University of Staffordshire's Performing Under Pressure Podcast

Dr Tim Pitt is a Performance Psychologist and a Director at Mindflick. He has experience of working with the English Institute of Sport, Manchester City, and with athletes in hockey and para table tennis. Tim completed his PhD at Cardiff Metropolitan University in 2017, and in this episode, he reflects on what he has learned about performing under pressure.

Joined by guest co-host Dr Andrew Wood, we ask Tim to explain the work that he does at Mindflick and how this can help individuals. Tim thinks back to his work at the Olympics and describes how single-sessions can be useful for athletes. We explore how big changes can emanate from quick interventions and the psychology around 'nudges'.

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Dr Phoebe Welcome is a Counselling Psychologist and completed her PhD entitled "The women's experiences of being partners of elite male footballers in England" at the University of Manchester. She is

In this episode, Phoebe explains to hosts Dr Paul Mansell and Dr Sofie Kent about the findings of her research and offers suggestions as to how clubs and organisations can better support the romantic partners of professional athletes. Phoebe outlines the basis of her job and what drew her to the profession. We also discuss stigma and Phoebe's perception of the term "WAG".

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In this special bonus international episode, Lorenzo Tonello describes his journey from being an undergraduate student at the University of Staffordshire to an intern at Real Madrid's academy.

Now the First Team Rehab Coach and an Injury Recovery & Assistance Performance Coach at FC Pro Vercelli in Italy’s Serie C, Lorenzo describes a typical working day and some of the challenges he faces in his job. He also reflects on what he learnt through his internship at Real Madrid, and the advice he would give to others starting out in this role.

We also explore the importance of building effective working relationships between staff and players, and the role of psychology in Lorenzo's work more broadly.

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Matt Hancock is the Chief Executive Officer of Port Vale FC and the Chair of the Board of Directors at Staffordshire FA. Prior to joining Port Vale, Matt spent a significant amount of time working for Burton Albion FC in community-based roles.

In this episode, we explore performing under pressure through the lens of a senior leader in professional football. What is it like having difficult conversations with managers and other staff? How do you recruit the right people? How do you maintain your own wellbeing so you can give your best at work? How do you create values that are lived by the people in your organisation? These are all topics we explore in this episode...

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Sarah Knapp is a HCPC registered Sport and Exercise Psychologist. Sarah completed her MSc in Sport and Exercise Psychology at the University of Staffordshire in 2021 and has since worked with several teams and individuals including Northampton Town FC Women’s team. Sarah also conducts freelance work through her business “Mindset for Performance”.

In this episode, Dr Paul Mansell and Dr Tsvetelina Nenkova ask Sarah to explain some of the key features of her practice. Sarah outlines how she got into the profession, what an average day can look like, and some of the strategies she finds to be effective when working with athletes. Sarah also explains her published research in REBT and exercise addiction in females.

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Erica Meg Parkinson is a midfielder for Portuguese top division club Valadares Gaia. The 18 year old has won over 40 caps for England at youth level and was selected for her first senior squad by Serena Wiegman in April 2026.

In this episode, Erica reflects on the strategies that help her to perform well on the pitch, such as having consistent routines, journalling, and quickly moving on from mistakes. We discuss the nature of tournament football and Erica analyses how togetherness can be built quickly. Given her recent rise to the Lionesses senior squad, Erica also tells us how she is able to deal with success.

Thank you to Valadares Gaia FC for hosting this episode.

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David Robson is a science writer and author known for his expertise in psychological and neuroscience research. He has written for publications such as New Scientist, The Guardian, and the BBC, often focusing on how human thinking, behaviour, and belief systems shape our lives. David has written books including The Intelligence Trap, The Expectation Effect, and The Laws of Connection which explore topics like cognitive bias, why connections matter, and the powerful role of mindset in health and performance.

In this episode, David explains to Dr Paul Mansell about the role of the brain as a "prediction machine", what is meant by the "liking gap", and why giving gratitude can be important in developing connections. Is all stress bad, and how we can change the way we think about it?

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Nathan Thompson has made over 450 appearances in professional football. He began his career with Swindon Town and spent 8 years with the club where he was voted player of the season on two occasions and was named as club captain. He then moved to Portsmouth, winning the EFL Trophy against Sunderland in 2019, before serving Peterborough, Stevenage and MK Dons.

In this episode, Nathan describes the power of consistent actions as a way of performing when it matters. Nathan reflects on effective leadership, giving examples of where he has encountered it in his career, and the importance of building connections between teammates. We also discuss career transitions, Nathan's research on player care, and Nathan outlines his planned steps beyond football.

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Emily Smith is a National Series champion in mountain biking and has prolonged experience of working in the British Army.

In this episode, she explains to Dr Paul Mansell how performing under pressure might enhanced by visualisation and how she is able to cope with the intense demands of her physical training. We also discuss resilience and Emily reflects on how she helps to prepare young army recruits to face demanding situations. Emily also outlines her perspective on effective leadership by drawing on her military and sporting experiences, and she explains why we should welcome some pressure into our lives.

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Dr Lisa O’Halloran is a HCPC registered Sport and Exercise Psychologist, and she completed her PhD at Liverpool John Moores University. Lisa is the founder of LOH Consultancy Limited and has worked with a range of

In this episode, she explains to Dr Paul Mansell and Jason Wright how Nideffer's Attentional Styles Model is used in her practice with athletes.

Lisa movingly explains how a serious adverse health condition has changed the way she thinks about life and how it also shapes her practice. Just before the 30-minute mark, we advise our listeners that Lisa explains a surgical procedure which may be upsetting.

Lisa also reflects on effective supervision of trainee sport and exercise psychologists, and what she considers to be the fundamental qualities of a practitioner.

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