Robert Swire (born 1965) is an English physiotherapist who worked for English football club Manchester United as their chief physiotherapist from 1999 to 2014. [1]
Swire attained his physiotherapy qualification from the University of Salford's School of Physiotherapy in 1985, before completing a postgraduate diploma in Sports Injury, Neuromusculoskeletal Dysfunction and Manual Therapy and earning an MSc in Sports and Exercise. Before taking a job in football, Swire worked at a private sports injury clinic. In 1991, he was hired as an assistant physiotherapist at Manchester United, first under Jim McGregor and then under David Fevre. When Fevre followed Brian Kidd to Blackburn Rovers in 1999, Swire was promoted to the position of chief physiotherapist, a position he held for the next 15 years.
In the run-up to the 2006 FIFA World Cup, Swire was involved in the early stages of Wayne Rooney's recovery and rehabilitation from the foot injury he suffered six weeks before England were due to play their first match. [2] [3] Although Rooney was not fit for the first game, he made a substitute appearance in the second match against Trinidad and Tobago, playing 32 minutes of the match. This recovery was attributed to the methods used by the physios who treated Rooney, including Swire.[ citation needed ]
Following a recurrence of Rooney's metatarsal injury in August 2007, Swire was charged by Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson with finding out the cause of Rooney's injury. Media sources had pointed the finger of blame at Rooney's Nike football boots, though these accusations were quashed by Ferguson. Swire and his team posited that Rooney's powerful running style may have contributed to the break, but others say that this instance was just bad luck that Michael Duberry happened to land on that particular bone. [4]
During his time at Manchester United, Swire has been involved in the development of an "injuries database" designed to assess each of the club's players' susceptibility to injury, and the causes of the injuries. The data from the database could then be used to fine-tune the players' training regimes and, ultimately, prevent injuries from taking place. [1]
Swire announced his retirement on 4 July 2014, with his assistant, Neil Hough, taking over as head physio. [5]
Manchester United Football Club is a professional football club based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, England, that competes in the Premier League, the top flight of English football. Nicknamed "the Red Devils", the club was founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to its current stadium, Old Trafford, in 1910.
Sir Alexander Chapman Ferguson is a Scottish former football manager and player who managed Manchester United from 1986 to 2013. He is considered one of the greatest managers of all time and he has won more trophies than any other manager in the history of football.
Wayne Mark Rooney is an English professional footballer and captain for Championship club Derby County. He has played much of his career as a forward, and he has also been used in various midfield roles. Widely considered to be one of the best players of his generation, Rooney is the record goalscorer for both the England national team and Manchester United.
Darren Barr Fletcher is a Scottish professional footballer who plays as a central midfielder. He has also played as a right winger and on occasion in defence.
Louis Laurent Saha is a French former professional footballer who played as a striker. Saha was capped 20 times for the France national team and scored four goals. A former scholar at the Clairefontaine football academy, he started his career at Metz before playing on loan at Newcastle United. Before the start of the 2000–01 season, Saha moved to Fulham where he established himself as first-choice striker, helping them to gain promotion to the Premier League in his first season with them.
Ben Anthony Foster is an English professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Premier League club Watford and the England national team.
Michael Carrick is an English football coach and former player. He is currently working as a first-team coach at Manchester United. He is one of the most decorated English footballers of all time and is best known for his 12-year playing career with Manchester United, whom he also captained. Carrick was a central midfielder, but he was used as an emergency centre-back under Alex Ferguson, David Moyes and Louis van Gaal. Distinctive features of his play included his inventive distribution of the ball along with his passing and crossing abilities.
Gary Lewin is an English physiotherapist who has worked with football clubs Arsenal and West Ham United, and the England national team. Lewin was the head physiotherapist at Arsenal for a total of 22 years. He held a similar position from 1996 with England, and from 2008 to 2017 assumed the post of England's Senior Head of Physiotherapy. He was Head of Medical Services for West Ham between May 2017 and May 2018.
Anderson Luís de Abreu Oliveira, commonly known as Anderson, is a retired Brazilian footballer who played as a midfielder. He is best known for his tenure with Manchester United.
Luis Antonio Valencia Mosquera, known as Antonio Valencia, is an Ecuadorian professional footballer who plays for L.D.U. Quito and the Ecuador national team. Primarily a right-back, he had previously played as a right winger for a large duration of his career.
The 2005 FA Cup Final was a football match played between Arsenal and Manchester United on 21 May 2005 at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff. It was the final match of the 2004–05 FA Cup, the 124th season of English football’s primary cup competition, the FA Cup. Arsenal became the first team to win the FA Cup via a penalty shoot-out, despite being outplayed throughout the game, after neither side managed to score in the initial 90 minutes or in 30 minutes of extra time. The shoot-out finished 5–4 to Arsenal, with Patrick Vieira scoring the winning penalty after Paul Scholes' shot was saved by Arsenal goalkeeper Jens Lehmann.
Nicholas Scott "Nicky" Reid is an English former footballer defender. He played at both centre back and full back during his career.
The UEFA Celebration Match was a football match played on 13 March 2007 as a celebration of both the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Rome, which laid the foundations for the European Union, and the 50th year of Manchester United's participation in UEFA competitions. Representatives felt it would be more appropriate to celebrate the landmark using a football match rather than another form of celebration. A Europe XI managed by Italian World Cup-winning manager Marcello Lippi played against Manchester United at Old Trafford, Manchester. The match was televised live on BBC Three in the United Kingdom and also streamed live via the BBC Online website. The £1.25 million raised went towards the Manchester United Foundation. The match was officiated by German referee Markus Merk.
Trafford Training Centre is the training ground and academy headquarters of English football club Manchester United F.C. It is near the village of Carrington, Greater Manchester, England, and replaced The Cliff as the club's training ground in 2000. Construction on the complex began in 1999, the main building was opened and the first team moved in in 2000, followed in 2002 by the Academy facility, home to the club's renowned youth system. In 2013, major additions were completed at the complex, including a medical centre and sports science department, bringing the total construction cost of the training complex to over £60 million.
Steve McNally is a British medical doctor and the Head of Sports Medicine and Science at Premier League football club Manchester United.
The "Battle of the Buffet", also known as "Pizzagate", is a name used by the British press to refer to a Premier League match played between Manchester United and Arsenal at Old Trafford, Manchester, on 24 October 2004. The match saw a series of unprofessional fouls that were overlooked by referee Mike Riley, such as Rio Ferdinand on Freddie Ljungberg in the 19th minute and striker Ruud van Nistelrooy's studs-up challenge on Ashley Cole. Arsenal dictated much of the early play and created several openings, but as the game progressed Manchester United threatened. The home team were awarded a controversial penalty in the 73rd minute, as Wayne Rooney allegedly tumbled over Sol Campbell's outstretched leg. Van Nistelrooy converted the penalty kick and late in the game Rooney scored for 2–0. The result ended Arsenal's record-breaking 49-match unbeaten run. Many Arsenal fans were disgruntled, as they believed Rooney had dived and the penalty should not have been given.
The 2010 Football League Cup Final was the final match of the 2009–10 Football League Cup, the 50th season of the Football League Cup, a football competition for the 92 teams in the Premier League and The Football League. The match, played at Wembley Stadium on 28 February 2010, was won by Manchester United, who beat Aston Villa 2–1. Aston Villa took the lead in the fifth minute of the game, via a James Milner penalty kick, but Michael Owen equalised for Manchester United seven minutes later. Wayne Rooney, who replaced the injured Owen shortly before half time, scored the winning goal with 16 minutes left to play.
Leslie Parry, Ph.D. is an English physiotherapist and former manager of Tranmere Rovers Football Club from 9 October 2009 until his dismissal on 4 March 2012.
The 2012–13 season was Manchester United's 21st season in the Premier League, and their 38th consecutive season in the top flight of English football.
The 2013–14 season was Manchester United's 22nd season in the Premier League, and their 39th consecutive season in the top-flight of English football.