Hayley McQueen is a sports broadcaster, a leading anchor on Sky Sports News, and the co-host of the Not Just Football podcast with Kelly Cates and Christine Lampard. She is also the daughter of the Manchester United and Scotland defender, Gordon McQueen, who died in 2023 from vascular dementia and pneumonia. Hayley explains her family’s battle to discover if Gordon’s death was linked to his profession, the decision to donate his brain for medical research, the struggle to find closure after his death and her wish to change football training practices in order to protect the next generation.

If today’s episode has touched something in you, and you’re finding it hard to cope, please don’t struggle alone. You can speak to someone 24/7 at Samaritans on 116 123 or visit samaritans.org. For grief-specific support, organisations like Cruse Bereavement Support are here to help at cruse.org.uk.

headforchange.org.uk is a UK-based charity dedicated to supporting former football and rugby players affected by sports-related brain injuries, including conditions like chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) and early-onset dementia. The organisation offers care, advocacy, and education to athletes and their families. It also champions independent research to enhance brain health in sports and promotes safer practices for future generations.

The ainslie + ainslie Performance People podcast talks to high-performers in the world of sport and beyond, to bring defining moments, hard-earned insights and expert advice to everyday performance. New episodes every Tuesday.

We love performance, which is why we’ve launched ainslie + ainslie – the first supplement brand to be developed inside elite sport. Now available for everyone. Find out more at www.ainslieainslie.com

ainslie + ainslie NIGHT POWDER. Winner - best sleep supplement, 2025 GQ Sleep Awards.

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Setbacks are an inevitable part of life, so what tools are most effective in getting us back on our feet and, perhaps, even stronger than we were before?

Annalie Howling is a performance coach who works with leaders in business, elite sport and the Armed Forces, and who has personal experience in recovering from life’s challenges. She explains how a back to basics approach can help, the role of radical self-belief, why helping others can transform your own problems and the importance of finding a renewed purpose in life.

In this episode, we have an honest and important conversation about mental health. If you or someone you know is struggling, you are not alone—support is available; you can contact the Samaritans at: https://www.samaritans.org/

Annalie Howling’s new book ‘Unapologetic: Shackle Your Shame, Reclaim Your Power’ is out now.

We love performance, which is why we’ve launched ainslie + ainslie – the first supplement brand to be developed inside elite sport. Now available for everyone. Find out more at www.ainslieainslie.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Georgie welcomes her former Sky Sports screen husband, and now Soccer Saturday host, Simon Thomas, into the Performance People studio. Simon opens up about his journey through sports broadcasting, revealing the truth behind his big break on Blue Peter, explaining the personal challenges of overcoming anxiety and the pressures of live television, how the sudden death of his wife, Gemma, left him utterly broken and he shares the shaping forces that helped him rebuild his life again. He discusses how he handles pressure through preparation, the inside stories on what really happens in live TV, describes what it’s like to follow Jeff Stelling into one of live football’s most demanding jobs and he gives Georgie a dressing down for misidentifying the Blue Peter ship.

In this episode, we have an honest and important conversation about mental health, including experiences with suicidal thoughts. If you or someone you know is struggling, you are not alone—support is available. If you are struggling with either, you can contact the Samaritans at:

https://www.samaritans.org/

Simon is President of Blood Cancer UK. Since losing his wife, Gemma, suddenly to acute myeloid leukaemia in November 2017 he has been raising awareness of blood cancer symptoms ever since.

For more information or to donate, go to:

https://bloodcancer.org.uk/

We love performance, which is why we’ve launched ainslie + ainslie – the first supplement brand to be developed inside elite sport. Now available for everyone. Find out more at www.ainslieainslie.com

The ainslie + ainslie Performance People podcast talks to high-performers in the world of sport and beyond, to bring defining moments, hard-earned insights and expert advice to everyday performance. New episodes every Tuesday.

Hit subscribe today for the latest.

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