Dr Barry Drust PhD

BSc (Hons) Sport Science

PhD Exercise Physiology

My expertise in football science is a product of my academic research and my practical experience within the sport. I am currently an Industrial Professorial Fellow at the university following other academic positions at Liverpool John Moores University (2002 – 2019), Durham University (1999-2002) and The University of Teesside (1997-1999). I have published over 140 peer-reviewed scientific articles in the area of exercise physiology. I have acted as a sport science consultant to a number of elite football clubs including Liverpool Football Club, Glasgow Rangers Football Club, West Bromich Albion Football Club, Middlesbrough Football Club and the England Senior Men’s Football team. I am also actively involved in directing the research related CPD of a number of other staff at clubs in both the Premier and Football League and football organisations internationally. I also have good links within the sports industry providing expert knowledge to companies such as Nike and Catapult.

Barry’s major contribution to teaching at the university is on the Doctorate in Sport and Exercise Science

Barry is an experienced PhD supervisor and examiner. He has been involved in the successful completion and examination of in excess of 40 PhD students. Barry’s interest in doctoral training has seen him develop novel approaches to doctoral education including the development of professional doctorates and doctoral training programmes relevant to sport and exercise science. Barry has particular experience in supervising individuals who are embedded in high performance sport as well as more conventional PhD candidates.

Current research areas for post-graduate research students include training planning and monitoring, evaluating the effectiveness of preparation strategies for elite players, attempts to develop a detailed understanding of the demands of intermittent/football-specific exercise and identifying the importance of movement pattern as a determinant of the exercise response. I am also interested in research that investigates the barriers to sport science implementation in elite sporting organisations and the development of professional competency in applied practitioners.

I am currently a member of The Physiological Society and a Fellow of The British Association of Sport and Exercise Scientists. I am member of the editorial board of the Journal of Science and Medicine in Football and regularly review for a number of journals related to exercise physiology and performance sport (e.g. Journal of Sport Science, International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance, European Journal of Applied Physiology). In addition to my academic roles are my professional relationships with both football organisations and staff within elite football clubs and associations nationally and internationally. These roles are based around the provision of expert advice on sport science support strategies, the development of internal research and development programmes and staff support and mentoring.