Cambridge United are pleased to announce the appointment of Dr Harley Jean Simpson as the club’s new Head of Research…
Harley Jean – a former Cambridge United Women’s player - will take up the voluntary position from 1st September, where she will be responsible for developing a research-active culture across the club. Her focus will be on embedding evidence-based practice within all departments, while fostering a vibrant internal research community that brings together staff, educators, and external partners.
A Senior Lecturer in Sport Coaching and Physical Education at Anglia Ruskin University, Harley Jean's research interests span sport sociology, coaches’ decision-making, qualitative methodologies, pedagogy, high-performance sport, and the intersection of sport, faith, and social theory.
Passionate about strengthening the relationship between academic research and applied practice, Harley Jean will combine her role in higher education with active collaboration across professional sports organisations.
Through her work, Harley Jean supports clubs in building research-active cultures, embedding evidence-based practice into organisational structures, and creating meaningful connections between practitioners, educators, and external partners. Her aim is to bridge the gap between theory and practice, ensuring research directly informs and enhances the professional sporting environment.
Speaking about the appointment, CEO Alex Tunbridge said: “We are a club located in one of the world’s leading cities for education, and we want to draw on the knowledge and expertise of individuals at the top of their fields to help develop all areas of Cambridge United.
“To achieve this, we need someone with a strong research background to guide us and maximise our potential. Harley Jean will do exactly that, and we are excited to welcome her into this new role.”
