Sir Gareth Southgate inspires Trinity students

Last week, it was an honour to welcome Sir Gareth Southgate to Trinity School, to meet students and deliver a talk on resilience, belief and unity ahead of his prestigious Richard Dimbleby Lecture on the BBC. 

The return to Croydon was a trip down memory lane for Sir Gareth who attended Croydon College in the 1980s and met his wife while she was working in Croydon town centre.  

Sir Gareth tackled the same important issues in front our young people and guests in the packed Concert Hall that he went on to discuss in his televised lecture, which aired on BBC One on Wednesday 19 March (and is available on iPlayer).  

We were struck, as so many have been after watching the Dimbleby Lecture, by his genuine passion for trying to tackle some of the challenges young people, particularly men, face today. His experience as England’s most successful football manager taught him a lot about helping young people find their identity as individuals – but also as part of something bigger, build mental resilience, and emotional intelligence. We thank him for inspiring the nation then, and now as he raises these issues. 

At Trinity, Sir Gareth spoke of his own adolescence, the knock-backs he received and the fire in his belly it gave him to keep pushing on. He also spoke of the famous missed penalty and the risk of letting a failure define you; the danger of social media noise, influencers, and having the confidence to know when to turn away from it, as he did during his first tournament as England manager. If you would like to watch extracts from the talk at Trinity, please head to our YouTube channel.

Mr Kennedy, Headmaster, said, “We felt very fortunate to host Sir Gareth at school last week. He gave our students a tremendous amount to think about and they really appreciated being able to hear him speak at length. His answers to the range of questions were so considered and generous, with stories from his time as a player and manager. He is a national leader with an unusual reach into, and empathy for, the lives of young people (particularly men) of all backgrounds.” 

Just before the Concert Hall lecture, a small group of Sixth Form students had the privilege of meeting Sir Gareth in an informal setting and were able to ask questions of the former England football manager. 

They asked him about how he prepared mentally ahead of big matches (hard rock music!), how he helped his players come back after injury (belief) and how he managed to stay calm in the media storm around the Euros (ignoring social media and trusting his own instincts). Sir Gareth was open, thoughtful and genuine in his responses, making the experience a memorable one for those students.  

Lower Sixth student Olivia said, “I had a great time meeting with Sir Gareth Southgate. He answered our questions quite personally and as it was an informal setting, we got to know him better. I was lucky to be able to ask two questions and both were linked to how he manages pressure himself and teaches others to do the same. From his answers I took that nowadays he doesn’t feel too much pressure, however when he does, he likes to trust his own opinions over the media. It was a great experience meeting him and I felt I learnt about trusting myself more, just as he does, to become a better leader.”   

Lower Sixth student Tobechi said, “It was great meeting Sir Gareth. He gave us advice on mentality in sports and how it applies to life. He shared many interesting anecdotes which gave us valuable insight into the mind of someone in such a public position. He answered our questions thoughtfully and packed his responses with as much advice as possible. He’s a great storyteller and a calm individual – it was an opportunity I won’t forget. 

“Sir Gareth was also kind enough to speak with me after noticing I hadn’t asked a question in the main group. I asked about decision-making and how it relates to choosing a career, as many of us are currently thinking about our future paths. He told me his footballing opportunities were ‘once in a lifetime’ and he had to grab them before it was too late. This gave me confidence in the path I’m considering, even if I’m not 100% sure how it will look. Sir Gareth also said it’s important to be passionate about my choices.” 

Upper Sixth student Emily said, “I thought Sir Gareth Southgate’s talk was really inspirational and he had a large focus on caring for his team and players and not what the media and audience wanted. That was his main priority and I thought that was really empowering. He came across as such a lovely person with a warming personality. He had a real focus on mental health especially in boys and how things like the media and fans can have such a large impact on a player’s mental health. Asking him a question was very helpful, I asked him about injury recovery and inclusion within a team, I have personally gone through this this year and it was very helpful to me to hear his advice, and it helped me to keep pushing to get back to my full potential.” 

Mr Wilson, Head of Football, said, “Sir Gareth’s visit was a fantastic opportunity for the school. He highlighted an important point: his role as England manager goes beyond winning. When England reached the Euros final at Wembley, it united the country with a shared passion. Before his appointment, England struggled on the international stage, but under his leadership, the team’s success fostered a powerful sense of togetherness, which should be remembered. When applied correctly, a group of people can come together for one common goal, not just in sport.” 

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With many thanks to Sir Gareth for his time and to one of our parents Jimmy Worrall, Founder & Chair of Leaders in Sport, who helped organise the visit.