Troy Townsend is Head of Development for Kick It Out, football's quality and inclusion organisation. A key part of Troy's work is addressing gaps in representation across all areas of the game and includes delivering equality and diversity workshops to English Football League (EFL) and scholars with the League Football Education (LFE).

We talked to Troy about his early life and how the lack of encouragement and supportive role models in his life at that time lead him to stop pursuing a playing career in football. Troy opens up about the loss of two huge figures in his life, his son Kurtis, who tragically died aged just 19 and his best friend Steve Browne, who he worked with for some 15 years or more. These two extremely difficult moments in his life leading him to question his own existence and experiences he is only just beginning to be open about.

We also discuss Troy's work with Kick It Out and the everyday challenges that his work brings.

(TW: This episode contains discussions on suicide and bereavement)

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