Does anyone care where they are from? The importance of locally trained players in English football

BULLOUGH, Steven, EDMONDSON, Lee and MILLS, Andrew (2024). Does anyone care where they are from? The importance of locally trained players in English football. Soccer and Society.

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Abstract

English football originated from organizations rooted in the communities of towns and cities. Social identity theory explains how supporters feel a strong connection with their local community club. In English football, clubs and the media often reference ‘local lads’, referring to locally born players as on-field representations of the community which is considered to reinforce supporters’ connection to the club. However, whether sup-porters care where players come from remains under-researched. This research surveyed 661 supporters with headline findings outlining financial sustainability and winning trophies as main priorities with local player representation a minor priority. Supporters of Premier League clubs were significantly more likely to prioritize winning trophies, and significantly less likely to prioritize their clubs’ financial position compared to the lower leagues, where financial stability was a priority. Further research would develop our understanding of the perceived importance of local players in the complex global landscape of modern football support.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	1504 Commercial Services; 1699 Other Studies in Human Society; 2103 Historical Studies; 4207 Sports science and exercise; 4410 Sociology
Identification Number:	https://doi.org/10.1080/14660970.2024.2332080
SWORD Depositor:	Symplectic Elements
Depositing User:	Symplectic Elements
Date Deposited:	19 Mar 2024 12:10
Last Modified:	25 Mar 2024 11:31
URI:	https://shura.shu.ac.uk/id/eprint/33441

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