Gareth Thomas

Co-Founder

Gareth is a Graduate Sports Therapist who graduated from Edge Hill University in 2009 with a BSc 1st class honours degree. He also completed his MSc in 2014 from Leeds Beckett University where he published his thesis on a rare knee condition.

He started his journey in professional football at Morecambe FC, joining as Academy Therapist on 2009 before being promotes to work with the first team as First Team Sports Therapist. Gareth left Morecambe in 2019 after 10 years to focus on building the clinic business and to spend more time with his young family.

In July 2020 he was persuaded to return to football as Head of Medical at AFC Fylde by the great Jim Bentley. Gareth left Fylde in August 2022 in order to focus on family and developing Scholars Therapies into the best lower limb rehabilitation centre in the northwest.

Since leaving Fylde Gareth has gone on to consult for several football clubs, including some Premier League football teams. At Scholars we also provide return to play testing for sports teams based in the northwest. Gareth currently focuses on the ACL and long term lower limb rehabilitation currently seeing 40-50 ACL patients per week.

Andy Jones

Co-Founder

Andy began his career back in 1977 with the Royal Navy. Andy left the Navy in 1985 to take up a role as a Physiotherapy Manager in Beaumont Hospital Bolton before moving to Hope Hospital to become Superintendent Physiotherapist. This early-career history has given Andy a vast background in a medical condition not just limited to Physiotherapy.

Andy made the move into professional football in 1987 with Chester City FC Andy spent the next 10 years working for Chester, Preston North End FC, and Burnley FC, before making his big move to Everton FC, having been recruited for the role of Head Physiotherapist at Everton FC. Having spent 2 years at Everton FC Andy was headhunted for a move down south with up and coming Charlton Athletic FC to run their medical department and become Head of Medical Services. During his time in professional football, Andy has had the privilege to work with some of the best players in the world and experience all the delights and sorrows that elite professional football has to offer.

Andy moved away from professional football in 2002 to build up his private practice. After doing this for a number of years Andy took up a role with Wigan Warriors RLFC, becoming Head Academy Physiotherapist on a part-time basis, a role, which he combined with his other work.

Andy began teaching Higher Education in 2007 when he took a role as Senior Lecturer in Sports Therapy at Edge Hill University. He has since gone on to become the Programme Leader for Sports Therapy and the MSc. Football Rehabilitation programmes. Andy has lectured nationally and internationally and has a vast amount of experience on a broad range of topics.

Dave

Senior Physiotherapist

Bio coming soon…

Natassia

Sports Therapist

After graduating from Edge Hill University in July 2021 with a BSc with Honours in Sports Therapy, Natassia secured an internship at AFC Fylde Football Club. At the club she worked as a Sports Therapist within the medical department with the First Team squad under the guidance of Gareth. After a month of the internship Natassia was offered an opportunity by Gareth to work within his physiotherapy clinic: Scholars Therapies.

Since then Natassia has continued her work at AFC Fylde and secured a paid role as the official Junior Sports Therapist alongside her regular clinic evenings at Scholars Therapies. At this stage in Natassia’s career she enjoy’s the variety of issues that are brought into the clinic as it offers the opportunities to apply herself and expand her experience. Natassia area of expertise after 2 years of experience, would be providing elite level soft tissue to professional athletes.