Episode Snapshot

This episode hits deep. I sat down with Olly from Angels United FC, a football-based support group formed by dads who found traditional therapy didn’t cut it. They used the pitch - not the couch - to process grief after losing a child during pregnancy. Olly bravely shares his heartbreak: losing twins Dottie and Poppy. But through the darkness, a rainbow baby arrived. His story? A reminder you’re never truly alone. Instead of sitting and mourning, Olly went to watch his beloved Gillingham FC play football, and a simple tweet changed his life! With an outpouring of love from supporters, players and even the manager! Football really is a language everyone can speak, and it spoke to Olly that day and showed him how powerful it can be.

About Angels United FC

• What they are: A peer-to-peer bereavement support group and football team formed in Manchester in 2020 by 13 fathers who all suffered the loss of a baby or child during pregnancy or at any age or stage. Football became their lifeline.
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• How it helps: They use football to #BreakTheSilence on baby & child loss, bringing together men from all backgrounds in a safe, no-judgment zone.
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• The pitch ritual: Players wear pink-and-blue kits - colours symbolizing infant loss - with their angels’ names on the back. They show up for each other, simply kick about, connect, and eventually talk.
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• Why it matters: Olly says football “saved me.” After his daughters’ funeral, attending a match - and seeing how strangers reached out - showed him that connection doesn’t need words to heal.
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• Recognition: In 2023, they won Manchester Community Sports Project of the Year, proving their impact reaches far beyond the pitch.
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• More than a team: Beyond football, they offer peer support over coffee, walks, and open chats. Everyone is welcome - no fitness requirement, no pressure.
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** Learn more or reach out here: [Angels United FC website]**
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Episode Highlights

• Olly’s snapshot: “We tried counselling, group sessions, coffee mornings - but it just wasn’t right for me. Football saved me.”
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• Raw truth: The club doesn’t interrogate your grief - with a ball at your feet and guys who’ve been there, conversation comes when you're ready.
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• Why sport heals: On grief’

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