A former detective has been appointed as a soft tissue therapist for the England football team.
Joel Harris, a senior lecturer in sports therapy at Hertfordshire University, will travel with the squad to international games and attend training camps.
The former Metropolitan Police detective has been involved with football for many years – he spent 10 years working at Arsenal Football Club and four years with the England U20 and U21 squads.
His first international match was at Wembley yesterday, where England beat Lithuania 2-0 in a World Cup qualifier.
Mr Harris said: “I am delighted and extremely proud to have been asked to work for the England football team.
“It is a real pleasure to work with such a dedicated group of people, including Gareth Southgate who is doing a fantastic job.
“I’d like to thank the University, especially Richard Southern the Dean of the School of Life and Medical Sciences for being so supportive and enabling me to balance my two roles effectively.”
Joel will continue to teach at university while working as a soft tissue therapist for the team.
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