Launch of pioneering football analysis unit - a Scottish first

Glasgow Clyde College has become the first college in Scotland to launch a dedicated Applied Performance Analysis in Football unit, giving aspiring coaches, analysts and players the chance to step inside one of the fastest-growing areas of the modern game.

The new unit has been designed in-house by Glasgow Clyde College’s sports department and is delivered as part of the college’s NQ Football Performance course at the Cardonald campus. By embedding Applied Performance Analysis within an existing programme, the College is ensuring students benefit from both broad football development and specialist analytical training.

To mark the launch of this pioneering unit, Glasgow Clyde College hosted an event on Tuesday, 2 September at 10AM, inviting football clubs, performance analysts, and industry professionals to explore the course first-hand.

Spearheaded by lecturers Grant Cassidy and David McGurn, the new SCQF Level 6 unit is designed to bridge the gap between watching football and truly analysing it, equipping students with the tools, software and mindset used every day in professional clubs.

Delivered this year at the College’s Cardonald campus, learners are gaining hands-on experience with industry-standard tools such as NAC Sport, Hudl and Coach Paint, while working on live match analysis, consultancy projects with local clubs, and creating professional-level scouting reports.

“We wanted to create something bespoke, unique, and career-focused, a programme that gives students a real taste of what performance analysis jobs in football look like,” explained Grant Cassidy, Sport and Fitness Lecturer at Glasgow Clyde College. “There’s a real difference between simply watching football and actually analysing it, and this unit gives our students the building blocks to become future analysts, coaches, and scouts.”

The course has been designed with accessibility and inclusion at its core, following Universal Design for Learning principles. Students can demonstrate their knowledge through written, visual, or oral presentations, ensuring that every learner has the chance to succeed and leave with a portfolio of work that reflects real-world practice.

For many students, the thrill lies simply in the opportunity to sit down, analyse football matches, and present their findings back to peers and staff. One former student went on to work at Queen’s Park, and their experience helped inform the structure of this new unit. The course can be adapted and tailored to the needs of clubs at every level from grassroots to Scottish Premier League or Scottish Women’s Premier League.

David McGurn, Lecturer and former professional goalkeeper, added: “Performance analysis is one of the fastest-growing roles in football, but it’s also one of the least understood. By embedding this into the curriculum, and by working closely with clubs, we’re helping to create a new pathway into the sport that could put Scotland on the map as a leader in football analysis education.”

The long-term vision is for the unit to be delivered not just as part of college courses, but also commercially tailored for football clubs, helping to shape coaching strategies and player development across Scotland.

With a focus on innovation, employability and the future of the game, Glasgow Clyde College’s Applied Performance Analysis in Football unit is already being hailed as a potential launchpad for the next generation of Scottish football minds.