Magpies strengthen minds behind the scenes

A Premier League football club has expanded a club-wide psychology strategy designed to strengthen performance, communication and collaboration across almost 300 players and staff.

Newcastle United has continued the rollout of its organisation-wide psychological framework ahead of the new season, embedding the approach across its academy, men’s first team, women’s team, loans and recruitment departments. 

Developed in partnership with performance psychology platform Mindflick, the strategy has been in place since 2023 and aims to create a shared understanding of how individuals think, communicate and perform under pressure.

Mindflick, chaired by former England cricket captain Sir Andrew Strauss, provides a psychometric platform that helps players, coaches and support staff better understand behavioural preferences, adapt communication styles and build stronger working relationships. 

The framework is designed to support leadership development, improve collaboration and create consistent ways of working across the club.

The initiative is believed to be one of the most comprehensive psychology programmes operating across a professional football club, spanning multiple teams and departments rather than focusing solely on players or first-team performance. 

By embedding psychology throughout the organisation, Newcastle United aims to create an environment that develops adaptability and resilience while supporting decision-making and performance in high-pressure situations.

Dr Ian Mitchell, head of psychology at Newcastle United, said: “Our ambition at the club is to be world class. 

“But we know that to get there takes more than just talent. 

“We believe an enabling performance culture is built on a foundation of resilience, strong relationships and a constant drive to be better.

“Mindflick is a key part of our approach. 

“It's a resource we've invested in because it helps us turn that philosophy into real-time, actionable support, and that goes right across our performance areas. 

“At Newcastle United, Mindflick becomes a shared ritual, a focal point that unites. 

“By using a common framework to understand and describe thinking and behaviours, the team reinforces its sense of ‘us’. 

“It supports a collection of people to work cooperatively towards a common goal.”

Dr Mark Bawden, chief executive and co-founder of Mindflick, added: “The best organisations don’t treat psychology as a standalone intervention. 

“They integrate it into the way people work together every day. 

“Newcastle United has built a system where players and staff share a common language for understanding themselves and each other, creating stronger relationships, better communication and more adaptable teams.

“High performance doesn't come from individuals operating in isolation. 

“It comes from creating an environment where people can build trust, challenge each other constructively and consistently perform together under pressure. 

“We’re showcasing how a fully integrated system can unlock sustainable high performance across an organisation.”

The strategy now supports almost 300 people working across the club, from academy prospects through to senior teams and recruitment staff, providing a consistent psychological framework regardless of role or department.

Newcastle United defender Dan Burn, who is currently preparing for England’s FIFA World Cup quarter-final against Norway on Saturday, added: “Sometimes you think you know what your strengths and weaknesses are, but actually seeing them on paper and looking at how our group fits together has helped us come together as a leadership group and really focus on where we can improve and how we can help each other.”

To coincide with the latest phase of the programme, Newcastle United has also released a behind-the-scenes film produced with Mindflick, showcasing how the framework has been implemented across the organisation. 

Featuring coaches, psychologists, players, performance staff and club leaders, the video highlights how a shared psychological language has helped strengthen communication, trust and collaboration throughout the club.

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