Dr Kevin Braybrook
DBA, SFHEA

Course Leader

School of Health and Sport

kevin.braybrook@solent.ac.uk

Room no. RM103

Biography

Kevin is a former professional footballer who represented Northern Ireland at youth level in European tournaments. Following an injury that ended his playing career, he moved into professional coaching, progressing from academy to first-team level before specialising in talent identification, recruitment and scouting. His club experience includes Southampton FC, Liverpool FC, Newcastle United FC, Wolverhampton Wanderers FC, Stockport County FC and Arsenal FC.

At Southampton FC, Kevin achieved the UEFA Pro Licence, the highest coaching qualification in world football, having previously gained UEFA A Licence qualifications through two national governing bodies.

Academically, Kevin holds a Doctorate in Business Administration (DBA), alongside an MSc in Football Coaching and Analysis, MSc in Education Leadership and Management, Executive MBA, PGCert in Research, PGCert in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, and is a Senior Fellow of Advance HE (SFHEA).

Kevin is Course Leader for the football and sports management degrees at Solent University and an active researcher and author, focusing on coaching, talent identification, leadership, and pathways for women coaches in football. The recognition of these experiences have provided Kevin an invitation to be part of research groups:

Football Science and Performance Research Group (Department of Sport and Health, Southampton Solent University).
Research for Athlete and Youth Sport Development (RAYSDLab).
Talent Identification and Developmental Environments in Sport (TIDES).

Pure profile

View Kevin's profile on Pure

Further information

Following an invitation to complete the UEFA Pro Licence diploma in 2008, as part of one of the earliest cohorts to achieve football’s highest coaching qualification, Kevin brings exceptional industry knowledge and experience to his role as Course Leader for Solent's football and sports management programme.

His career includes experience across the Premier League and Football League, working within academy and first-team environments in coaching, scouting, recruitment, and talent identification at national and international level. This experience provides a strong understanding of the football industry across both the men’s and women’s game.

Kevin also maintains an active academic profile through research, conferences, symposiums and industry workshops, with research interests covering coaching, talent development, player care, welfare, leadership and women in football.

He combines this academic and industry expertise to prepare students for careers across football and the wider sports industry.

With extensive experience across further and higher education, Kevin has developed strong teaching and leadership expertise, now leading the successful football provision at Solent University. Alongside his role as Course Leader, he serves as an external examiner across higher education.

Kevin’s international football education experience includes working in China as a football lecturer and external examiner for the China FA, supporting player development, coach education and knowledge exchange.

At the request of football associations, he has also delivered development projects in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the USA and Canada, continuing to contribute to international football development initiatives.

Neville, C., Adeosun, K., & Braybrook, K. (2026). Two voices, one game: A narrative inquiry into player care in English male professional football. Qualitative Research in Sport, Exercise and Health, 1–13. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/2159676X.2026.2699766

Braybrook, K., Nunes, N. A., & Adeosun, K. (2026).
Mental health, emotional wellbeing, and ethical practice in football.
In N. A. Nunes (Ed.), Football Coaching Pedagogy: Insights for Elite Player Development. Routledge.
https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003641445-29

Nunes, N. A., Braybrook, K., & Hilton, S. (2026).
Coaching the women's game: A perspective on pedagogy, performance and coaching education.
International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching.
https://doi.org/10.1177/17479541261445840

Nunes, N. A., Braybrook, K., & Hilton, S. (2026). Coaching the women's game: A perspective on pedagogy, performance and coaching education. International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/17479541261445840

English, V., Braybrook, K., & Forrest, R. (2026)
Dialogue, voice, and the adult learner: Bakhtinian dialogic principles, andragogy for women, and the architecture of meaningful online education — empirical findings from a design-based research study of an online leadership programme for women in sport and business. Advances in Online Education: A Peer-Reviewed Journal, 4(4), 306–325.

Braybrook, K., Hodgson, L., McAuley, A. B. T., & Kelly, A. L. (2025). Exploring “lone woman” coaches’ experiences and opportunities in men’s football settings. Managing Sport and Leisure, 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1080/23750472.2025.2578263

Braybrook, K., & Grainger, A. (2025). A showcase for the development of women's football in Africa? The 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup and the under-representation of women coaches. In Critical Perspectives on the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup: Events, Issues, and Controversies, pp. 175–188. Routledge.
https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003507703-16

Kelly, A. L., Eveleigh, C., Bergmann, F., Höner, O., Braybrook, K., et al. (2023). International perspectives: Evaluating male talent pathways from across the globe. In Talent Identification and Development in Youth Soccer: A Guide for Researchers and Practitioners, Chapter 16, pp. 228–262. Routledge.
https://doi.org/10.4324/9781032232799-16

Kevin’s research interests include coaching and the role of the coach, talent identification and development, leadership, player care and welfare, and the experiences and development of women in football.

His work explores the development of people and performance across football, with a focus on creating more effective, inclusive, and supportive environments.

Kevin’s continued commitment to research has led to invitations to join the following research groups:

Football Science and Performance Research Group.
Research for Athlete and Youth Sport Development (RAYSD) Lab.
Talent Identification and Developmental Environments in Sport (TIDES).

Courses

BSc (Hons) Football Studies

The course is designed and tailored for individuals passionate about football and enthusiastic to learn from the game to reach their aspirations to work within it.

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BSc (Hons) Sport and Leisure Business Management

This challenging and professional course delivers all the skills you’ll need to start, develop and succeed in a career in sport and leisure management.

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