Ethnographic engagement from within a Football in the Community programme at an English Premier League football club

Curran, K, Bingham, DD, Richardson, D and Parnell, D (2014) Ethnographic engagement from within a Football in the Community programme at an English Premier League football club. Soccer & Society, 15 (6). pp. 934-950. ISSN 1466-0970

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Abstract

The present paper draws upon six years of applied practitioner research experience of the authors who were based within a Football in the Community (FitC) programme at an English Premier League football club in a deprived community in the UK. The paper explores the critical emergent issues concerned with participant recruitment, engagement and retention within a range of FitC physical activity, health improvement interventions with the following populations; primary school children, families, men aged 18–35 years and men aged 55 years and above. Results are drawn from a range of ethnographic, reflective and observational data collection and analysis techniques undertaken by the authors. A first person writing style is used alongside creative non-fiction vignettes. Results relating to the effectiveness of a range of behaviour and lifestyle change interventions are discussed. The authors conclude with a series of proposed operational and strategic ways forward for FitC schemes.