How the PFA’s pre-season programme is helping to ease free agents’ uncertainty

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Down a long drive, out of sight in the Leicestershire countryside, there is a buzz around a football pitch.

Forty players, and various groups of coaching staff, are mingling by a set of dugouts, chatting, swapping their trainers for boots, preparing for training to get under way.

It is pre-season; this is not an unusual sight up and down the country at this time of year.

But this is not pre-season as we know it – this is the PFA’s pre-season camp.

Now in it’s second year, it is a 10-week, fully-funded residential programme and, along with training on the pitch, players have access to spa and gym facilities, strength and conditioning sessions and more. PFA members released this summer, who had a professional contract during the 2024/25 season, are eligible.

Down to the finest detail, everything is taken care of. All they need to do is turn up and take part.

It would not be pre-season without friendlies, of course. At the time of writing, there are six scheduled, and there is ongoing interest from Premier League and Championship clubs.

There are murmurs PFA members who are on the PFA’s ‘Player to Match Official’ programme will be given officiating opportunities during those games. Scouts will be in attendance, too. The more chances these players have to put themselves in the shop window, the better.

Of the 120 players who attended in 2024, roughly 100 went on to earn a contract. Former Arsenal defender Carl Jenkinson earned a move to Bromley as a result, while Dwight Gayle was picked up by Hibernian.

From this year’s group, former Harrogate left-back Matty Foulds has already signed for St Johnstone after week one.

The success rate is high – and registrations for this year’s edition essentially doubled as a result.

During a visit on week one, Sky Sports spoke to two high-profile attendees hoping to use the programme to kickstart the next chapter of their careers…

In-demand Swift: You can’t replicate what you do on the pitch in the gym

The surprise name on the attendee list released to the media was that of John Swift.

On Chelsea’s books until 2016, the midfielder – and former England U21 international – has played regular Championship football for Reading and West Brom for the last nine seasons.

Needless to say, the 30-year-old is not short of suitors. According to reports, Derby, Norwich, Portsmouth, Rangers and Stoke among others are interested in his signature. He knows that and has already spoken to clubs.

But he has decided to take a proactive approach before his next destination is secured.

“Joe Wildsmith was at West Brom last year and he came here before,” Swift explains. “He said ‘If you’re between choosing clubs or talking to clubs, there’s no point being sat at home and going to the gym on your own’.

“As soon as I knew my contract was going to be up at West Brom and I wasn’t going to be signing, I signed up straight away. There’s nothing worse than just being sat at home, waiting for your agent to call and hoping it’s sooner rather than later.

“I went on holiday and enjoyed it, knowing that I was going to come here and put some work in. I’d rather come here as you can’t replicate what you do on the pitch in the gym. The whole time I’m without a club, I’ll be here working.”

Between the end of his contract at Reading and signing for West Brom, Swift was a free agent for two weeks. It has been longer this time. It is the longest period he has ever been without a club as a professional.

The club’s decision not to extend the three-year contract he signed in 2022 was made before the end of the season, before Ryan Mason was appointed as the permanent successor to Tony Mowbray.

His exit came at the end of a season when he made only 19 Championship starts.

“It was definitely my time to leave come the end of the season,” he admits.

“I went there hoping to push for promotion; we got to the play-offs once, but missed out twice. I’m disappointed with what we achieved, to be honest.

“With the team we had, the players we had, the managers we had, I think we definitely could have kicked on more and achieved more.

“Last season, when Carlos Corberan left and Tony came in, it was a massive difference in management. One manages one way, one manages the other. Maybe we just didn’t get it quite right when Tony came in. We had games where we should have won by three or four.

“The last part of my deal there was tough. I came off the bench every now and then. It didn’t go quite well at the end. Maybe the last three or four months was difficult, but overall, I really enjoyed it.”

Dummett excited for new chapter after ‘disaster’ first post-Newcastle season

Paul Dummett is one of the other well-known players in attendance at the camp.

The defender spent 24 years at Newcastle, having joined as an eight-year-old and left last summer at the age of 32. He played over 200 times for the Magpies and was part of the team that won the Championship title in 2016/17.

He is a free agent for the second time. There were short spells at Wigan and Carlisle last term, but he played just eight games in all – and that was following a five-month spell without a club.

“When I left Newcastle, I didn’t think I would have been out without a club when the transfer window closed,” he says.

“It was a difficult time, an uncertain time for me. Newcastle helped me a lot. I left there and didn’t have a club, but I was fortunate enough to be allowed to train with the U21s.

“That helped me stay fit, so I was in a decent position when I went to Wigan. I wasn’t match fit, which was not ideal, but I was still in an OK position after training most days.

“The most difficult part at Wigan was that the team wasn’t until two hours before kick-off. I never got the opportunity to try and work as hard as I could on a Thursday and Friday if I knew I wasn’t going to be playing. I found myself not getting in the rhythm of trying to get fitter and fitter and playing some games.

“In the end, I didn’t play much and ended up going to Carlisle in January, then pulling my hamstring the first game I was there. It was a bit of a disaster season for me, really.”

This is a chance for the former Wales international to wipe the slate clean, so, as daunting as the prospect of being without a club is, it is almost cancelled out by the excitement of what might be still to come.

“After last season, I thought coming here, surrounded by other players in the same position, was the best thing for me. I know exactly how everyone feels; it’s an uncertain time for everyone.

“This time 12 months ago as well, I probably hadn’t even gone back to training, so I’m in a more advantaged position now. I’m here to try and do my best, get as fit as I can.

“Being in the shop window, showing people that you’re still good enough to go and do it on a good stage is important. I’m sure I can still go out there and be good enough to play. I’m excited for that new challenge and the next chapter of my career.”

This news was originally published on this post .

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