Preparing for Life After Professional Sport: From Newcastle United history maker to helping the younger generation prepare for their future 

The 23rd August 2012, Alan Pardew’s Newcastle United travelled to Greece ahead of their UEFA EUROPA LEAGUE Qualifier 1st leg tie against Atromitos. Aged just 17 years and 236 days old youngster Adam Campbell replaced Pappis Cisse to become the Magpies youngest ever player in Europe at the time. 

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14 years ago, a month before the release of the iPhone 5 and nine years before a Saudi takeover, Adam was involed with the first team making three Premier League appearances and featuring twice in Europe. 

Now in 2026 Adam is part of Nicky Featherstone’s Hartlepool United side chasing a play-off place with eight games to go. However, it was 2019 when Campbell decided to go in to part time football allowing him to join LAPS (Life After Professional Sport).  

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LAPS is a company which offers support to professional athletes to prepare for their life after sport.  

Seven years on Adam is now Partner Support Manager at the company and delivers sessions to academies preparing them from a young age to plan ahead for their future.  

“LAPS as a business what we do is we help elite athletes. So it could be professional footballers, could be cricketers, rugby players or olympic athletes and the idea is that we help them while there still competing at an elite level to understand the importance of preparing for their future i.e doing educaiton courses part time, work experience things like that. 

“Then we connect them with businesses to make sure they understand what oppurtunities are available to them. We teach them how to access those oppurtunities and then in the end once they’ve finally finished whether it’s football or elite sport we help them to then start a new career.” 

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Adam’s experiences are extremely beneficial to young footballers, he said: 

“At 17 years old I was playing in the Premier League; I was playing in the Europa League, and I was sort of top of my game for that age group. Then you kind of fast forward the rest of my career has been in the lower leagues and non-league football.” 

Adam continued: “I think whether their (young footballers) down their already, and try to get their way up, I think hearing that experience from someone who has lived it and can help them along the way is massively important.” 

Breaking through an academy system is extremley difficult and can be very demanding especially when there are knockbacks: 

“I think when you’re in the academy system you get sucked into thinking you’re going to be a professional footballer for the rest of your life which is obviously the aim of everyone who is in an academy system. 

“The numbers tell you that if you’re in an elite academy system the chances of you playing first team and having a career for longer than eight years is very slim. 

“So, we do workshops where we discuss how many players choose when they retire from football. I always speak more football based because I’m a footballer and there’s only 15% of professional footballers choose when they retire.” 

Former West Ham United and Wolves winger Matt Jarvis is also part of LAPS and has delivered sessions to academies helping them prepare for the future. Matt said: 

“My role is to go into academies and present workshops give my experiences and basically fulfill the programme that LAPS has put together.  

“Recently I have come through the transition of finishing playing to not playing. I suppose there’s a change in the purpose and for everything you’ve done for 18-19 years to come to an end. You need that void to fill and to be able to understand you need a purpose in life and go out and do something everyday.” 

How many players have we seen make a Premier League appearance, maybe a couple games here or there then gradually they go down the leagues, some announce their retirements a lot earlier than expected and nowadays they even appear at a six a side football competition, Baller League.

Things change quickly in football and LAPS provides a huge oppurtunity to prepare for what is to come. 

Ex magpie defender Ciaran Clark is currently at the heart of the defence of NDL managed by Niko Omilana. Niko is a worlwide content creator and a man who has his own sweet brand and was banished from the castle early doors in season 1 of Celebrity Traitors. 

Clark went from being on the books at Stoke City to making his Baller League debut in less than a year, showing just how quickly things can change. Three years ago Baller League didn’t exist now it’s viral every Monday Night for the world to watch. 

Winger Luke Charman also came through the youth ranks at Newcastle United and was released in 2020 after five years at the club. The 28- year-old reignited his career with National League North side Darlington FC signing during Covid and now plays for the Poolies alongside Adam. 

On his release and the effects it had on him Luke said:  

“I was told about my release shortly before the first lockdown during covid, it affected me heavily.  

“The thoughts of my career being over and the unknown of the world were a lot to deal with. Honestly looking back now I think it knocked my confidence for a while. The first club to show interest was Darlington and I jumped at the chance to sign and from their my career began again.” 

Luke has suffered multiple injuries during his career and is currently on the sidelines at the moment, he said:

“I feel like having a plan after football is something every player needs to take very seriously because our careers can genuinley end every time we step on the field of play.”