Chris Dolby - Managing Director / Head of Football

chris@idasheffield.co.uk

IDA´s Managing Director, Chris Dolby, is recognized as the English Football League’s First Asian Professional Footballer making his debut with Rotherham United against Brentford in 1993. Since then Chris has spent the last 30 years working in the world of professional football having developed a large professional network across the globe.

One of Chris´s main focuses during the program duration will be to ensure that the quality delivered to IDA members remains at the highest possible standard - utilizing his own personal experience of what a professional environment looks like. His longstanding network with pro clubs throughout the UK will also be fundamental in creating opportunities for our student-athletes in the form of showcase games and experiences at the highest possible level. Having lived and played in Sheffield for the majority of his life, Chris also maintains an equal passion for introducing aspiring players to our unique football culture.

Matt Burton - Head Coach

Matt is a former Sheffield Wednesday Academy player who transitioned to coaching to help build the next generation of football stars. With over 15 years of experience in professional football, Matt has worked with Manchester City, Sheffield Wednesday, Sheffield United, and Rotherham United, as well as Wolverhampton Wanderers, Watford, and Stoke City FC as part of their coaching and recruitment partnerships.

Matt was one of the youngest coaches in the UK to be presented with the ‘UEFA A Licence Coaching’ award for his work. His qualifications also include a first-class BSc (Hons) degree in Sport and Exercise Science and the FA Advanced Youth Award. He is an A1 Assessor with extensive coaching and performance management experience within professional clubs, taking players from academy to first-team level throughout their career. His education spans the globe, with work in the USA, Europe, and Canada.

Enoch Showunmi – Recruitment Advisor, USA

Enoch is a former professional football player with a career spanning over 12 years. Throughout his career, Enoch has played in the prestigious ranks of renowned clubs including Leeds United FC, Bristol City FC, and Notts County FC, amassing over 400 appearances. Enoch also had the honour of representing the Nigerian national team and demonstrating his talents on an international scale.

After completing his bachelor's degree in business administration, Enoch continued to excel in his education, whilst continuing his professional career and earned a master’s degree in finance. 

Enoch is now based in Naples, Florida and devotes his time and expertise to forging pathways for players to progress their football careers. He has guided players through professional contracts both nationally and internationally, helping them to earn scholarships to esteemed colleges and universities.

James Dawes - Head of Recruitment

james@idasheffield.co.uk

Having grown up in the English Academy system prior to making the transition to pursue a soccer scholarship in the US, James Dawes, joins the IDA team with personal experience of being an international student-athlete. His insight into what it´s like to live the life of a student-athlete abroad will no doubt be a great asset to our coaching staff and support mechanism for our IDA members. James will also be directly involved in the scouting and identification process, working to discover talented players with the credentials to join our program here in the UK through his existing professional network.

Having worked and played in a professional environment in the US, Spain and the UK James will look to utilise his experience to further reinforce the ethos of IDA. Through the education of young aspiring players on how to successfully navigate through the industry, along with the experience of having played in 3 different countries on 2 different continents, James will look to share his experiences of dealing with the mental and physical stresses of competing in an elite-level environment.