Now like then football is still the number one sport in Britain. Until the 1990’s the Jamie Oliver approach to a player’s diet and lifestyle was unheard of. Since that time football clubs have adopted a scientific approach to the dietary education of their players. Food goes hand in hand with fitness in playing a faster and more athletic game. A day spent at Bristol Rovers Football Club shows how great these advances have been.
Club secretary Rod Wesson played in goal for Middlesbrough in the 1960’s. “Our club never mentioned nutrition to us. Our pre-match meal was a large steak, fried egg and chips.” Contrast this with 2009. Paul Trollope,Rovers’ first team coach said “before a match we have sweet potatoes and rice for energy, chicken breast for low fat protein,pineapple and raisins for vitamins and bottles of water for hydration. Half time snacks are bananas and jaffa cakes to replace lost energy. Powerade is a good glucose drink for high energy too.”
The mid 1990’s saw a greater awareness of how diet affects fitness, a change that Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is credited with. Geoff Twentyman, former Rovers defender and now Chief Sports Editor with BBC Radio Bristol said “no-one would dream of ever giving steak and beans to an athlete before a game these days.”
Back in the 60’s smoking and drinking was part of a players culture, according to Rod Wesson. “It was not unknown for a player to have three or four pints of beer before a match!” Present day Rovers stars have been better educated. Defender Steve Elliott, said “no player would ever smoke these days. Drinking however would be in moderation on special occasions or at the end of the season, and never before a game.” Team mate Ryan Green added “drinking slows your mind and reactions down and that is of no use to a footballer.”
Are the fans though still stuck in the 60’s? Club shop staff pointed out that over half of the shirts sold in the shop are XL or larger and that 90% of food sold at the games are pasties and other unhealthy snacks. Should the players start cooking for the fans?
By Sophie, James and Kieran.
