Meet Dr. Danielle Prescott

Pioneering Football Scout. Elite Performance Analyst. Global Educator.

Dr. Danielle Prescott is a trailblazer in the world of football analytics and performance. She made history as the first-ever female scout at Manchester United, breaking barriers in a male-dominated industry and setting the standard for the next generation of data-driven talent evaluators.

Today, Danielle serves as the lead mentor for SMWW’s Soccer Analytics course, sharing insider knowledge used by top clubs, federations, and analysts worldwide.

A Career Built on Data and Dedication

With a PhD in Sport and Exercise Psychology, Dr. Prescott brings a rare combination of academic excellence, real-world scouting experience, and deep knowledge of analytical tools used by elite football clubs across Europe and beyond.

She has consulted with clubs across the Premier League, Women’s Super League (WSL), and international federations—helping decision-makers understand how to use performance data to improve tactics, player development, recruitment, and recovery.

Danielle is also a senior lecturer at the University Campus of Football Business (UCFB), where she educates future scouts, analysts, and football executives at the undergraduate and postgraduate level.

Breaking Ground at Manchester United

While many in the football industry talk about data analytics, Danielle has lived it. At Manchester United, she helped usher in a new era of evidence-based scouting and performance assessment, working closely with technical staff to identify and evaluate players using both traditional and advanced metrics.

Her appointment made headlines—not just for her role as the first female scout at one of the world’s most storied clubs—but for what she represents: the future of football is inclusive, data-driven, and wide open for those with the right skills.

Danielle at SMWW: Why Her Mentorship Matters

Danielle doesn’t just teach—she mentors. She brings behind-the-scenes case studies, the latest technology platforms, and practical advice on launching or leveling-up your career in analytics and scouting.

In her SMWW course, students learn:

• How data is actually used by clubs to make decisions

• What technologies and platforms are dominant in today’s market

• How to analyze individual and team performance with real-world accuracy

• How to use analytics to influence scouting, coaching, and recruitment

• How to build a career in analytics—even if you're starting from scratch

Graduates from her course now work in Premier League and MLS clubs, scouting agencies, media platforms, and football tech startups across the globe.

Learn from the Best to Be the Best

If you're serious about a career in soccer analytics, there’s no better mentor than Dr. Danielle Prescott. She’s been where you want to go—and she’s ready to show you how to get there.

Danielle has almost 20 years’ experience working within elite sport as both a performance analyst (PA) and professional football scout. She has been teaching for over 17 years across numerous universities in the UK and ROI within the area of sports coaching and sports science. In addition to working full time within education, Danielle has always worked as a practitioner in both PA based roles for a variety of professional football clubs including Manchester United as a professional academy scout working in talent identification from U12-23 age groups, and the FA with England Lionesses.

She is qualified to Level 2 in Talent Identification and has obtained ISPAS accreditation at Level 4.  Her academic qualifications include a PhD from The University of Central Lancashire in Employability, an MA in Sports Coaching and a PGCert in Teaching and Learning in the higher education sector, which also allowed her to be granted fellowship status with The Higher Education Academy.

Danielle has developed programmes for the PFSA and the universities in which she has worked including the world’s first course in Analysis and Recruitment in Women’s Football and also the first MSc course in the UK for scouting at UCFB.

Danielle was also awarded the unsung hero award at The Northwest Football Awards 2024 for her work across both men's and women’s football.

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