Reconnect

Social fitness hubs. Designed for former players.

Monthly high-performance exercise sessions delivered by experts across 20 locations nationwide. Created to help retired players manage the physical and mental transition away from full-time football.

Booking now open at a select number of sites | Register below

20 SITES | 400 MEMBERS | EVERY MONTH

GROUP GYM TRAINING

Join guided strength and conditioning workouts at some of the country's leading university sports facilities, delivered by expert performance coaches.  

RECOVERY & SPORTS THERAPIES

Access specialised recovery and rehabilitation therapies like sports massage and yoga.

NETWORKING AND SUPPORT

Connect with other former players in your area and meet with your local PFA representative to explore opportunities available to you. 

a new team environment

REGISTER FOR RECONNECT

Booking is now open at a select number of sites

 
Click to book

OUR LOCATIONS

Find a session near you

  • Manchester | Manchester Metropolitan University 

  • Newcastle | Northumbria University

  • Hull | Hull University

  • Leeds | Leeds Beckett University

  • Liverpool | Liverpool John Moores University

  • Preston | University of Central Lancashire

  • Sheffield | Sheffield Hallam University
  • Birmingham | University College Birmingham

  • Loughborough | Loughborough University

  • Northampton | University of Northampton

  • Stoke | Staffordshire University
  • Bath | University of Bath

  • Brighton | University of Brighton

  • Cardiff | Cardiff Metropolitan University

  • Guildford | Surrey University

  • London | University of East London

  • Middlesex | Middlesex University

  • Norwich | University of East Anglia

  • Oxford | Oxford Brooks University

  • Southampton | Southampton Solent University 

BACKED BY PLAYERS

“A lot of players that I speak to who have recently retired struggle with finding what to do next. The routine they are so used to gets taken away at retirement. RECONNECT sessions are structured, which helps massively. The physical side is all taken care of, and so former players can catch up with people they’ve not seen in a while, and maybe even have played with in the past.”

Wes Morgan  |  Former Premier League winner and PFA Players' Board 


"When you’re used to training every day and being around teammates, it can be a shock to the system when that suddenly stops. For a lot of people there is a big link between how they feel physically and their wellbeing. Having something to help keep you in that routine and connect you to other former players can only be a good thing.”

Ellen White | Former Lioness and Manchester City forward 

“It's an opportunity to meet with old friends... create some new friends, but also just to get back in that sporting environment. Being back in a training environment like that does roll back the years. No doubt this project will help a lot of players go through that transition period away from being on the pitch full-time."

Jermaine Beckford | Former Leeds United forward 

FAQs

When do the sessions take place?

Each of our partner university locations will host one RECONNECT session per month. 

Dates for each site's session will be shared with all members in advance and bookings can be made in advance via the PFA website. 

Can I attend a session every month?

There are no limits on how many RECONNECT sessions members can attend. 

However there are a limited number of available spaces at each site so bookings must be made in advance. Spaces will be allocated on a first-come-first-served basis. 

Are the sessions free of charge?

Yes. The RECONNECT sessions are completely free to attend.

The programme is fully-funded by the PFA and available exclusively to the union's retired membership.

Is personal training available at the sessions?

No. Sessions are group-based and our trainers will be unable to deliver bespoke 1-1 sessions. 

However, classes can be tailored to all abilities and fitness levels.

PERFORMANCE SUPPORT

The RECONNECT programme has been developed alongside our performance partners, P3RFORM. Established in elite sport, the team supports the delivery of the PFA's performance-based member services.

youth-advisory