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James Thomas  is a high-performance football coach and strategic leader specialising in elite women’s football, with leadership experience across national associations, professional academies, and international programmes.

He works with federations, clubs, and pathway systems to design integrated high-performance frameworks that align long-term strategy with coach development and daily training environments. 

His expertise lies in creating clarity across complex football structures—ensuring consistency, accountability, and measurable impact from grassroots to elite levels.

His approach supports federations in not only developing world-class players, but also building robust coaching cultures and sustainable programmes capable of delivering success over multiple cycles.

Academy Manager 

Currently working within Newcastle United’s managing the clubs Cat 1 Professional Game Academy, contributing to the ongoing development of players, coaches, and performance systems within a modern professional club environment and building a pathway with the very clear vision and mission statement of creating the BEST Academy in Women's football in the World.

Women's National Teams Talent Reporter

Provided game based talent reporting on high potential players within the FA Women’s Talent Pathway talent pool. Responsible for attending games from u15 through to senior to observe, report and advise on National Team eligibility and suitability .

Head Coach

Led the first-team programme, overseeing performance planning, coaching delivery, cultural standards, and the structured integration of developing players into senior competition. The programme achieved improved points-per-game output and guided the team to its highest league position in eight years, balancing short-term competitive success with long-term player development.

Academy Manager 

Oversaw the strategic and operational delivery of the Bristol City Women’s Academy. Led staff, aligned age-group programmes, and ensured clear progression across the pathway. Bristol City WFC Academy was recognised by the FA productivity report as the most productive academy in terms of player development and national team selections. James led the design and implementation of the BCWFC academy model officially recognised by The FA as the most productive women’s academy in England.

Head Coach 

Led the senior women’s national team in an international context, responsible for programme leadership, squad selection, staff coordination, and competitive performance. This role required rapid cultural understanding, clear leadership, and adaptive coaching practice that introduced a game model and analysis process for the twin island nation.

National Team Asst. Coach (U17, U19 & Senior Teams) 

Worked across youth and senior international environments, contributing to player development, match preparation, analysis and performance delivery. This role provided a comprehensive understanding of international football demands and multi-level pathway alignment. Contributed to historic UEFA Elite Phase qualification campaigns for the Youth teams and the highest FIFA ranking in Wales Women’s Senior National Team history at that time.

U21 Head Coach & U16 Head Coach

Held head coach responsibility across multiple age groups, focusing on preparing players for the professional game while developing coaches and embedding a consistent playing and learning philosophy.

Head Coach 

Led an Advanced Coaching Centre within the FA Women’s Talent Pathway, working with high-potential players in a nationally aligned development system. Responsible for delivering high-quality training environments, supporting individual player development, and aligning coaching practice with FA pathway principles.

U16 Head Coach 

Earlier in his career, James served as U16 Head Coach within the Wales Women’s Centre of Excellence. This role focused on talent identification, foundational player development, and preparing high-potential athletes for progression into national pathway environments. The position provided critical early experience in long-term development planning and pathway alignment.

• Women’s player development pathways
• Coach development and mentoring
• National team and international football environments
• Academy leadership and programme management
• High-performance culture and system design
• Talent Identification

James holds a comprehensive set of elite coaching and leadership qualifications that underpin his practical and strategic work across clubs, academies, and national team environments:

• UEFA A Licence
• UEFA Elite Youth A Licence
• The FA Youth Award
• The FA Effective Coaching in the Female Game (ECFG)
• League Coaches Association – Leadership Development Award
• The FA Advanced Principles of Talent Identification & Development in Football (Level 3)

In addition to formal qualifications, James is also:

• A Member of the League Coaches Association (LCA)
• An Executive Member of the Association of Sporting Directors (ASD)

These accreditations and professional affiliations reflect a continued commitment to best practice, leadership development, and staying aligned with the evolving demands of the modern game.

• Development with intent
• Clarity over complexity
• Systems that support coaches and players
• Long-term pathway alignment over short-term outcomes
• Working with a belief in being BETTER.EVERY.DAY in all that I do

He works with forward-thinking organisations and coaches that are deliberate about how they develop people and performance—building connected, sustainable environments designed to meet the demands of elite football.