mark blankley

[mark blankley @bl4nco01]

Following my post a couple of weeks ago, Jaxon has now been given the all clear to look for an opportunity to get more regular first-team football.

19 | 6’3” | Left-footed | LB/LWB/CB
Former Grimsby Town scholar with Step 4 experience.

Fit, available and looking for the right opportunity. Any clubs interested, please DM.

#NPL #NorthernPremierLeague #NCEL #UCL #UnitedCountiesLeague #Step4 #Step5 #NonLeague #LincolnshireFootball #NottinghamshireFootball #LeicestershireFootball

[mark blankley @bl4nco01]

Homeward bound 🇺🇸 ✈️

[mark blankley @bl4nco01]

6am…..Peloton ride around London done,don’t know what day it is,wake up at 2am starving..home on Wednesday whenever that is!!

[mark blankley @bl4nco01]

Weekend Graft! ! 🇺🇸

[The PFSA - Football Scouting Experts @ThePFSA]

The PFSA Scouting Network will return next month and we're pleased to introduce a whole new platform packed full of features!

Are you PFSA certified and want to work with REAL clubs, generating REAL reports? Then sign up below!

https://t.co/pJ3VNsyqRK

[mark blankley @bl4nco01]

Another 9 holes tonight ⛳️ Jace….55 handicap….out in 47…#bandit

[mark blankley @bl4nco01]

Fans are quick to criticise, but things rarely change from week to week. Look for patterns over a couple of months instead. When are goals being conceded? Is there a trend? The reasons could be fitness, concentration, attacking or defensive adjustments, game management, substitutions, or a change in approach—keeping possession until the right opportunity to play forward.
#PerformanceAnalysis

[mark blankley @bl4nco01]

Opposition scouting helps identify whether a performance reflects genuine improvement or simply a different challenge.

[mark blankley @bl4nco01]

Three days after a heavy defeat, a team plays an U21 academy side and wins. Suddenly the opinion is, “We were much better.”
Opposition scouting asks different questions:
Was the pressing better, or was there less pressure? Was possession better, or was there simply more time on the ball? Were they more clinical, or did the opposition make more mistakes?
Context changes everything. #OppositionScouting #Scouting

[mark blankley @bl4nco01]

Steady 10 holes this evening,
#golf #Hackitround

[mark blankley @bl4nco01]

Fans and managers often analyse what went wrong after a heavy defeat. But how often do they assess what the opposition did so well? This is where #OppositionScouting plays its biggest role. #Scouting

[Sleaford Town F.C. @SleafordTownFC]

🟢 TEAM NEWS 🟢

Here’s your Greens XI for the opening league game of the 2026/27 season away at Swallownest.

Come on you Greens! 💚

#GreenArmy

[mark blankley @bl4nco01]

Great question on my last post.
Q - Won’t AI take over scouting with the amount of data it can generate?
A - AI will transform scouting, not replace it. Data tells you what happened, not why. It can’t measure coachability, character, attitude, leadership, resilience, work ethic or communication. That’s where live scouting and a scout’s final assessment add value.

[mark blankley @bl4nco01]

Every detail matters. Whether it’s live match notes, laptop observations, or structured scouting workbooks, each piece of information helps build a clearer picture of the player. Evidence over opinion is what produces a well-informed report.
Another example from my PFSA Level 2 Talent Identification coursework. ⚽📋
#talentid #Scouting

[mark blankley @bl4nco01]

As part of my Level 2 Talent ID assessment, I analysed Barcelona vs PSG. Messi or Mbappé would’ve been the obvious picks, but I chose Sergio Busquets instead. An 8-page report included this 4 corner model assessment. #TalentID

[mark blankley @bl4nco01]

No two youth players are the same.
Different backgrounds, pressures and opportunities all shape development. Scouting is more than 90 minutes ,it’s about understanding the person, building relationships and seeing true potential beyond the pitch.
#youthfootball ⚽️
#grassrootsfootball

[mark blankley @bl4nco01]

Looking forward to getting out across Lincolnshire to watch the YDP age groups, meeting people, and hopefully helping identify the next generation of talented footballers.
More to come once everything is confirmed. ⚽👀

[mark blankley @bl4nco01]

Pre season game done,back to The Dog House for bbq and footie!⚽️⚽️🌞🍻

[Sleaford Town F.C. @SleafordTownFC]

🌍 No World Cup today. No problem…

Your football fix is right here at Eslaforde Park tonight as we kick off our 2026-2027 pre-season campaign against Newark Town F.C.

📅 Wednesday 8th July 2026
🕒 K.O: 7:45pm
🏟 Eslaforde Park
🏆 2026-2027 Preseason

https://t.co/oosn7BkgVQ