Former Doncaster Rovers and Port Vale footballer joins South Yorkshire Police on frontline in Doncaster

Harry Middleton, aged 27, from Doncaster, opted to join the force after trying an office job following his professional career, which included stints at two different clubs and around 10 years in youth teams. Harry said: “I was a professional footballer for Doncaster Rovers and did a year at Port Vale football club professionally for around five or six seasons.

"A career in football is difficult and I’d moved clubs and dropped down so I decided it was time for a change. I tried to do an office job afterwards but I’m used to being active and I wanted to be out and about helping people, not just sat down in front of a computer. I’m also used to being out and about in the bad weather after growing up on a farm and playing football for years!”

Harry joined the force as part of the Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship, which is designed to enable people a route into policing whilst also receiving ‘practical on-the-job learning alongside academic theory and knowledge’ all whilst earning a wage. Harry added: “I really enjoy knowing I can help someone, or even go somewhere and speak to someone to calm them down. We recently sat down with a young boy who had lost his mum, listened, and got him some help. Things like that are really rewarding.”

South Yorkshire Police are also taking applications for the next co-hort of degree apprentices, due to start in June 2023.