Physio James joins the Premier League

James Haycock has entered the competitive world of Premier League Football, courtesy of his First Class BSc (Hons) degree in Physiotherapy from the University of Teesside. For James, 24, from Darlington, joined Newcastle United FC as an Academy Physiotherapist in July. He is currently working with the under 17s and 19 year-old teams, providing assessment and rehabilitation. James has also covered two of the reserve team’s games. In addition to achieving the First and his new job James also received the Valerie Lord Prize.

He said: “My new job is a fantastic opportunity, to be able to work for such a big club, I could not have wished for better. The post can be demanding, there is a lot of pressure from parents and players to get individuals fit again, but it’s an excellent and entertaining job if you like football.”

James’ Physiotherapy qualification is actually his second degree, having previously gained a BSc (Hons) in Sports Science at Sunderland. James said: “My ‘A’ levels were Business Studies, Sport Studies and Law. As I hadn’t studied Biology at ‘A’ level I couldn’t aim for a Physiotherapy degree at 18, so chose Sport. I wanted to go into Physiotherapy as it’s quite diverse, there are a lot of different areas to work in, not just football.

“The Physiotherapy degree’s practical placements in hospitals were all so different and good learning experiences. My placements included Dryburn, Northallerton and South Cleveland, sometimes in more acute settings like intensive care, which was rewarding. A lot was covered and this has been valuable in my current job.”

During his degree James worked as a volunteer Physiotherapist for the British Transplant Games and as a warden in a students’ hall of residence. He was the only student on the Physiotherapy degree to graduate with a First. James added: “My mother Patricia tells everybody she sees about my degrees and the new job. I’m still a Darlington fan, although I follow all of the North-East teams!”

Wednesday 28 November 4pm ceremony

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