A qualitative exploration of the use of player loans to supplement the talent development process of professional footballers in the under 23 age group of English football academies

ABSTRACT

A range of literature has contributed to talent development and career transition in professional football. Recently, attention has shifted to the under 23s age group of English football academies, highlighting limitations in the efficacy of this age group in developing professional footballers. Such limitations have led to players going on loan to football clubs in lower divisions to supplement their development; however, we have yet to develop a scholarly understanding of this approach. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the role of an under 23s player loan in developing professional footballers. Using a qualitative design, data were collected through the use of semi-structured interviews with nine participants. Following a process of thematic analysis, findings highlighted the potential of a loan in contributing to a player’s physical and psycho-social development. Positive performances whilst on loan were also perceived to be contributing factors in increased first team selection opportunities at the player’s parent club. However, an emphasis was also placed on the need to provide consistent pastoral support to under 23s players during their loan period. Finally, more longitudinal methodologies are required to understand the individual and temporal nature of positive and negative loan experiences of under 23s players.

KEYWORDS:

• Talent development
• career transition
• professional football
• qualitative

Introduction

The field of talent development in football has received increased scholarly attention (Collins et al., 2016; Mills et al., 2014; Saward et al., 2020; Williams et al., 2020). Such attention has been heightened with as little as 10% of academy under 16 scholars receiving a professional contract (Anderson & Maguire, 2010) at the age of 18. More recently, the transition from the Professional Development Phase (PDP) to first team has come under focus to further our understanding of this key stage in a player’s development (Dowling et al., 2018; Finn & McKenna, 2010; Morris et al., 2017; Røynesdal et al., 2018). The PDP was introduced as an important post-academy development phase following the Premier League’s launch of the Elite Player Performance Plan (Dowling et al., 2018). Initially, the age bracket of the players in the PDP was between 17 and 21, eventually evolving to 17–23 with players separated into either the under 18 team or under 23 team based on their age, and in some cases, ability.

Whilst the under 18 age group is perceived to be a developmentally appropriate stage, a variety of studies have reported numerous limitations regarding the under 23 age group within the PDP. Specifically, Dowling et al. (2018) found that coaches working with under 21 (now under 23) players were inconsistent in their approach to developing the required “winning mentality” (Larsen et al., 2013; Morris et al., 2017) amongst players. Such findings were reflected in the work of Røynesdal et al. (2018) who highlighted the cultural gap that exists between under 23 and first team environments, with numerous authors outlining the brutal, win-at-all costs emphasis when playing for the first team (Nesti et al., 2012; Relvas et al., 2010; Webb et al., 2020). Relatedly, Finn and McKenna (2010) also reported the limited opportunities for players to develop the required psychological characteristics associated with a successful transition to a first team environment, such as character, personality, courage and spirit (Nesti & Sulley, 2015), whilst Morris et al. (2017) suggested that a wide range of social support was needed if players were to successfully transition from the under 23s to a first team player. However, the above negative perceptions of the under 23s should not come as a surprise with previous literature highlighting the lack of emphasis placed on the psychological and social development of players in comparison to physical, technical and tactical development (Cook et al., 2014). Additionally, previous work has evidenced the lack of understanding among under 23 coaches around psychological attributes and how these can inform, and be included in, the coaching practice (Champ et al., 2020; Gledhill et al., 2017).

Much of the literature has described the transition from under 23 to first team player as a within-career transition where a player moves from the development phase to the mastery phase (Finn & McKenna, 2010). Such a transition involves “a set of specific demands related to practice, competition, communication, and lifestyle that athletes have to cope with to continue successfully in sport” (Alfermann & Stambulova, 2007, p. 713). Røynesdal et al. (2018) outline the contextual characteristics of within-career transitions in football and highlight the challenges of young players encountering aggressive, masculine identities, violent and abusive language, humour, ridicule, and rivalry in their every-day working environment. Indeed, an ability to successfully negotiate, and socially integrate into, this environment may result in a positive within-career transition from academy to first team. Moreover, Finn and McKenna (2010) have suggested that this transition is considered the most difficult, with athletes recognising the challenges in coping with demands placed on them during this transition. Additionally, this critical, within-career transition may also be complicated further with the risk of “non-normative” transitions such as injury (Finn & McKenna, 2010). However, whilst academy to first team is a prominent within-career transition, much of the transition research tends to focus on instances such a retirement (Morris et al., 2017).

Indeed, a successful transition from the under 23s to first team requires a degree of social competence, where the transitioning player can draw on previous experiences to navigate the change in environment (Røynesdal et al., 2018). The acquisition of such previous experiences remains a challenge for players in professional football environments. Specifically, Mills et al. (2014) found that players reported limited opportunities to train with the first team resulting in a lack of interaction between under 23s players and senior first team players. These limited opportunities are compounded by the pressure placed on first team managers in the English Premier League (EPL) and English Football League (EFL) to achieve instant results; therefore, relying on trusted, proven senior first team players (Nesti et al., 2012) rather than unproven under 23 players (Roderick, 2006).

To gain the required experience, it has been suggested that exposure to first team football at a lower level (see Figure 1) may provide under 23s players with opportunities to enhance their progression as professional footballers (Webb et al., 2020). As Bullough and Mills (2014) state, playing competitive fixtures is the only way that youngsters can “develop and gain experience” (p. 647). Such experience might be in the form of a “loan move” to another professional club, or a semi-professional “non-league” club. Moreover, Dowling et al. (2018) suggest that under 23s players are at risk of becoming an “inbetweener”. Such a status reflects a point of stagnation (Larsen et al., 2013) in the player’s development where the under 23s is no longer developmentally appropriate, yet progression to the first team is a bridge too far.

Figure 1. English football league system (Step 1–7).

This phase can also challenge the ingrained identities of players that are formed over their time at the parent club (Champ et al., 2020). Specifically, de-selection from the first team training squad, going out on loan to another club, or witnessing fellow teammates progress at a faster rate may result in a significant threat “to a player’s sense of self” (Champ et al., 2020, p. 157). Indeed, Champ et al. (2020) continues to highlight the extreme emotions faced by players in this phase of their development with players experiencing the positive emotion of receiving a professional contract following extended periods of negative emotion characterised by low self-belief, loneliness and even isolation.

In light of the above, a loan move to a professional or semi-professional club may provide the developmentally appropriate challenge needed for a player to transition from a under 23s player to a first team player. Indeed, as Richardson et al. (2013) state, whilst football clubs at the higher levels of the game may have increased financial resource and infrastructure, clubs at the lower levels “require the continual delivery of a team that can perform, remain financially stable, avoid relegation and possibly even progress through the leagues” (p. 139). Consequently, the first team environments of these clubs are still characterised by pressure and a fierce desire to win that may provide an appropriate challenge for under 23s players to develop the experience needed to successfully transition into a first team player. Indeed, an increased number of current senior first team players from EPL and EFL clubs have experienced loans to semi-professional “non-league” clubs whilst being an under 23 player (Champ et al., 2020; FC; Business, 2016).

However, we have not yet developed an understanding of the impact of a loan move for under 23s players during this crucial stage (Richardson et al., 2013). Specifically, an investigation that explores the perceptions, opinions and experiences of players, coaches and first team managers who have been involved in the under 23s loan process may provide us with a starting point to understand the potential of such a loan in developing first team players, informing future research and guiding practice within the field of this “critical post-academy” (Richardson et al., 2013, p. 148) and “developing mastery” (Dowling et al., 2018) phase. Moreover, Dowling et al. (2018) highlighted the desire for under 23 coaches to create environments that mirror a first team environment to aid the transition of players between both. This study will endeavour to challenge the notion that the under 23 age group is an adequate “developing mastery” phase for players to develop the required attributes to transition to a first team player, by suggesting that alternative loan experiences may be more beneficial in doing so. The aim of this study then, was to investigate the role of a loan to a semi-professional football club in developing PDP players from the under 23 age group into first team players. In particular, the study was guided by the following key research questions: (a) What are the experiences of players, coaches, first team managers of the loan? (b) How do players, coaches and first team managers perceive the impact of the loan on the player’s development, and why?

Methodology

Philosophical orientation

This study was interpretative in nature. That is, the research team aimed to understand individual’s (professional footballers, league managers, non-league managers) interpretations of their experiences (Braun & Clarke, 2013) of how a loan at a non-league club can contribute to a professional footballer’s development. Moreover, the study was informed by a social constructionist approach, consisting of a relativist ontology, advocating that, as opposed to one singular truth, multiple truths exist. Epistemologically, we refer to knowledge as being socially constructed (Sparkes & Smith, 2014), subject to interpretation and meaning derived from a collection of individuals within society (Braun & Clarke, 2013). That is, we were concerned with the way the participants made sense of the role of a non-league loan in the development of professional footballers and how these experiences manifested in the day-to-working lives of the participants. Moreover, our philosophical approach also informed the sampling method of the study to ensure that each participant had the rich experiences of the phenomena we wished to explore (Sparkes & Smith, 2014).

Participants & sampling approach

In total, nine participants took part in the data collection of this study (see Table 1). Specifically, the sample consisted of participants (n = 9 in total) who were either employed as managers in the EPL and EFL (n = 3), employed as managers in the English non-league system (n = 3) or employed as professional footballers (n = 3) in the EFL. Additional demographic information of the participants can be found in Table 1. To present the results of this study, and to protect the anonymity of the participants, participants will be referred to as either “League Manager”, “Non-League Manager” or “Professional Footballer”. In addition to understanding the experiences of the footballers who have been on loan as part of their development, we also include League Managers and Non-League Managers who have substantial experience in working with under 23 footballers daily, providing wide-ranging support for each player’s holistic development. As previously highlighted, it is often managers and coaches who are the key stakeholders in deciding whether a player should be sent on loan as part of their development (Champ et al., 2020). Furthermore, previous work investigating the career transitions of footballers has included managers and coaches within their sample (Finn & McKenna, 2010).

Table 1. Participants’ employment role and experience

Participant	Employment role	Employment experience (Years)	League experience
1	League Manager	7	EPL, EFL Championship, League One & League Two
2	League Manager	1.5	EFL League One
3	League Manager	3.5	EFL League One & League Two
4	Non-League Manager	2	National League & National League North
5	Non-League Manager	5	National League & Northern Premier League
6	Non-League Manager	4	Northern Premier League
7	Professional Footballer	2	EFL League One & League Two
8	Professional Footballer	4	EFL League One & League Two
9	Professional Footballer	9	EFL Championship, League One & League Two

Following institutional ethical approval being granted, a process of purposeful sampling commenced in an attempt to ensure that selected participants would be “information rich” and have significant experience of the phenomenon under investigation (Sparkes & Smith, 2014). Specifically, following the creation of a criterion-based approach (Gibson & Groom, 2018), participants were required to have been either (1) a Manager in the EPL or EFL with experience of arranging and monitoring loans for under 23s players, (2) a Manager in the English non-league system with experience of receiving and managing under 23s players on loan from an EPL or EFL club or, (3) a professional footballer who had been on-loan to a club(s) in the English non-league system as part of their player development process. Indeed, the research team had extensive applied experience of employment in both professional football (in the EPL and EFL) and semi-professional football (in the English non-league system). In light of this experience, the participant recruitment process began by utilising the research teams’ network of contacts to approach potential participants who met the criteria outlined above. Following participants expressing an initial interest to participate in the study, the study’s aim, key research questions and information sheet were communicated to the participants in order to gain informed consent.

Data collection

Upon informed consent being obtained, the data collection process commenced through the use of virtual semi-structured interviews (Sparkes & Smith, 2014) with participants permitting to the interview being audio recorded. Attempts were made to establish rapport, with such an endeavour being made easier by the primary researcher’s familiarity and experience with the contextual environment in which the study was situated. At this point, participants were made aware of the potential sensitive nature of the topics to be explored and were encouraged to raise concern if they felt uncomfortable in answering any questions.

The interview guide allowed participants and the primary researcher to explore several topics related to the aim and key research questions. Specifically, a critical review of the talent development in football literature informed the design of the interview guide with particular attention given to the work of Dowling et al. (2018) and Røynesdal et al. (2018) to build on the findings of such work. Moreover, previous within career transition literature (e.g., Finn & McKenna, 2010; Morris et al., 2017) also supported the analysis and interpretation of the data. Additionally, reflections on both author’s own applied coaching experiences in both non-league and professional football were also utilised in the design of the interview guide (Sparkes & Smith, 2014) and helped to slightly differentiate the questions for each participant (League Manager, Non-League Manager, Professional Footballer) based on the context in which they were experiencing their professional working lives. Participants were encouraged to elaborate at will to ensure that their experiences were portrayed in depth (Sparkes & Smith, 2014). Specifically, the interview guide focussed on each individual’s experience of the under 23 s environment, the decision around arranging a loan in relation to player development, the perceived benefits of the loan, the challenges faced during the loan, and the impact of the loan in developing professional footballers. Throughout the interview the primary researcher followed up on points of interest with probing questions such as (“can you elaborate further on that?”) to garner a richer data set (Langbein et al., 2021). In total, nine interviews took place, ranging between 32 and 70 minutes in length and were transcribed verbatim by the primary researcher following the conclusion of each interview.

Data analysis

Thematic analysis was chosen through a desire to highlight “similarities and differences across the data set (Sparkes & Smith, 2014), allowing for varied interpretations of the data. Thematic analysis has also been employed by scholars investigating athletes” and coaches’ perspectives (Schinke et al., 2013; Vickery & Nichol, 2020) and various aspects of athlete development (Cupples et al., 2018), highlighting its usefulness as an analytical method. Consequently, the analytical stage followed a process of thematic analysis outlined by Braun and Clarke (2006, 2013) and was guided by the ontological and epistemological assumptions underpinning the study. Indeed, throughout this process the second author acted as a critical friend, allowing for reflexive discussions and interpretations of the data (Gibson & Groom, 2018). The primary researcher familiarized themselves with the data and began to note initial analytical interpretations attached to the data, recognizing instances where participant’s provided meaning attached to their experiences (Sparkes & Smith, 2014). Following this, the coding process highlighted data extracts identified through a pattern-based approach across the interviews with all nine participants with all extracts grouped together into potential themes. The process was informed by our desire to interpret the participant’s social world from their point of view to understand how the individuals interpret the actions, behaviours, and attitudes of both themselves and, those around them (coaches, managers, players etc.) before, during and after the loan period. Finally, through a reflexive process, and discussion with the second author, overarching categories later organised into the final themes were produced during the writing up phase (Langbein et al., 2021). At this point, consideration was given to instances where contrasting perspectives were identified among different participants (Managers, Non-League Managers, Professional Footballers) in relation to the selected themes.

Trustworthiness

In judging the quality of this study, readers should consider the trustworthiness of the methodological approach. Indeed, in an attempt to demonstrate qualitative rigour, consistent reflexive discussions took place between the primary researcher and second author and were supported by the applied experiences and enhanced understanding of the context and topic of both (Smith & McGannon, 2018). Furthermore, potential researcher bias was also acknowledged at this point (Sparkes & Smith, 2014) through detailed critical discussions of both researcher’s interpretations of the data. Indeed, the applied experiences of both the primary researcher and second author allowed for detailed, analytical discussions that resulted in the reworking of themes during the writing up phase of the study to ensure a consistent interpretation of the story of the data (Braun & Clarke, 2019). Finally, in reflecting on the criteria outlined by Tracy (2010), the study has sparked the need for future inquiry in the field.

Results & discussion

Following the process of data analysis, four overarching themes were generated. Specifically, data highlighted the rationale behind the player going on loan, the benefits of the loan in contributing to the player’s psycho-social and physical development and managing the perception of non-league football clubs and the loan experience. Each theme is presented below.

The need for additional experiences for under 23 s players

Being part of the under 23s was seen as an important element of a player’s professional journey. However, the nature of this environment was perceived to be far removed from the nature of a first team environment. The data highlighted the manner in which players perceived elements of the under 23s games programme:

‘No demand on results, it was more about performances. There would be games where we would be up for it, but sometimes you’ve got a young team and then sometimes you’ve got older pros that don’t really want to be there (under 23s games), and it’s just a bit of a weird environment, it wasn’t really a winning environment.’ (Professional Footballer)

Furthermore, participants discussed the playing style associated with the under 23s games programme and the issues that such a playing style can have on the needs of the players at this stage in their development:

‘There comes the stage where these young lads have got to play men’s football. In the end, academy football is a bit ‘tippy tappy, nicey nicey’, but, when you get into League (EFL) football it’s blood, snot, fight, and grit. You have to put your body on the line.’ (League Manager)

Whilst such a perception was demonstrated by the participants, a rationale as to why a shift in playing style needed to be considered was justified by the pressures of competing in a first team environment:

‘It is then all about winning at first team level for everyone. Now, if you can win and obviously perform and make it attractive for everybody to watch, great, but you’ve got to keep your job. The best way to guarantee that is by winning football matches.’ (League Manager)

As has been previously evidenced, the nature of under 23s training and match environments are far removed from the nature of first team environments in professional football (Dowling et al., 2018; Finn & McKenna, 2010; Morris et al., 2017; Røynesdal et al., 2018). The findings from this study have supported such a notion and highlight the challenge of providing under 23s players with the required experiences that mirror first team professional life (i.e., more of an emphasis on winning). Moreover, Morris et al. (2017) alluded to the benefits of exposing under 23s players to first team environments as part of their developmental process. Considering this, data evidenced the understanding that going on loan to a non-league club could provide under 23s players with improved exposure to a first team environment in non-league (playing competitive first team fixtures) without potentially jeopardising the performance of the parent (EPL or EFL) club by playing an inexperienced under 23s player in a competitive first team fixture.

The impact of different socio-cultural environments on a player’s development

The perception amongst participants was that the under 23s environment was a significant contrast in comparison to a first team environment and resulted in a steep learning curve for a player transitioning from under 23s to a first team environment. Such a perception was demonstrated within the data:

‘We see under 23s as a large gap to first team. Unless we’ve got a really exceptional player, we try and get them out, get them experiencing men’s football; winning, losing, seeing fighting and arguing in dressing rooms, and whatever they do, let them experience that.’ (League Manager)

Interestingly, participants recognised the benefits that the under 23s has for elements of a player’s development; however, shortcomings were still evident

‘I look at players nowadays and the learning that they get, I think it’s fantastic, but I think they do miss out on other aspects of football which are important. I think that’s why it makes this a real debate with this under 23s football. There’s pros and cons, and I’ve got my strong views on it.’ (Non-League Manager)

When prompted to elaborate on such a discussion, participants recognised the psycho-social competencies that a player needs to successfully progress into a first team environment were not typically being developed within a under 23s environment. Subsequently, the role that a non-league loan could play in addressing this issue was evident:

‘I think a lot of the boys have talent, it’s the mentality that they have to grasp and at times sending them to non-league for all the things that they don’t get in under 23s that’s really important.’ (League Manager)

Participants highlighted the importance of interacting with experienced players within non-league clubs during their loans, and the perceived benefits this had in preparing them for eventually progressing into a professional first team environment:

‘They’re not afraid to tell you as a man rather than a young lad, tell you straight, so when I came into the first team (at EFL club), I was able to deal with that criticism and harsh reality. I think it helped a lot.’ (Professional Footballer)

In addition, going on loan to a non-league club allowed for experiences that mirrored those that may be apparent in a professional first team environment, such as coping with de-selection, or being substituted in a key fixture. Indeed, such experiences created learning opportunities not necessarily available in a under 23s environment:

‘Sometimes the player’s disappointed because he hasn’t got in the team, but it’s part of your experience, that’s what’s going to happen in your career, you’re not going to fit into everyone’s mindset and everyone’s way of playing. You don’t look for any excuses and you don’t blame anyone. You get your head down, work harder. If it doesn’t quite work out on loan this time, we might see where else might be better for you to go on loan.’ (League Manager)

Interestingly, these associated benefits were acknowledged by the participants as a contributing factor towards the psycho-social development of the player:

‘Most of the time they come back with a better mindset and it’s only helped them. I can’t remember too many times where it hasn’t helped them, whether they think it’s helped them or not … we see it, we see the difference in them.’ (League Manager)

Previous literature has outlined the importance of numerous psycho-social characteristics in the transition from youth-to-senior in a variety of sports (Bruner et al., 2008; Champ et al., 2020; Dowling et al., 2018; Saward et al., 2020). Specifically, Gledhill et al. (2017) has defined “psycho-social” as the interrelated nature of a player’s psychological characteristics (resilience, commitment, courage, discipline etc.) with social influences (parents, peers, coaches etc.) that may inform the behaviours (lifestyle choices away from football) of individual players and subsequently, impact significant within career transitions. However, as highlighted above, opportunities to develop psycho-socially are limited in under 23s football environments (Mills et al., 2014). The findings from this study extend the youth-to-senior transition literature to suggest that the opportunity for an under 23s player to go on loan to a non-league club may be a valuable option for developing psycho-socially.

The data highlight instances of de-selection, “criticism and harsh reality” from fellow players and managers and confrontation after poor results that were experienced by players who had been on loan at a non-league club. The data also highlighted that such instances allowed for players to develop a level of “mental toughness” (Cook et al., 2014) in responding to challenges that would likely occur within the professional first team environment (Dowling et al., 2018). Within a non-league environment, such challenges may arise from understanding the culture of that club. For instance, loan players may have to deal with “displays of authority, banter, isolation of individuals, and language” (Champ et al., 2020, p. 160), or as evidenced above, “fighting and arguing” after a defeat. As highlighted by Nesti and Sulley (2015), the ability to present an identity aligned to the culture of football and deal with negative criticism and disappointments are crucial in helping players manage their behaviour during transitioning periods.

Consequently, going on loan to non-league provides under 23 players with exposure to this environment, allowing for opportunities to grow (Mills et al., 2014), particularly if consistent, strong performance leads to increased feelings of relatedness and belonging (Rongen et al., 2020). Furthermore, a loan provided the challenge of players earning the respect of established, unfamiliar, senior peers (players and coaches) (Finn & McKenna, 2010). This challenge is one that will be faced by players frequently if they are to experience numerous within career transitions as a professional footballer; therefore, having prior experience of undertaking this task during a loan may positively contribute to their overall social development as a player. Indeed, Finn and McKenna (2010) found that taking on the challenges of a within career transition and “displaying self-control and accepting responsibility for personal behaviour” (p. 269) were key attributes in coping with such a transition.

The role of non-league loans in the player’s physical development

Participants highlighted the difference in the physical nature that characterised a typical game in non-league football and the impact this can have on the physical development of under 23s players, and the readiness to compete in a professional first team:

‘The difference between playing against a men’s team and playing against a 23s team, … coming into physical contact, it’s different. It’s men’s football; there’s physicality, there’s old players that have got the experience and they’re teaching the young lads lessons. So yes, I think there’s a massive difference between 23s and first team football.’ (League Manager)

Now, for me, any player who is 21, 22 and is still playing under 23s football … . It’s not right. They should be out on loan in men’s football because the under 23s will give you a certain aspect of the game, but it’s not giving you the physical side of it. (Non-League Manager)

Furthermore, perceptions of increased physical demands when playing in a non-league game were reported by the participants. Such demands were perceived to be significantly different to the demands required to play in a under 23s fixture:

‘The intensity is higher, there’s longer balls, so you’re always running back to your goal. I found my fitness levels improved. I remember my first game, I was playing right-back, and I was blowing, because obviously I’d been playing 23 

s all season … it’s just not the same.’ (Professional Footballer)

‘The general feedback was, ‘Cor, I can’t believe how physical it was’, and ‘Cor, the speed of the game. The great phrase … ‘You don’t get a second on the ball, do you?’ (League Manager)

Subsequently, participants evidenced that coping with the physical demands as part of their transition from under 23s to first team professional football was made easier due to their experiences of going out on loan to a non-league club. Specifically, participants recognised the similarities in the physical demands of non-league first team and professional first team professional fixtures:

‘I wouldn’t say there’s a massive difference between the games. I feel like there’s still a lot of long balls in the EFL, there’s a lot of heading, but I just think maybe the quality of players and maybe the pace of the game is quicker.’ (Professional Footballer)

Here, the findings suggested that playing in non-league fixtures placed a perceived higher physical demand on the players than they would normally experience in under 23s fixtures. Whilst previous work has highlighted the challenges of adapting to new training and playing schedules during a within career transition (Morris et al., 2017), the findings from this study suggests that a non-league loan may also contribute to the physical development of young players. However, further investigation is required to understand any differences in player movement variables such as, sprint distance, high-speed running distance, and maximal speed (Ellen et al., 2021), when comparing performance in non-league fixtures with performance in under 23s fixtures.

The perception of non-league football clubs and supporting the player during the loan

Data suggested that during the initial stages of arranging a loan to a non-league football club for a under 2

3s player, the perceptions of “non-league” that were held by the respective player needed to be managed. Such a perception was highlighted here:

‘I found it a lot better than I thought. Before I went out, I didn’t know if I was going to like it or not, but when I went out on loan, it was better than anything.’ (Professional Footballer)

Furthermore, participants discussed the approach taken to persuading a player that going on loan to non-league club would be beneficial for progression to becoming a first team player:

‘He didn’t want to go initially, ego took over, ‘I’m better than non-league’, and all that, anyway we convinced him, and he loved it in non-league, and it got him a career in the professional game’ (League Manager)

Players also reported a sense of rejection upon finding out that they were going on loan to a non-league football club

‘At first, I was a bit frustrated with it, because I thought I was doing well, and I was looking to break into (the club’s) first team and then the next minute I’m getting sent out on loan to 3 leagues below. But looking back on it now, it was nothing but good for me.’ (Professional Footballer)

Interestingly, the data provided an insight into the benefits of having a support network from professional players who had been through similar loan experiences and had subsequently transitioned into the first team at their professional club:

‘Speaking to him gave me a heads up on what it was going to be like, how tough it was. He let me know what the lads are like at (non-league club), how they would be. How serious it actually is.’ (Professional Footballer)

However, the findings also presented instances where the loan to a non-league club didn’t have the desired impact on the respective player, with the loan being deemed as unsuccessful:

‘A lad went to (non-league club) and he had all the attributes to do well at centre-half or midfield, but he found it too hard.’ (League Manager)

Furthermore, participants outlined the importance of ensuring that the player had a positive experience when on loan, if the relationship between the professional club and the non-league club was to remain, and potentially result in further players going out on loan to the benefit of both clubs:

‘We treat them as our own as I want them to use their loan spell to develop and go back to their parent clubs and get a contract. But we also need to be seen to aiding these players’ development to keep the relationship. If they come in and we just toss them to the side and don’t really look after the player, I don’t think we can keep the relationship with the club.’ (Non-League Manager)

Finally, the data highlighted that some form of communication between both the professional club and the non-league club was important if the player was to subsequently transition from under 23s to first team following their loan at a non-league club:

‘Before I made my debut, he brought me into his office … ’If I didn’t think you were ready, I wouldn’t be playing you,’ … ‘I know you’re ready because you’ve been playing midfield for (non-league club), and (non-league manager) has been ringing me up and saying how good you played … ’ (Professional Footballer)

Here, an emphasis was placed on the importance of supporting the player before, during and after the loan to ensure that loan is appropriate for the player’s stage of social development. Data highlighted that the suggestion of going on loan to a non-league club may induce a state of concern and apprehension within the players that may be a result of feeling “written off” (Gledhill et al., 2017) by their coaches. However, the findings from this study extend this work and evidenced the increase in confidence, motivation and performance that may arise from a successful loan period, countering the initial feeling of being “written off”. As highlighted by Finn and McKenna (2010), a within career transition such as a loan may prompt a change in a player’s assumptions about themselves and the social environment that they work within. Our findings also support the work of Mills et al. (2014) who suggested that a willingness to embrace, and adapt to, new challenges was a key component in developing professional footballers.

However, the data also highlighted the importance of ensuring that player is not “tossed aside” and that they understand the social make up and personalities within their new team when they join their non-league club. In these instances, players face the strain of developing new social relationships (with new coaches and managers), whilst losing previous relationships (Finn & McKenna, 2010) developed within the under 23s environment. However, the career of a professional footballer is one that may be comprised of several within-career transitions when a player may move to a new club, prompting the formation of new relationships with key individuals (Finn & McKenna, 2010). Moreover, Røynesdal et al. (2018) has suggested that the ability to socially integrate into a new team, whilst maintaining the required level of performance is a key element of a successful within career transition. In attempting to socially integrate, players must recognise any behavioural markers (non-sport and sport related) acknowledged by first team management’ (Røynesdal et al., 2018, p. 35) to successfully negotiate the transition. Indeed, a loan experience can help develop under 23s players’ ability to negotiate this process with key decision-makers, whilst having the security of a contract at their parent club. In these situations, the data highlighted that support from senior first team professional players who had experience of going on loan was beneficial in helping players adapt to, and perform in, the non-league environment.

Conclusion

The aim of this study was to explore the role that a non-league loan could have in contributing to a under 23s player’s transition to a first team player. The findings extend the career transition literature that has focussed on understanding the transition from academy to first team player in professional football. Specifically, we suggest that a non-league loan may allow for a positive contribution to the development of players when making the under 23 to first team player transition. Indeed, the data provided us with an understanding of the considerations that practitioners and players should reflect on when negotiating the transition from under 23s to first team in professional football.

Going on-loan to a non-league club allowed for developmental opportunities that were perceived to be important in making the transition from under 23s to first team. Such opportunities contributed to the development of perceived psycho-social and physical attributes of the players; attributes that were reported as being underdeveloped in players within the under 23s training and match environment. Data also reported that the recognition of good performances whilst being on loan resulted in improved selection opportunities in the first team of their parent club. However, findings emphasized the importance of supporting players appropriately when embarking on a non-league loan experience.

Practical implications

The findings from this study have informed our suggestions for improving practice within academy under 23 and first team settings. Firstly, support from senior first team players and academy sport psychologists could focus on “maintaining a positive mentality after negative feedback or mistakes, how to set appropriate goals, the importance of emotional control and focus” (Nesti & Sulley, 2015, p. 101) during the loan experience. This support could be in the form of weekly or monthly group sessions between all players who are currently out on loan, senior first team players who have loan experience and academy sport psychologists. Indeed, previous work has called for mentoring (both formal and informal) processes to be incorporated into professional football academies (Bruner et al., 2008; Cook et al., 2014; Mills et al., 2014; Morris et al., 2017) to support with the contextual problems that under 23s players may face whilst on loan at a non-league club. As Morris et al. (2017) state, “if stakeholders are encouraged to provide suitable support on a regular basis, athletes may experience reduced levels of stress and anxiety” (p. 535) during significant within career transitions. Furthermore, consideration (from parents, peers, and coaches) must be given to the initial discussion of the loan to support the player in adapting to their new environment and potential changes to their perceived identity (Champ et al., 2020). Moreover, Kelly et al. (2021) have suggested that multi-disciplinary input from sport scientists, sport psychologists, strength and conditioning coaches, analysts and coaches should be included when making decisions around academy players playing up an age group. Within the context of this study, we propose a similar decision-making process when considering whether under 23 players should be sent out on loan to ensure that the loan is appropriate for their holistic development.

Limitations & directions for future research

Whilst the findings and practical implications of this study have been discussed above, limitations exist and must be recognised. Firstly, our reading and interpretations of the data may have been guided by our own experiences (Sparkes & Smith, 2014). That is, both authors have applied experience of professional youth football and non-league football environments. With this in mind, alternative readings of the data may have generated a different analysis and interpretation in reporting the findings.

Additionally, events recalled by the participants within this study may be subject to recall bias (Patton, 2002). Indeed, as the players sampled within this study progressed into a professional first team career following their non-league loan, their perspectives towards their experiences may naturally be positive. Therefore, a criterion-based sample that reflects participants with a range of both perceived positive and negative experiences of non-league loans should be included in future studies. Furthermore, narrative, longitudinal case studies (Yin, 2009) of under 23s players who go on loan to a non-league club as part of their development may also provide us with an increased contextual understanding of non-league loan experiences in developing professional first team footballers. Specifically, research questions aimed at understanding the temporal nature of loan periods, and what period of time is adequate for a successful loan may be guided by such a methodological approach.

It must also be noted that the organisational and football operations of football clubs vary from club to club (Relvas et al., 2010). Indeed, the role of Loan Manager is one that is becoming prominent within professional football clubs; therefore, an exploration into this role and the contribution of the role to talent development is worthy of investigation. Such an investigation may also provide us with an insight into the management of each individual loan and how the loan is managed from a multi-disciplinary perspective to monitor the player’s holistic (physical, psychological, social) development.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.