Former Macclesfield midfielder and PFA member Christian Millar give his insight into the support provided by the PFA to members both past and present:
The 40th annual PFA awards evening on Sunday was a celebration of the talents of Gareth Bale, Kim Little and many other members of the PFA.
The show piece ceremony demonstrated the obvious work that is done by the PFA but the unions sole purpose isn't just to arrange awards to congratulate the members who are at the top of the footballing ladder.
The PFA has a responsibility to help all members past and present to ensure they have every opportunity to succeed in whatever career path they may choose.
In that respect, football can be the greatest game in the world when it is going well. But, on the other hand it can also be the cruellest sport imaginable at other times.
And it is at those times, that fortunately, the Professional Footballers' Association can step in and help players to change track.
All players will have to retire at some stage, whether it is through age, injury, getting released or they simply don't want to play football anymore.
And whether it be helping with higher education funding, financial support to take courses in personal training or delivering seminars on how to move on to a career away from football and sport in general, the PFA are there to help.
Only recently the PFA have announced that they will again be running the Making The Transition seminars to help players smoothly adapt from full time football to a different career path.
The seminars that are run in conjunction with UK SEMINARS will cover topics such as identifying a career that would suit the member, help creating an impressive CV, help writing application letters and also preparation for interview.
The seminars will be held over the 9th and 10th June at the Belfry Golf and Leisure Complex, and the PFA will cover all programme and accommodation costs.
Seminars and help like this doesn't normally get the recognition that it maybe deserves in the general public and often in the media but to ex-players that have utilised the benefits that being a member gives them, praise is high.
Ugo Ehiogu attended a seminar after he had retired from playing and spoke of the benefits of the MTT course:
"I would 100% recommend it, especially if you're coming towards the end of your football career because it's such an eye-opener. It does give you a little bit more confidence and a bit more balance to get you ready for the next stage."
However it is not only ex Premier League players that benefit from the PFA's help.
Young members that haven't made a single first team appearance have the same opportunities as more esteemed members.
James Askey spent two years in Macclesfield Town's youth team and had to look for a career away from football after his release in 2010.
Luckily for Askey he was able to call on the support of the PFA to help him cover his course fees:
"The PFA have really helped me by paying towards my university fees, and have said they will help if I wish to take any other educational courses in the future."
The 21 year old is now studying towards a degree in Sports Coaching at Staffordshire University and he feels that all members should either go on the Making The Transition course or apply for funding:
"I would definitely recommend other members to get in touch as they have been a great help to me. The Making The Transition course sounds like it would be really insightful and is something I would consider going on."
It isn't just educational courses that the PFA will help with either, Andy Bratt who played for Port Vale since he was a youngster decided to go down the route of personal training after leaving the Valiants:
"I always enjoyed training in the gym as a player and so when I stopped playing at a full time level I decided to contact the PFA to see if they could help me to do become qualified as a personal trainer.
"They had already funded an operation I had on my ankle shortly after I left Port Vale, so I can't thank them enough for the support they have given me."
The support that the PFA gives to players doesn't just stop at giving money out and walking away from the member though.
There is a network of support that goes on behind the scenes that will continually assist any member requiring their support.
That support is in place to hopefully ensure that any member moving away from football will be as successful as players like Gareth Bale or Kim Little have been at the recent awards evening but in a completely different field of work.
For further information on Making the Transition, please contact PFA Education on 0161 236 0637 or e-mail owilliams@thepfa.co.uk.
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