Beyond Football Conference 2025: Redefining Identity Beyond the Pitch
Yesterday, the inaugural Beyond Football Conference, held at Merky HQ, marked a powerful step forward for players and professionals seeking purpose beyond the game. The event, founded by Daniel Jinadu, created a welcoming space for footballers, parents, and industry professionals to explore identity, resilience, and life after football.
With a strong turnout and vibrant energy, the day offered a rare opportunity to network across football’s wider ecosystem, connecting attendees with player care specialists, organisations, and ex-players turned entrepreneurs.
Opening Remarks: Finding Identity Beyond the Game
Founder Daniel Jinadu opened the conference with a heartfelt message about identity and purpose. Daniel shared his own experiences travelling with West Ham but not playing, he is diving deeply into how football’s toughest lessons shaped his growth. From that struggle came the vision for Beyond Football, a platform to help young players discover self-confidence and opportunity beyond the pitch. He wanted to be the change he felt he needed, but could not find.
Speaker Spotlight: FootForward
The first speakers, Sean and Morgan, founders of FootForward, delivered a moving session about life after release. Both former players who met at Brentford, they channelled frustration and disappointment into creating something positive for others navigating similar journeys.
Their message was clear: different paths can still lead to purpose. They highlighted the need for greater empathy in football institutions many of which lack lived experience of what players go through.
They also discussed the barriers they faced, such as existing player care systems and the limited reach of organisations like the PFA, whose support often only extends to professional players. FootForward’s mission, they said, is to build community, hope, and positivity around mental health in football. I found it interesting how both of them stepped away from football for a period of time following their releases, proving it goes to show that just because the game does not offer the desired pathway, it still has value for those who worked so hard to make a name within it.
Panel Discussion: Life Beyond Football
A standout moment was the panel talk, featuring:
Rob Milsom, former pro, now with the Players Foundation
Luther James Wildin, Stevenage FC player and property business owner
Hugo Schekter, former Head of Player Care at Brentford and West Ham, now leading the Player Care Group
Robbie Simpson, former professional and founder of LAPS
Each panellist shared deeply personal insights into transitioning out of the game. The recurring theme was purpose: the importance of preparing early, building networks, and recognising value beyond the pitch. It was a good mix, 2 former players, a current professional footballer also highly respected within the business industry of the game, and a well-established leader in player care who has firsthand extensive experience dealing with professionals on a daily basis, giving us in the audience a real variety of stories to listen to and choose from.
“Players who leave the game not on their own terms often struggle the most,” Hugo noted. The panel’s advice was both practical and empowering, drop your ego, reach out for help, and find your escape outside football.
Breakout Sessions: Mindset, Faith, and Growth
The breakout sessions offered attendees an intimate chance to reflect and connect. With the choices ranging from personal branding and LinkedIn masterclasses to financial advice and literacy for the delegates to choose from, it was session 3, the Personal Growth and Mindset session, held in the EA Gaming Room that I chose to attend. Our small delegate group surrounded as we pitched questions to Sam Holden Femi Ilensami, & Lauren Domfe.
It was possibly the most incredibly unique breakout session I’ve ever been to; the atmosphere was informal and open a refreshing break from traditional conference formats. It almost didn’t feel professional, but more personal, relaxed and a chance to be vulnerable as people in a room who had never met each other. Discussions delved into faith, identity, stagnation, and rediscovery. for honesty, vulnerability, and growth.
Live Podcast & Closing Thoughts
The day included a Live Football Podcast, hosted by Daniel Jinadu and featuring guests Saleem Akanbi, Roberto Dos Santos (Head of Partnerships), and Serine Sanneh (Ballers League player). Each shared stories of perseverance, pain, transition, and the power of community. Later, Fiona Green, who is familiar to The Business of Football Network, spoke about the role of data and technology in shaping the modern football landscape, another insightful perspective for the delegates to consider and how players can take their own data into their own hands.
Final Reflections
The Beyond Football Conference 2025 was a demonstration of authenticity mixed with professionalism and changing a narrative. Here were a group of incredibly talented footballers, athletes & leaders educating, who pushed away their identity as just a footballer, guiding those who have come after them about their stories, so that the younger generation are better equipped to handle the brutal realities of life as an aspiring professional footballer. It brought together stories of pain, resilience, and rebirth from across the football community.
For parents, aspiring footballers, or academy players facing uncertainty, the Beyond Football Conference is essential. It teaches the key pillars of recovery and growth:
resilience, understanding, shared experience, and self-belief.
Daniel Jinadu and his team have built something truly needed in my opinion, a safe space where identity is not confined to the game, but expanded beyond it.
