It’s a funny old game…
However, if you’re a football fan, finding a position that pairs your passion with your professional life could be the perfect career move.
Here are five jobs you could score in the football industry:
Groundskeeper
Are you a horticulturalist at heart? Does the thought of having to use jumpers for goalposts make you cringe? Do you really like lawnmowers? OK, not so much the last one, but you get the idea.
As a professional Groundskeeper, it would be your job to keep some of the nation’s top football pitches in check. Old Trafford (Manchester); The Emirates (London); The Dripping Pan (Lewes). And if you want to move outside the UK, the possibilities are endless (See: Dick’s Sporting Goods Park).
Perfect for: People who love to work outside. Ability to mow in patterns preferred, but not essential.
Football Journalist
As a Journalist, it’s your job to break the latest news, as, when and before it happens. It may also be part of your job to watch some of the world’s biggest games, for free, in the luxury of the press box. You know, if you’re into that kind of thing.
To be a successful Football Journalist will take integrity, grit, determination and an overwhelming passion for the game. Although not necessarily in that order…
Perfect for: People who are passionate about puns.
Physio
With professional footballers becoming increasingly fragile, good Physiotherapists are an absolutely vital part of the game. And whilst it’s the managers and coaches who earn the biggest plaudits when their team cruises to victory, the humble Physio is something of an unsung hero. Just think of the metatarsal injuries alone.
So if you’re willing to hold the hopes of the nation in your hands, then this may be the job for you. However, whether working for a local team or plying your trade at the highest level, always remember: safety first. Get well soon, Gary Lewin…
Perfect for: People with a hands-on approach to their work.
Mascot
Fuleco. Fred the Red. World Cup Willie. The job of professional football mascot can take many forms. Most of them, however, include dressing in a 100lb suit and dancing around in front of thousands of people. Advantages: pitch-side view, crowd interaction, global adoration. Disadvantages: you’ll sweat. A lot.
Perfect for: People who can dance… preferably dressed as some kind of mythical animal.
England Manager
Ok, so chances are you’re not qualified for this role quite yet (CVs citing your achievements in Football Manager do not count). But never say never. Forty years ago, a young Roy Hodgson was playing non-league football and supporting himself through his job as a PE Teacher. After a brief spell as manager of a South African under-13 team, he went on to become the 17th man to manage England.
There were some other jobs in between, but that’s pretty much exactly how it happened.*
Perfect for: People who like to play the long game (although not necessarily the long ball).
*Liverpool fans feel free to disregard.
Honourable mentions: Corporate Hospitality, Nutritionist, Social Media Manager, Coach, Robbie Savage.
