Profile of The Week

James Biddles

Professional Experience

I am a UEFA B Licence holder with a track record of developing players and delivering results. During the 2024-25 season, I worked as the Assistant Manager for University of Nottingham’s Men’s 2nd Team. Competing in the Midlands Tier 1 and despite competing against many University first teams, we were able to secure a 4th place finish. This role required me to prepare tactical presentations for our weekly meetings, conduct opposition analysis, deliver player review meetings, as well as coach a team focussing on results. Another key part of this role involved Talent ID. I monitored players throughout the club, with many currently playing at Steps 4-6, and identified those believed to be capable of moving up. This proved successful throughout the season as some became vital players. Currently, I am working for Peterborough United’s Midland Development Centre. This involves me taking weekly training sessions for players from U7-U16s, as well as leading teams on match days. This role also includes monitoring player performance and recommending players to move to our advanced groups where necessary. During my time in this role, I have been promoted to Lead Coach and take all of our Advanced Centre fixtures when available. Additionally, several of my players have gone on to be signed by professional club academies. In addition to my vocational work, I am also doing a Sports Coaching degree. This is providing me with research supporting learning, alongside practical experience. Having been recruited to the degree through Pro Player Pathways, I was selected to be the program’s first-ever Manager as we played an exhibition match against Connah’s Quay Nomads in Wales. This team was comprised of my coursemates, all of whom have played at high-level academies including Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspurs and West Ham United. These players were all without a club and looking to secure their next move. In November 2023, I completed a period of work experience in Gibraltar. I worked with Lynx FC, Europa FC and the GFA during this time. With Lynx, I delivered training sessions for their Men’s U23 team and their Women’s first team who compete in the Gibraltar Premier League. Europa FC and the GFA provided me with opportunities to work with their youth teams aged from U6 to U12, including boys and girls. It provided me with a great experience of a different footballing culture. With some players not being able to speak English, I was able to learn enough Spanish and use different communication methods such as tactic boards and videos on my tablet to help them understand the aims of the session.