SP5045 - Football Organisational Leadership

What will I learn on this module?

This module will enable you to develop an in-depth understanding of football organisational leadership and stakeholder management. The module will broadly consider leadership, organisational behaviour, stakeholder management and internal decision making within football and with some reference across multiple sports settings. These will be explored through varying socio-cultural and/or socio/political lenses amongst others. Some typical sample case studies include The FA, working within elite football clubs (e.g., premier league), managing external relationships across the football landscape (e.g., managing EPPP systems).

Beyond this, we will examine how leaders build organisational culture and integrity, and how leaders nurture their wider multidisciplinary teams. We will underpin discussions with recognition of the contextual challenges (both within football, elite sport generally and wider sporting discourses) and opportunities that football leaders are tasked with navigating.

How will I learn on this module?

In this module you will learn through a combination of lectures and in class seminars. Tutorial sessions will also be built into the module to offer wider support throughout the module study. There will be the opportunity to work in smaller groups with discipline specific members of staff who will facilitate context driven discussion and learning. In weekly sessions with tutors and in students’ own learning time, students will be provided with real-world sport industry case studies and problems seeking resolution as per the themes of each week. Students are encouraged to develop their own understanding and learning with the support of materials offered and by actively seeking relevant materials to the weekly themes to bring to classroom discussion

How will I be supported academically on this module?

Module information, assessment requirements and expectations, and important module announcements will be made through the eLP. Material to support your learning will be uploaded in advance of sessions. You will be provided with content verbally and guided through tasks during timetabled sessions. A dedicated assessment session will afford you the opportunity to ask assessment related questions in class. The Module Leader is there to support you with any queries that you may have about the module content, and all staff members provide tutorial time outside of class time. Module tutors will provide you with the necessary information on how to arrange a tutorial. You will have the opportunity to receive formative feedback on your development during the module, and you will receive feedback on summative work to help you identify areas of strength and areas for development. There will be the opportunity to discuss your feedback with a member of staff during a tutorial. There is also further academic skills support available from the University Library services.

What will I be expected to read on this module?

All modules at Northumbria include a range of reading materials that students are expected to engage with. The reading list for this module can be found at: http://readinglists.northumbria.ac.uk
(Reading List service online guide for academic staff this containing contact details for the Reading List team – http://library.northumbria.ac.uk/readinglists)

What will I be expected to achieve?

Knowledge & Understanding:
Identify and distinguish theories and models relating to the principles and management of successful football sporting organisations (ML01)

Recommend solutions to challenging professional issues in performance football organisations (ML02)

Intellectual / Professional skills & abilities:

Utilise an appropriate online training tool to present a key issue from the module content (ML03)

Personal Values Attributes (Global / Cultural awareness, Ethics, Curiosity) (PVA):

Be able to reflect on what are appropriate leadership qualities and behaviours which can nurture people and teams from a range of national and international contexts (ML04)

How will I be assessed?

Summative assessment will be an online interactive training video for sport practitioners/sport organisations (participant duration 10-15 minutes), which addresses all module learning outcomes.

Formative assessment will take place regularly throughout the module. Directed weekly tasks will help students build up their skills of analysis and presentation of appropriate material and formative feedback will be provided by the module tutor and class peers on students’ thoughts and analysis.

Pre-requisite(s)

N/A

Co-requisite(s)

N/A

Module abstract

Football is more than just what happens ‘on the pitch’. In an evolving professional landscape football requires proactive thinkers on the training pitch and boardroom to be key decision makers, leaders and engage strategically with external stakeholders. Football leaders e.g., Pep Guardiola, Dan Ashworth, Tony Bloom and Matthew Benham have all been recognised for their leadership and managerial qualities, for their ability to inspire people, for their vision and their ability to be different/creative. Subsequently, they have inspired a generation of football leaders. What is it that makes these individuals different from the norm? What is it in their biography, their philosophy, their everyday working formula that breeds success? As a collective we will explore these successes (amongst others in elite sport) and unpack them considering key organisational/social/political theory.

Course info

UCAS Code FC26

Credits 20

Level of Study Undergraduate

Mode of Study 3 years Full Time or 4 years with a placement (sandwich)/study abroad

Department Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation

Location City Campus, Northumbria University

City Newcastle

Start September 2026

Fee Information

Module Information

All information is accurate at the time of sharing.

Full time Courses are primarily delivered via on-campus face to face learning but could include elements of online learning. Most courses run as planned and as promoted on our website and via our marketing materials, but if there are any substantial changes (as determined by the Competition and Markets Authority) to a course or there is the potential that course may be withdrawn, we will notify all affected applicants as soon as possible with advice and guidance regarding their options. It is also important to be aware that optional modules listed on course pages may be subject to change depending on uptake numbers each year.

Contact time is subject to increase or decrease in line with possible restrictions imposed by the government or the University in the interest of maintaining the health and safety and wellbeing of students, staff, and visitors if this is deemed necessary in future.

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All information is accurate at the time of sharing.

Full time Courses are primarily delivered via on-campus face to face learning but could include elements of online learning. Most courses run as planned and as promoted on our website and via our marketing materials, but if there are any substantial changes (as determined by the Competition and Markets Authority) to a course or there is the potential that course may be withdrawn, we will notify all affected applicants as soon as possible with advice and guidance regarding their options. It is also important to be aware that optional modules listed on course pages may be subject to change depending on uptake numbers each year.

Contact time is subject to increase or decrease in line with possible restrictions imposed by the government or the University in the interest of maintaining the health and safety and wellbeing of students, staff, and visitors if this is deemed necessary in future.

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