Inspiring Tranmere Rovers Football Club

Inspiring Great Teams Means the World To Me!

I felt very honoured to be invited by Tranmere Rovers FC manager, Micky Mellon, to share my story of overcoming adversity to become ‘The Best You Can Be’.

Team Talk

My story is aimed to help others overcome adversity and achieve their dreams. I was tasked to be inspirational and coach resilience to Tranmere’s First Team and Youth Academy players to help them on their journey into the Play-Off’s and to gain that much sought after promotion into League One.

Solar Training Camp

I arrived early at the club’s Solar Campus training ground, so I could see first hand, the players and support staff in action out on the training pitches. It was important to get an idea of their tough training schedule and team spirit.

After a very nice spot of lunch with Manager Micky, where I gleaned some useful final updates it was down to business delivering my Keynote to the lads.

Overcoming Adversity to become ‘The Best You Can Be’!

We have a choice! We can all become ‘The Best That We Can Be’. This is often not an easy journey, especially, in football! Unfortunately we do not win every time we put our boots on but all is not lost as long as we debrief, accept and learn. Valuable lessons come from embracing our mistakes and resilience comes from learning to accept the tough times, pick ourselves up and try again.

Comparing Work Ethic and Values

I shared the similarities of being a soldier and being a footballer. Everything you do in training, whether on the pitch, in the gym or working on strategy in a classroom culminates with ‘The Mission’.

In football ‘The Mission’ is to win the game within 90 minutes on the pitch. That’s it!! It comes down to focus, work, effort and determination. Very similar the the values I began my military career with in The Royal Marine and on to Special Forces:

Excellence – Integrity – Self-Discipline – Humility

Values are really important for developing that team spirit and the Esprit De Corps!

Just remember that we all have a choice and we can all become, ‘The Best That We Can Be’.

This is often not an easy journey, especially, in football!

We don’t always win everytime we get onto the pitch. From the bad days, lessons are learnt. Resilience is learned from the hard lessons of life.

“Every minute of your training at Solar Campus, the strategy in the classroom and the pain in the gym is played out in 90 minutes of a game. That is your battle field, your gladiator arena. This is the time when you shine and come together as a team. This is the time for focus”

Sometimes we may need to look at our values. These are the values we have in Special Forces;

Integrity – Self-Discipline – Excellence – Humility

Tranmere Rovers were lucky enough to spend a day with Ex Royal Marine and British Elite Special Forces Officer Jem Hills.

Jem, during his time at The Campus, observed the first team train and spent time speaking to Micky and his coaching staff. He then delivered a talk to all the first team and youth team players covering important topics such as teamwork, focus, accountability & mental toughness and relating them to the experiences he has had serving our country.

We would like to thank Jem for the time he spent with Tranmere Rovers.

Since I have spoken to Tranmere Rovers Football Club they won their following next 3 games, moved up 5 places to become 5th in their league, League 2, are now in a great position to earn a place in the play-offs AND in with a real chance to achieve promotion into League 1.

So how’s a team that you know, doing?

Be it a sports, professionals or a work related team. Can I help them with a shot of inspiration and self belief, to be the best that they can be?

If so please ask them to get in touch for an informal chat about how best I can help.

Thank you!