Mind Fit For Football Podcast

John Johnstone went from being a plumber for nine years before he walked out of a council job for life to chase something bigger.

Nine years later, he has done over 4,500 one-to-one sessions with professional footballers, and last season he had a client at every top six club in Scotland.

In this episode of Mind Fit for Football, John and I talk about:

• Why most players' struggles come down to what other people think of them

• Why "I don't care what anyone thinks" is a goal you'll never reach, and what to aim for instead
• How to cut down how often a player goes into the storm, and how long they stay there
• Why controllable "who you're being" goals beat public targets like "20 goals this season"
• Why players who pay out of their own pocket take the work more seriously
• Mamba mentality, Michael Jordan, and why copying someone else's mindset rarely works

John's new book for professional footballers is out in early November.

Connect with John
Website: https://footballmindset.co.uk
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/footballmindset

Connect with Micheal
Website: https://www.michealhilton.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mindfitfootball/
Work with me: https://www.michealhilton.com/work-with-me

Charles Hagan joined Chelsea's academy at under-12s and spent four years training alongside players who went on to the top of the game, including Jamal Musiala and Michael Olise.

He turned pro at Sheffield Wednesday, had a standout first season, then watched it all unravel: injuries, isolation, hours lost to doom-scrolling, and a slow drift away from who he actually was.

After being released and signing at Wycombe Wanderers, a torn hamstring and ankle surgery ended his season and sent him into the darkest period of his life, at one point sleeping in his car.

In this episode, Charles sits down with mental performance coach Micheal Hilton to talk through what actually happened in his head during that spiral, and the exact turning point that got him working on himself instead of running from himself. They get into:

The reality of the "academy bubble" and why so many talented kids lose their edge once they get signedWhy doom-scrolling and social media comparison are one of the biggest silent threats to a young footballer's career

The difference between lacking discipline and lacking focusWhy guilt and shame can actually be useful signals instead of things to bury

How identity and self-belief shape performance more than raw ability ever will

Micheal also shares his own story of getting sober over two decades ago and building his coaching practice from the ground up, and the two swap the books, thinkers, and lessons that have shaped how they see pressure, recovery, and self-belief.

Charles is now back playing non-league football in pre-season, rebuilding to get back into the professional game. This is a raw, honest conversation about what actually happens in a footballer's mind when the wheels come off, and what it takes to put them back on.

Follow Charles Hagan's journey on Instagram @CharlesHagan7

and YouTube @CharlesHagan7

Damian Scannell climbed from Sunday League to League One.

In this episode of the podcast, Micheal Hilton sits down with former professional footballer Damian Scannell for an honest, no-fluff conversation about how players actually make it, and why so many talented ones fall away.

Damian never went through an academy.

He started in grassroots football, tore a side apart one Sunday, and got an offer of fifty quid a week.

That moment built momentum that carried him up the non-league pyramid to Eastleigh, then a buyout clause to Southend United in League One. He also breaks down where it went wrong, the mindset switch when he felt he had "arrived," the mercenary move for money, and the chase for pay-ups that started the decline.

As a dad with two boys in the academy system, Damian talks about tough love done right, getting his son to run a hill alone, making his boys earn the right to play on the garden pitch, and the day he caught himself becoming "that dad." Micheal shares his own version, including the Ben Nevis climb with his seven-year-old and the moment he realised his son's behaviour on the pitch was a mirror of his own.

You will hear why "okay" gets a player nowhere, why other people's opinions are the biggest trap in youth football, and why being obsessed with the craft beats being obsessed with the academy badge every time.

If your child has ability but you want to protect their love for the game while building real resilience, this one is for you.

Follow the podcast so you never miss an episode, and share it with one football parent or player who needs to hear it. Follow Damian's journey on Instagram @SuperDadDemo.

Three things derail most players. Other people's opinions become your reality, obsession with academic status over the game, and warped expectations of how the journey actually looks.