BSc (Hons) Football Studies
The course is designed and tailored for those individuals passionate about football, enthusiastic to learn from the game in order to reach their aspirations to work within it....
Course Leader
Department of Sport and Health
Kevin is an ex-professional footballer who represented Northern Ireland at youth levels at European tournaments. An injury forced Kevin to retire from playing but he has successfully transitioned into coaching positions through academy to first team levels. Further roles have been achieved at Premiership clubs within talent identification, international scouting, video analyst and regional head of scouting. These clubs include Southampton FC, Liverpool FC, Newcastle United FC, Wolverhampton Wanderers FC, Stockport County FC and, currently, Kevin is in the position of regional emerging talent scout for Arsenal FC at u15 to senior level.
Kevin achieved the highest coaching award in world football, the UEFA Pro licence diploma, having previously achieved the UEFA A licence at two National governing bodies. Kevin has achieved additional qualifications: an MSc in football coaching and analysis from New Bucks University, MSc Education Leadership & Management, PG Cert in Research at Birmingham University, Senior Fellowship with the HEA (SFHEA,) and the PGCTLHE.
Alongside his position as course leader for the BSc Football studies and MSc Football Science courses at Solent University, Kevin is a current PhD doctorate student, where he is researching the 'lone woman' narrative of women coaches’ experiences to coach in the men's game. As an active researcher and author with publications focused upon coaching, talent Identification, and the experience of women coaches within football, Kevin is recognised as a pracademic with a strong reputation in both academia and industry.
Upon an invitation to complete his UEFA Pro Licence diploma in 2008, as one of the earliest cohorts to achieve the highest coaching level in football, Kevin brings an industry reputation of the highest level to students on both the BSc Football Studies and the MSc Football Science courses. This level of knowledge and experience from industry has been developed through employment within the Premier League and Football League, and through academy to first team positions.
Through these positions in coaching, scouting, recruitment, and talent identification, Kevin has been employed at both national and international levels, building up a strong profile that continues to align to the men’s and women’s game.
Kevin continues to further his industry and academic experience through invitations to present and deliver at conferences, symposiums, and workshops.
The course is designed and tailored for those individuals passionate about football, enthusiastic to learn from the game in order to reach their aspirations to work within it....