Having played a key role in helping push Durham forward on the pitch, Nat Gutteridge is now playing a different role – as our Lead Physiotherapist. We caught up with Nat to discuss her change in roles at Maiden Castle…
How did your career start as a player?
“I started at Chester-Le-Street Town Ladies before signing for Sunderland Women and finished my playing career at Durham WFC.
“My biggest highlight was playing in the FA Cup Final in 2009 with Sunderland, although we lost on the day, it was an unforgettable experience.
“I then moved to Durham in 2015 at a point when the club was really starting to grow. The transformation of the club has been the biggest highlight, although there were a few goals that stood out even if some of them were tap-ins!“
How did you initially come to join Durham as a player?
“I was returning to play after my first ACL reconstruction but had limited game time at Sunderland who had been promoted to the WSL.
“The opportunity came about to sign for Durham, with some persuasion from goalkeeper at the time Helen Alderson, who I had previously played with at Sunderland (including the 2009 FA Cup final!). I remember having a meeting with Lee and Dawn and have not looked back since!”
How did you become a physio? Was that a career you always wanted to pursue?
“I’d always had an interest in becoming a physio as I loved the idea of having a career in sport and (without sounding too old) back then, signing a professional contract and playing football full-time wasn’t really heard of.
“I had been told that getting into physio was very difficult so this had put me off initially therefore I ended up taking a slightly longer route into the profession.
“After my undergraduate degree I was working in admin and then as a physio assistant within the NHS before deciding to do a masters in physio. Once I qualified, I worked in the NHS for 8 years before taking up my current role at the club last season.”
How did you make the transition from player to physio at the club?
“After rupturing my 2nd ACL I had every intention of returning to play but as I got to the later stages, the club were looking for a physio and after struggling with an ankle issue, this helped me make the decision to hang up my boots and take on the role.
“I did this whilst working full-time within the NHS and the transition from player to physio was quite a good one for me as it allowed me to stay in the game.”
How was the dynamic different and how did you adapt to that?
“Initially it was quite strange as one day the players were my teammates and then suddenly I was their physio! It didn’t really take long to settle into the role though as knowing the players probably made things a little bit easier.
“There has been quite a big turnover of players since I first joined the club, although there are still a few going strong who I have played with.”
What is a normal day and week like for you at the club?
“The start of the week usually involves assessing players following the game at the weekend and providing treatment to those who need it.
“It is then a case of preparing players for training (activation/taping etc) and depending on whether there are any injuries, I may need to plan and deliver rehab sessions.
“This may be in the gym or out on the pitch which I enjoy as it allows me to get my boots back on!
“Towards the end of the week, the focus then turns to the next game and ensuring the players are fit to play.”
How proud are you to have played a big part in the growth of the club – both on and off the pitch?
“The growth of the club is something I never imagined when I first signed. The opportunity to get regular game time after being out injured for so long was the big appeal to me and I didn’t really think beyond that first season at the time but 8 and a half years later and I’m still here!
“In my time as a player the club has progressed so much and we really established ourselves as a competitive Championship side. In more recent years we’ve taken that to the next level as the game grows, transitioning into a professional club in a very competitive league.
“It’s been great to see players who I have played with have the opportunity to sign full-time contracts.
“I know how hard some of those players have worked over the years to get to this position and I also feel privileged to have the opportunity to take on my full-time role at the club.”