Training apprentices: Tradition versus modernity in the football industry

Abstract

This article is rooted in the contention that the football industry is characterized by the often unique manner in which it deals with its young workers. After a short overview of the history of the football apprentice, the bulk of the article explores the recently established ‘Football Scholarship’ scheme, using data drawn from interviews with 21 apprentices in three English Football League clubs. It asks whether the new scheme will, as contended by its originators, actually succeed in reducing the high attrition rates amongst the game's new entrants and provide genuine educational opportunities for those who do not make the grade as professionals. It concludes by offering policy implications for the professional game and sets a possible agenda for future research.