Alban Dickson

The last time I was on this stage, I was lucky enough to be performing (admittedly acoustic, and admittedly the audience were seated in front of the organ)! #ENUgrads #MustBeNapier

Quote reads: Support for [released Academy football] players who aren’t mature enough to regulate how they feel and how they communicate is key at that stage Dominic Ball Professional footballer Cambridge United. Photo of boys playing football. Psychology Matters and BPS logos.

"It's been a focus on raising awareness & trying to get the governing bodies to implement something that's actually going to improve the process."

Dom Ball featured in two of Scotland's leading newspapers on our released academy footballer support campaign.

👉 www.bps.org.uk/news/improve...

Pushy parents are ‘biggest problem in sports performance’, say psychologists Unsportsmanlike conduct in grassroots football and on the sidelines at school events is on the rise. How can parents support their child in the right way? Pushy and shouty parents are the “biggest problem in sports performance”, sports psychologists have said, amid growing concern that pressure and abuse is hampering competitive sport in the UK. This week parents were banned from attending sports events at a number of south London primary schools due to “concerning behaviours”, including abuse towards officials and children and creating “too much pressure around performance and winning at all costs”. Continue reading...

Pushy parents are ‘biggest problem in sports performance’, say psychologists

Sweden sack manager Jon Dahl Tomasson Sweden sack manager Jon Dahl Tomasson following a poor start to their 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign.

The departure of Thomasson as Sweden's Head Coach offers a fascinating analysis for why a team struggles to achieve (let alone surpass) the sum of its parts.

Was it after Andersson's 7 year (successful) spell, introducing an ineffective system, outsider integration?

www.bbc.co.uk/sport/footba...

Uefa gives ‘reluctant’ approval for domestic games to be played abroad this season Governing body still insists go-ahead for two matches is ‘exceptional’ and says it is opposed to the idea in general

What an obscene trajectory. Complete disregard for the environment, for the communities which bore these clubs, and even for the players and staff travelling further and longer still than they are already expected to.

www.theguardian.com/football/202...

Calls for every Scottish professional football club to offer psychological support for academy players | About | University of Stirling Calls for every Scottish professional football club to offer psychological support for academy players

Pleased to see the @bpsofficial.bsky.social campaign around psychological support for academy footballers in Scotland getting out there. Grateful I could contribute, and for the story to be picked up by the Daily Record alongside @stir.ac.uk.

www.stir.ac.uk/news/2025/se...

AI cannot replicate genuine human empathy | BPS Sophie Rottenberg tragically took her own life after using ChatGPT as a therapist

The @bpsofficial.bsky.social recently published this piece too. Plenty food for thought.

www.bps.org.uk/news/ai-cann...

Interesting listen on BBC Radio 4 this morning on AI therapy. From the Rogerian Eliza program of the 1960s to taking a critical interpretation of today's chatbots. There may be safety in the anonymity, but what if we only hear what we want to hear? #AllInTheMind

Whilst also questioning Tony Blair's positioning as a Messiah for foreign nations like it's 2003?

Released academy footballers need more mental health support.

Many struggle to transition to life beyond the club.

That's why we've teamed up with Dominic Ball, to call for mandated psychological support for when academy players are released.

👉 www.bps.org.uk/news/release...

ICYMI: @richsimpson95.bsky.social, Clara Swedlund, and I pop up in the latest edition of @psychmag.bsky.social. where we talk about the December Sport & Exercise Psychology conference.

(Even better, elsewhere @dr-peter-olusoga.bsky.social features in a piece about creativity and communication)

Today I discovered last minute that @octopus.energy ran their free energy hour in the afternoon. Unfortunately it coincided with my son's pre-planned birthday party.

On the plus side, the memories of simultaneous washing, drying, charging, and grass-cutting will undoubtedly last a lifetime.

Grateful to be flanked by this encouraging group who steered me into/through my PhD viva yesterday. Very appreciative to my supervisors and assessors, alongside the Sport & Exercise Psychology community, for facilitating this journey!

Now back to reviewing abstracts for the DSEP 2025 conference!

Probably better than Cambus - by default - becoming "the nipple of Scotland"?

I think you'll find these days "Upper Menstrie" is the preferred name...

Privileged to be interviewed alongside my wonderful @bps-dsep.bsky.social colleagues in @psychmag.bsky.social as we discuss the future of Sport Psychology and the DSEP Conference taking place this December!

I can't be the only person who hears Ode to Joy in Mr. Brightside?

Abstract submission remains open for #DSEP2025. Join us in Leeds on the 2nd & 3rd December, and share your research or applied experience!

www.bps.org.uk/event/divisi...

As the #TallShips in Aberdeen comes to an end, I'm reminded of the time a friend and I visited Bergen when it was hosting. In a surreal moment, while attending a Brann football game, we were even introduced to the city's mayor!

Some years later she didn't share this reminiscence...

The tragedy of a 28-year old losing their life is a stark reminder and time for perspective. Footballers are people, and this will be devastating for entire families.

It will have a huge impact upon the staff who they developed relationships with, throughout their career. Thoughts with them too.

A sport-specific ACT group intervention for promoting athletes’ mental well-being: a randomized controlled trial The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of a sport-specific acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) group intervention on mental well-being and stress symptoms in athletes. In t...

Good article on an #ACT intervention for well-being in sport:
🕸️ 6-session protocol, detailing exercises used
📊 Examples of sport specific ACT measures
🗣️ Good adherence and participant recommendations
⭐ The study showed good outcomes for improving well-being & reducing stress
doi.org/10.1080/1041...

Home - ACBS UK And Ireland The ACBS UK and Ireland Chapter's website serves as a hub for individuals who are passionate about contextual behavioural science in the UK and ROI.

Renewed my membership with the Association for Contextual Behavioural Science (ACBS). A great and recommended directory of ACT/RFT resources and networks. You can check out the UK chapter here: www.acbsukandireland.com

🚨 DSEP 2025 Abstract Submissions and Registration is now LIVE 🚨

@bps-dsep.bsky.social

www.linkedin.com/posts/dr-ric...

Day 2 of #WCSS2025 and plenty more excellent presentations and new connections. Highlights include supporting female match officials, recording non-verbal behaviour, and team-level interventions.

Looking forward to the KNVB workshop later this afternoon.

Really cool series of posts from @dralexoliver.bsky.social

(who needs generative AI when you can combine your standard grade art with a whiteboard! 😉)

Another productive @bps-dsep.bsky.social committee meeting today, plenty of new opportunities and innovations on the horizon.

Anyone invested in S&E Psychology, keep an eye out on news and developments - and always get involved if you can!

Looking ahead to the #WCSS2025 programme next month. Plenty of great speakers across the psychology sessions. Will also be a good learning experience dipping into other blocks on coaching, Talent ID, and more!

wcss2025.com/programme/

No other regime could repeatedly demonstrate such barbarity to human life, where every strike meets a “yes, but” justification. These atrocities are marking not only the end of a people, but of international humanitarian community and law. Boycott/sanction/protest; just end the weaponisation of aid.

Some great pieces contributed by some great people.

📢 CALL FOR STUDENT VOLUNTEERS 📢

We are looking for 4x student volunteers to support DSEP 2025 👀👌

🗓 Please e-mail a cover letter and CV to r.simpson@leedstrinity.ac.uk by Friday the 30th of May.

@bps-dsep.bsky.social