League Appoints New Medical Advisor
Tue 17th November 2015 | Announcements | By Ian Templeman
The League Management Committee are please to announce the appointment of Alan Bent as the League’s Medical Advisor on First Aid and Sports Injuries.
Alan is vastly experienced in this area, having worked with Blackpool FC for 15 years, alongside managers such as Paul Ince and Steve McMahon, and was with the club in their Premier League campaign when Ian Holloway was manager. Alan was also the first team physio at Bury FC for three years.
He has also worked in semi-professional and college football, and began what has become a lifelong interest in sports injuries and First Aid when involved with Garswood United, in the period when they were members of our League in the 1990s.
As a Licensed Tutor/Assessor with the Football Association, Alan has presented First Aid courses for the Football Association, Premier League and Football League clubs, the PFA, Universities, Colleges, Schools, HM Prison Service and Junior Football Clubs.
He is now looking forward to assisting our clubs in his areas of expertise, and as Alan explained, the contact with the League came about after working with League Management Committee member Andy Nelson, on a course they were running at Salford College.
“I’ve known Andy since his days as manager at Leigh RMI, when I worked with him as the first team physio”, said Alan.
“I mentioned to him that I had retired from full time involvement with professional football, but that on Saturday afternoons at around half past one I had started getting itchy feet, as I was so used to being at games.
“Andy told me about his involvement with the NWCFL, and mentioned me to the League Management Committee. From there, I was asked if I would be willing to come on board and help out any clubs who needed some assistance, and I was happy to do that”.
Alan is now preparing to get around the various grounds over the next few months, and as well meeting new people, he is also expecting to come across a few familiar faces along the way.
“As well as my work for the FA, I work with the County FA’s as well”, he said. “A lot of the physios at clubs are almost certainly going to be people I have taught on courses at some point, so it will be good to catch up with some old faces and have a bit of banter with them.
“With my connections, I can find clubs a physio if they need one, and help with placement of physios at clubs when they might be looking for experience.
“But for the clubs who maybe don’t know me, the last thing I want anyone to think is that I’ll be looking to go into clubs and pull things apart. I’m not looking at causing problems or examining closely what people are doing, I’m here to help.
“If I can help to make things better I will do, but if I go to a club and find they have experienced people there and everything is fine, I’ll sit and have a chat to them, have a cuppa and watch the game.
“The main thing I want to ensure is that I’m here to offer advice and guidance to anyone who needs it, and it’s all about making things better and safer”.
League Secretary John Deal said: “The Management Committee are pleased to have appointed Alan to this role, and feel sure that his involvement will benefit member clubs”.
League Appoints New Medical Advisor
Tue 17th November 2015 | Announcements
By Ian Templeman
The League Management Committee are please to announce the appointment of Alan Bent as the League’s Medical Advisor on First Aid and Sports Injuries.
Alan is vastly experienced in this area, having worked with Blackpool FC for 15 years, alongside managers such as Paul Ince and Steve McMahon, and was with the club in their Premier League campaign when Ian Holloway was manager. Alan was also the first team physio at Bury FC for three years.
He has also worked in semi-professional and college football, and began what has become a lifelong interest in sports injuries and First Aid when involved with Garswood United, in the period when they were members of our League in the 1990s.
As a Licensed Tutor/Assessor with the Football Association, Alan has presented First Aid courses for the Football Association, Premier League and Football League clubs, the PFA, Universities, Colleges, Schools, HM Prison Service and Junior Football Clubs.
He is now looking forward to assisting our clubs in his areas of expertise, and as Alan explained, the contact with the League came about after working with League Management Committee member Andy Nelson, on a course they were running at Salford College.
“I’ve known Andy since his days as manager at Leigh RMI, when I worked with him as the first team physio”, said Alan.
“I mentioned to him that I had retired from full time involvement with professional football, but that on Saturday afternoons at around half past one I had started getting itchy feet, as I was so used to being at games.
“Andy told me about his involvement with the NWCFL, and mentioned me to the League Management Committee. From there, I was asked if I would be willing to come on board and help out any clubs who needed some assistance, and I was happy to do that”.
Alan is now preparing to get around the various grounds over the next few months, and as well meeting new people, he is also expecting to come across a few familiar faces along the way.
“As well as my work for the FA, I work with the County FA’s as well”, he said. “A lot of the physios at clubs are almost certainly going to be people I have taught on courses at some point, so it will be good to catch up with some old faces and have a bit of banter with them.
“With my connections, I can find clubs a physio if they need one, and help with placement of physios at clubs when they might be looking for experience.
“But for the clubs who maybe don’t know me, the last thing I want anyone to think is that I’ll be looking to go into clubs and pull things apart. I’m not looking at causing problems or examining closely what people are doing, I’m here to help.
“If I can help to make things better I will do, but if I go to a club and find they have experienced people there and everything is fine, I’ll sit and have a chat to them, have a cuppa and watch the game.
“The main thing I want to ensure is that I’m here to offer advice and guidance to anyone who needs it, and it’s all about making things better and safer”.
League Secretary John Deal said: “The Management Committee are pleased to have appointed Alan to this role, and feel sure that his involvement will benefit member clubs”.
