My Specialism: The 18-23 Transition

The most critical and under supported step in the player pathway

Elite football invests heavily in youth development, yet the transition from academy to senior football remains the greatest single point of performance failure across the pathway. I have spent over two decades researching and resolving exactly this problem.

This is not a talent shortage; it is a system and transition gap

• Reduce talent leakage between junior and senior environments

• Align culture and philosophy to strategic mission across all

  departments

• Design bespoke support systems for players, coaches, and senior leaders

• Provide executive leadership support to realise strategic priorities

My consultancy work helps to:

Reduce talent leakage

Identify and close the gap between junior and senior environments

Align culture & strategy

Bespoke support systems

Executive leadership

Connect Academy pathway and first team around a shared strategic intent

Custom frameworks for players, coaches and senior leaders

Strategic support and oversight to monitor and realise organisation priorities

Board Advisory and Governance services

ESG & Responsible Leadership

Digital & AI Governance

Coaching Skills for Executives

Versed in Environmental, Social, and Governance frameworks and their application to long-term organisational accountability — a growing expectation for boards across sport, education, and the public sector.

A distinctive blend of executive coaching expertise and board-level experience — helping NEDs and board members develop the interpersonal skills needed to challenge constructively and influence effectively.

Experienced in board-level financial stewardship, risk management, and assurance processes across complex, regulated environments — including budget cycles of £2m+ and major capital allocation decisions.

DAVE RICHARDSON CONSULTING LIMITED

Bringing the same evidence-based, people-first philosophy to board-level leadership — with the experience, independence, and commercial awareness to provide genuine challenge and strategic clarity

TAKE THE FIRST STEP

Looking for an independent voice at board level?

Whether you're exploring a non-executive appointment, seeking strategic board-level advice or an independent board member, I'm happy to have an exploratory conversation — no obligation, entirely confidential.

Confidential · No obligation · Genuinely exploratory

Equipped to support boards navigating the governance challenges of digital transformation and artificial intelligence — a critical and often underserved area of board competence.

Governance & Risk Oversight

Certified Non-Executive Director · ILM Level 6 · Actuate Global · Certification in progress

My board-level credentials are grounded in real accountability, not theory. As Director at LJMU, interim Pro Vice-Chancellor (Science) and Head of School at Bangor University, I contributed to university-level governance, executive performance reporting, performance review and planning, and institutional risk management, alongside leading one of the world's top-ranked sport science departments. My academic leadership role also included being the sport governance lead on a £64.5m city-centre capital development.

For sport, health and / or community organisations, academies, NGBs, and high-performance environments seeking an independent board member or strategic adviser with genuine sector knowledge, this is a natural extension of the consultancy I already provide; bringing the same clarity of purpose, constructive challenge, and evidence-based thinking to the board table.

*Certified Non-Executive Director qualification (ILM Level 6, Actuate Global) currently in progress. Board advisory and governance support available now, drawing on an extensive executive leadership and governance career spanning higher education, elite sport, and community health environments.

BOARD & GOVERNANCE ENQUIRIES

FAQs

What exactly do you do?

I act as a trusted, independent advisor; a critical friend who provides an external perspective on your talent systems, people, and performance culture. I help organisations and individuals identify where potential can be realised and design the strategies and structures to address it.

Think of it less as traditional consultancy, and more as a strategic partnership built around your specific context and goals.

Who do you work with?

How do you improve player retention and pathway success?

Can you support different sports?

How do I know if I'm the right fit?

I offer executive leadership coaching, change management support, and organisational culture reviews for those working in high-performance and high-expectation environments, especially those seeking to scaffold their own progression. Whether you're a sporting director navigating transformation, or a coach working in the development environment or in the ambiguous 'in-between' space, I provide the strategic clarity and practical tools to help you lead with confidence.

The easiest way is simply to talk. I offer a free, no-obligation introductory conversation where we can explore your situation, what you're trying to achieve, and whether my approach is right for you. There's no hard sell; if I can't add genuine value, I'll tell you.

My clients include Premier League and EFL clubs, elite academies, sporting directors, technical directors, performance leaders, and national governing bodies; as well as individual athletes and coaches navigating their own transition and / or leadership challenges.

If you work in elite sport, possess a curious mindset, and care deeply about maximising talent potential and people performance, we're likely a good fit.

Yes. While football is my primary specialism, I have experience across rugby union, cricket, cycling, US professional and Olympic sport, women's sport, community and health environments. The principles of talent development, leadership, and athlete career transition are broadly transferable.

Get in touch to discuss how my experience applies to your sport or context.

How do you help practitioners?

I take a holistic view, examining the psychological, social, cultural, and lifestyle dimensions of the player pathway (including, character strengths, Grit and resilience) alongside structural and organisational factors. I conduct bespoke pathway reviews, establish meaningful benchmarks, and co-design targeted interventions to reduce leakage at critical transition points.

The aim is always the same: better readiness, stronger retention, and a clearer return on your talent investment.

How do you support athletes directlyy

Drawing on 30+ years of applied research and practical experience in athlete career transition, particularly the 18–23 developing mastery phase, I help players understand the demands of the journey ahead: the psychology, the character and identity challenges, competitive expectations, and lifestyle adjustments that enable them to cope better with the challenges of escalating and scaffolding their development within a high-performance environments.

Support is always bespoke, evidence-based, and built around the individual.

What does the process look like?

Every engagement starts with a confidential discovery conversation, followed by a bespoke assessment and scoped proposal tailored to your needs. From there, we work together in whatever format best suits you or your organisation - advisory, programme design, coaching, or a combination.

Everything is designed to fit around you, not the other way round.