost everything he had worked for. Eventually with nowhere to turn Andy reached out for help by contacting Sporting Chance, the pioneering rehabilitation Clinic set up by former professional footballer Tony Adams. With the help of Sporting Chance Andy has managed to turn his life around for the better and subsequently went to University to study Sport and Exercise psychology where he graduated in 2009 with a First Class Honours Degree. Andy now collaborates with the Professional Footballers Association (the players union in the UK for professional players) providing assistance to players during the uncertain period of career transition (exit from the game).

Football is the greatest job and sport in the world, but it can also be the loneliest and at times extremely problematic. With this in mind we Sells Goalkeeping Academy recognise the need to not only prepare young players for the physical demands of professional football but also for the psychological demands of the modern game. Andy’s experiences as a professional footballer as well as his knowledge of Sports Psychology will help assist us in achieving our goal.
Andrew will be working closely with Sells Goalkeeping Academy offering advice and joining us at our day courses to talk to keepers and parents. If you would like to speak to Andrew please contact him by emailing abrownrigg@inbox.com and address to the attention of Andy Brownrigg. Alternatively please call him on 07824324655.