UCFB student talks about coaching career since early retirement from professional football in BBC documentary

A UCFB student recently featured on a BBC documentary, speaking about his career in football since an injury halted his professional playing career.

The documentary, What Happens When Football Isn’t Forever, was made by the BBC and focused on former academy players and their lives since having to leave playing football at an early age.

Matty Downing, who studies BA (Hons) Football Coaching (distance with attendance) at UCFB, spoke about his journey recovering from his injury, both physically and mentally, and forging a career within the sports industry.

Matty was five years old when he first went to Leeds United, signing at contract at U9 level and staying all the way to partaking in a scholarship at the club.

“I think everyone’s always hopeful,” he said on the documentary, “but you’re sat there with about 16 lads on the scholarship, and realistically, the statistics show that only one or two might ever play a professional game.”

He played 51 games one year and trained with Leeds United’s first team, before breaking his leg whilst on loan at Sheffield FC.

Matty said: “I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t the hardest day of my life, even up to now.”

In the documentary, Matty spoke about the difficulties of training with the first team one week and then working in a café the next, and the necessity of having his family around him at that time of his life.

However, Matty was determined to have a career in football, and founded 2Touch Football Academy in April 2021.

Speaking about his company, Matty said: “We go into schools and do PE provision and football sessions; we have regular sessions at night which kids can attend; we do one-to-one sessions; we go into schools environments and talk about our experiences as professionals, and we also do holiday camps, as well.”

Wanting to further progress his career in football coaching, Matty started a degree course at UCFB in BA (Hons) Football Coaching (distance with attendance).

Also in the documentary, Matty said about his hopes for the future: “I think it’s hard to prepare anyone for that initial rejection, but the Premier League are trying, the FA are trying and the clubs are trying.

“The introduction of these aftercare programmes are really helpful. I think it’s just a case of doing more and more to show kids different avenues if it doesn’t work out.”

UCFB offers a wide range of sports industry-related degree courses, focusing on fields and potential career avenues such as sports media, sports coaching and sports business.

View a prospectus to learn about our unique courses, campuses and everything about student life at UCFB as you score your career goals within football and sport.

You can also watch the full documentary, What Happens When Football Isn’t Forever, on BBC iPlayer.