Riteesh Mishra signed for Nottingham Forest and completed his apprenticeship in the summer of 2010. However the services of Mishra were not required by Billy Davies’ first team and he received the news he was being released at the end of the season.
As part of Mishra’s contingency plan, he attended LFE’s Assessment Trials and after a solid performance caught the eye of an onlooker from the University of Stirling. After considering his options, he decided that studying higher education and enrolling for the University’s well reputed football programme was best suited to him.
After moving North of the border and settling into University life, Mishra opened up his email inbox to find an e-flyer sent from League Football Education, outlining an employment opportunity for Inspiresport as a sports tour representative. Conveniently Mishra was looking for a job to sit alongside his study and therefore applied via LFE’s Opportunities Board.
Following a successful application and training day, he now administers football tours across the UK and Europe. He has travelled to places such as Spain, Italy and has worked at Chelsea FC and Fulham FC as part of his role to ensure that tours run as expected in terms of travel arrangements, meals, accommodation, coaching sessions and matches.
He strives to ensure that tour itineraries are followed by schools and sports teams so they can receive the best experience possible whilst on tour. Mishra has even found himself dusting his boots off and using his FA Level 2 Coaching in Football to hold sports sessions with the children.
Now two years into his Sports Science degree and playing for the 2011 BUCS Northern Premier League Champion’s, Mishra told LFE he made the right decision:
“It was a great experience playing full-time football at Forest but the fact I completed the education course whilst I was there made this dream opportunity at the University of Stirling possible.”
After his release from Forest, Mishra followed the same pattern as most released players and wasn’t sure what he wanted to do. “I trialled around at various clubs for a couple of months in hope to find a contract elsewhere and was totally focused on football.”
Mishra added:
“I made my UCAS application just in case and after having no luck on trial, I decided University was the way to go and I have since realised that there is so much more to life than football. I have been to places like Valencia and Milan working for Inspiresport and I can definitely say I wouldn’t have done that playing for Forest Reserves!”
