This week we welcome Michael Doughty to the show. Michael was a professional footballer for over a decade, playing in the Premier League for QPR followed by a successful Football League career, most notably at Swindon, until his retirement in 2020. He has since set up sustainability focused sporting goods company Hylo Athletics, with the mission to ‘protect the future of running and sport’.

In today’s episode with Michael, we discuss:

Coming through the academy system:

• What is it like to begin a ‘career’ at the age of eight and deal with the constant pressures associated with a performance driven system?
• How did Michael deal with the disappointment of being released by Chelsea and the subsequent transition to QPR?
• What are the sacrifices required to be successful in this environment and what are the longer-term impacts?
• Can more be done to protect individuals who fall out of the academy system and help them secure opportunities elsewhere in football and beyond?

The challenge of finding a sense of belonging in football:

• ‘Footballers are somewhat different but very simple human beings in a great way’. How did Michael manage external perception with his reality?
• Having taken the unusual path of private education and professional football, how did Michael find an identity in two contrasting environments?
• The highs and lows of the loan system; when are opportunities presented and when do they need to be manufactured?
• How did Michael’s relationship with his father Nigel shape his ambitions to become a professional player?

A career at the top of the game:

• What was it like for Michael to achieve his ultimate goal and make his first Premier League appearance at such a young age?
• How to handle disappointment when Michael was told by QPR manager Harry Redknapp that he wasn’t in his plans for the 1st team.
• How did Michael accept the transition from being a Premier League player to playing in League One and Two?
• What are the true economics of football contracts and how difficult is it to manage money as a young player?

Making the transition from football to business:

• How did Michael make the decision to give up his football career and pursue Hylo Athletics full-time?
• What is Hylo and how does it differ from other sports brands in the market?
• The importance of having a clear goal and mission for the team to get behind when tackling sustainability.
• Why is it important for athletes and people of influence to use their platform for good?