Chris Smalling became our patron in February 2019. He relates to our mission through his own journey. He lost his father when he was 5 and was brought up in a single parent family. He has a real passion for helping young people achieve their potential and values the power of education to support them. He has been integral in supporting our expansion to the North West of England.

John McAvoy received a life sentence for armed robbery and was sent to Belmarsh Prison. He used sport to turn his life around in prison, breaking a World Record for rowing whilst in the prison gym. He has since gone on to become a professional Iron-Man triathlete. However, it is his devotion to using his life lessons to inspire young people not to make the same mistakes that he did that draws him to FBB. He provides regular guidance to our participants.

Troy Townsend is the Education Manager for the organisation Kick it Out. He leads on their Equality Inspires Programme in partnership with the Premier League. He also leads on Kick It Out’s successful Raise Your Game series, which looks to address gaps in representation across all areas of the game, through mentoring events. He is one of the leading voices in the country, challenging the injustices that continue to exist within grassroots football.