What is The Football Collective?

We are a dedicated network of people who wish to bring critical debate to football - for those interested and involved in building football for the future. Through sharp analysis, meaningful and collaborative engagement, and research-informed original reporting, we aim to provide a platform for thought-provoking, critical debate in football.

Our manifesto is simple:

We are a network bringing critical debate to our game…

the academic voice of football.

The Football Collective aims to showcase best practice and help share academic peer-reviewed research in an accessible and understandable format for all. This includes:

• Sharing evidence-based commentary on football issues

• Disseminating peer-reviewed research on football

• Opening debate around key issues in related to football

• Reaching wider audiences through diverse mediums such as articles, videos and podcasts.

Any research published on The Football Collective is edited by the Collective Board, which ensures that research contributions are current, relevant, rigorous, appropriate and ethically sound, whilst also providing an informal peer-review support for contributors.

The Collective Board also plays an influential role in supporting events for all members based on highlighted interests and needs. To become a member you need to have an active research interest in football.

Background

Over the past decade various like-minded colleagues have benefited both professionally and personally from collaboration and connection created through a shared interest in understanding football. Such conversations have explored the correlations between football and society, business, management, governance, culture and policy, from grassroots to elite.

The Football Collective was conceived by Dr Dan Parnell and Dr Paul Widdop in 2016. A founding group was created which also included Dr Jamie Cleland, Dr Mark Doidge, Dr Danny Fitzpatrick, Dr John Hayton, Professor John Hughson, Professor Peter Millward and Dr Joel Rookwood. The group met to discuss ways to grow and diversify the network, support one another’s research and especially engage with and provide a platform for PhD students and early career academics. The Football Collective has been faithfully served by a number of Chairs (most recently Dr Alex Culvin), and is currently overseen by Dr Paul Widdop (Manchester Metropolitan University, UK) and Dr Joel Rookwood (University College Dublin, Ireland). A number of members support various aspects of the Football Collective, including mentorship, book proposals, journal special issues, conference organisation, writing and publications, podcasts, and social media.