“GREATER VISIBILITY OF WOMEN IN DIFFERENT ROLES IS HELPING TO CHANGE PERCEPTIONS AND CREATE PATHWAYS FOR THE NEXT GENERATION”

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First Team Player Care Lead Lauren Asquith shares her story this International Women’s Day

2026-03-08T10:00:00.000Z

“GREATER VISIBILITY OF WOMEN IN DIFFERENT ROLES IS HELPING TO CHANGE PERCEPTIONS AND CREATE PATHWAYS FOR THE NEXT GENERATION”

First Team Player Care Lead Lauren Asquith shares her story this International Women’s Day

2026-03-08T10:00:00.000Z

First Team Player Care Lead Lauren Asquith shares her story this International Women’s Day

Burnley Football are once again proud to show support for International Women’s Day. This year’s theme is #GiveToGain emphasising the power of reciprocity and support. When women thrive, we all rise.

To mark the day, the Club’s First Team Player Care Lead Lauren Asquith reflects on her experience of working in football. From the importance of building trust with players, challenges she’s faced on occasions being the ‘only woman round the table,’ and what advice she would give to the younger generation of females aspiring to work within the sport.

“My role is First Team Player Care Lead at Burnley FC, supporting the team off the pitch and helping create a positive environment around the players within the Club.

“In terms of my background, I’ve worked in football for over a decade in roles spanning coaching, education, psychology, and player wellbeing.

“I started my journey in community football before progressing into academy environments, supporting young players and their families throughout the development pathway.

“Since then, I’ve worked across several areas of the game including coaching, education, and player care, as well as designing and delivering wellbeing and personal development programmes. I’ve also worked with organisations and businesses outside of football around mental health and performance development, which has broadened my perspective on supporting individuals in high-performance environments.

“GREATER VISIBILITY OF WOMEN IN DIFFERENT ROLES IS HELPING TO CHANGE PERCEPTIONS AND CREATE PATHWAYS FOR THE NEXT GENERATION” - Image 1

“I’m also a qualified coach and psychotherapist, which allows me to understand elite football from both a performance and wellbeing perspective and bring a holistic approach to player care.”

In a fast-paced environment with several demands of players competing in the top-flight of English football, a key part of the role that Lauren enjoys the most is the focus on wellbeing.

“The best part of the role is the relationship you build with the players. Football can be a demanding environment, so being someone players trust and can rely on away from the pitch is really important.

“I’m particularly passionate about the wellbeing side of the role. Being able to support players through some of the pressures that come with professional football and everyday life, and help create a supportive environment around them, is incredibly rewarding.”

Looking back on your journey to where you are now, have you faced challenges as a woman working in football?

“It’s traditionally been a male-dominated industry, so at times there can be assumptions about women working within the game. I started my first full-time role in football at 18, so I was both young and female in that environment, and often the youngest person around the table by a decade. At times that meant feeling like you had to prove yourself even more and that your work could be scrutinised more closely.

“There were also occasions where I was the only woman round the table. Those experiences helped build resilience and confidence in the perspective I bring to the role. Ultimately, I’m very much a believer that people should be recognised for the quality of their work rather than their personal attributes.

“That said, the game has evolved a lot and it’s really encouraging to see more women working across different areas of football now. There’s definitely been progress and it’s positive to see the industry becoming more inclusive. Greater visibility of women in different roles is helping to change perceptions and create clearer pathways for the next generation.”

“GREATER VISIBILITY OF WOMEN IN DIFFERENT ROLES IS HELPING TO CHANGE PERCEPTIONS AND CREATE PATHWAYS FOR THE NEXT GENERATION” - Image 2

Can being a female in the role be an advantage, in the sense of offering a different dynamic?

“Player care is built around relationships, communication, and trust. Sometimes being a female in the role can bring a slightly different dynamic within the environment, and players often value having different perspectives within the staff team.

“Good player care is about understanding people, building trust and supporting wellbeing – and those qualities aren’t defined by gender, but diversity in the team can certainly strengthen the environment.”

This year’s International Women’s Day theme is #GiveToGain. What advice would you give to females looking to work in football?

“My advice would be to believe there is a place for you in the industry and not be put off by the perception that football is a male space. The game is changing and there are so many different pathways into football now.

“Be proactive, gain experience where you can and continue developing your skills. Most importantly, be confident in the value and perspective you bring because the game benefits from people with different experiences and viewpoints being involved.”

International Women’s Day offers a great opportunity to recognise positive steps forward in football becoming more inclusive. However, there’s further changes Lauren would like to see, including more visibility of women in leadership roles.

“Over the last decade it’s been really encouraging to see more women working across the football industry in a range of roles. There’s been a noticeable shift towards creating more opportunities and pathways for women within the game.

“Moving forward, I’d love to see even more women in leadership and decision-making positions. Representation is important, and the more visible female role models there are within football, the easier it becomes for the next generation to see that the game is a space where they belong.”

To find out more about this year’s International Women’s Day click here.

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