Professor Martin Roderick has produced the latest stats on the reality of becoming a professional footballer and the fallout of that career ending.
The figures below, reinforce the urgent necessity of Equilibrium Careers, giving the young footballers hope of a life beyond sport, which 99.88% of them will require.
- Out of the 1.5 million boys who play organised youth football, only 180 will be signed professionally by a premier league club, resulting in a success rate of just 0.012%.
- Out of the 12,000 players who make up the academy system, 50% will leave before the age of 16.
- Of those entering a scholarship at 16, 50% will be outside of professional football by 18. If we look at the same cohort at 21 the attrition rate is 75% or above.
- 55% of released academy players were found to be suffering with clinical levels of psychological distress following their career ending.
