Why is there a lack of women working in men’s football?
RACHEL DAVIS, HEAD OF MEDICAL, HARROGATE TOWN FC
Rachel Davis has a BSc Degree in Sport and Exercise Therapy and an MSc in Physiotherapy from Leeds Beckett University. She started her career in non-league football working for Wakefield FC and Harrogate Railway FC before securing a position within the Leeds United FC Academy, working with the U9-U16.
Working with a first team was always her ambition so in 2014 she applied and was successful for the first team physiotherapy role at Harrogate Town AFC, who were then in the National League North. Alongside working part time with Harrogate she worked as a Physiotherapist at Henshaws College, doing hydrotherapy and rebound therapy for students with cerebral palsy and other physical and learning disabilities.
In 2017 Town turned full time and Rachel became Head Physiotherapist and Head of Medical for the club. Harrogate got promoted to the EFL in August 2020 during the COVID-19 Pandemic and becomes the only female Head Physiotherapist in the EFL.