Trip Management Team
All staff have a valid enhanced DBS (previously known as CRB) disclosure check. We follow the FA Guidelines on Safeguarding and Child Protection when appointing staff to the trip.
Dan Abraham has been involved in independent school football for 16 years, in particular through his role at King Edward’s School Witley in Surrey, where his wife was a Housemistress for ten years. Dan previously coached at Portsmouth FC and was Head Coach of the ISFA National Under 13 team. He’s also won two trophies at Gothia Cup as a Coach. Dan holds a host of football related qualifications and is an FA and UEFA Licenced Coach. He has organised trips to the Gothia Cup every year since he first attended in 2002.
There is no one that knows more about trips to the Gothia Cup than Dan!
Injuries
As well as first aiders and several Chartered physiotherpists and Sports Therapsits, we have an outstanding medical team overseeing allthe players and staff at the Gothia Cup.
Dr Lynsey Northeast oversees our medical cover. She is Course Leader on the BSc (Hons) Sport and Exercise Therapy at Southampton Solent University.
Lynsey has over 14 years’ experience working as a Sports Therapist and has worked with a range of sports. She has also worked as the Head Sports Therapist for Luton Town Football club’s elite development squad and as the Head Sports Therapist for the England Wheelchair Rugby League team. She now holds a position as casual Sports Therapist at Reading Football Club, with the Future Lionesses Goalkeeping Centre and as an FA Medical Tutor.
Lynsey has been heavily involved with the Society of Sports Therapists, the course’s accrediting body, with their university and colleges liaison group, communications group as well as serving on the board as the Vice-Chair and as the Chair.
Mark Greaves-Lord assists Lyndsey at the Gothia Cup. Mark has spent his career working as a Sports Therapist in professional football, including First Team Sports Therapist at Portsmouth FC and Crawley Town FC, public services, private clinical practices, and has been teaching in higher education institutions since 2017. He also works as a Match-day medic for an ice-hockey team. He also has a MSc Strength and Conditioning from Southampton Solent University; Level 4 ITMMiF and has also worked as Clinical Tutor and Lecturer at St. Mary’s University, Twickenham and is a Lecturer at Solent University.
Hannah Gray is the third member of our experienced Management Sports Therapist Team. She works at PhysioFitness Dorset alongside being a lead Sports Therapist for a rugby club. Her past experience includes working n professional basketball. Hannah also holds a LUBAS Sports Trauma Management qualification. She has attended the Gothia Cup with the Prep Schools Squad every year since 2018.
Welfare Team
Nick Ash is a UEFA and FA Licenced Coach who has previously coached a team to Gothia Cup success! Nick is an outstanding coach with vast experience at several football clubs, including Arsenal, and has plenty of experience coaching and leading teams at tournaments abroad and has been helping Prep School players at the Gothia Cup for over ten years.
Samantha Coleman has worked in Sports Therapy across Gloucestershire and Southampton in football and in the NHS. She has been involved with charity events ran by The Albion Foundation (West Brom) and worked on a UEFA backed research project at Athletic Bilbao. She loves spending time with her family and has just taken up running so you may catch her early morning or late evening getting a few K in! Sam has been attending the Gothia Cup since 2016, so feel free to ask her if you have any questions!
Peter Gray played semi professional football before gaining his coaching badges. Peter has coached adults and children at various non-league Clubs including managing Basingstoke Town Reserves and Assistant Manager at Sutton United. He is a dad of 4 and enjoys keeping fit.
This will be Peter’s eighth trip to Gothia Cup, he will be on hand to support players and parents during the trip.
