Alison Maloney

This week on The Set Peace Podcast, we’re joined by Alison Maloney — a trailblazing physiotherapist whose journey through football and healthcare is both inspiring and deeply human. From early beginnings at Greenwich Borough and Fisher, to working within setups at Charlton Athletic, VCD Athletic, Barking, and now Cray Wanderers, Alison has carved out her place in a space that hasn’t always been easy for women to thrive in. Her story is one of perseverance, professionalism, and passion for player care. In the first 45 minutes, Alison takes us through her football journey — how she broke barriers, built trust in male-dominated environments, and became known for her ability to connect deeply with players both physically and emotionally. She shares insight into the realities of being a physio in the non-league game, the responsibility of being part of a team’s heartbeat, and why her work goes far beyond the treatment room. In the second half, we explore Alison’s mental health journey — balancing her full-time role as an NHS Specialist Physiotherapist in elderly rehab and frailty with the demands of football. She opens up about how the COVID-19 pandemic tested her emotionally, witnessing patients fight for recovery while she herself battled exhaustion and compassion fatigue. Now, through her mentoring work, university lectures, and her creation of the Non-League Therapist Support Network, Alison is helping shape the next generation of physios — reminding them that behind every recovery is a story, a struggle, and a human being. A conversation about resilience, empathy, and the power of connection — this is one of those episodes that will leave you both inspired and grateful.The set peace podcast is about more than football it’s about the people behind it. Every 2 weeks, we sit down with guests across the game from pros to physios, coaches to players, these are the conversations we all need to hear, in football and in life. With 45 minutes talking football and 45 minutes on mental health and well-being these conversations are for everyone whether you’re in football or not.Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1A9VTGxhEW/?mibextid=wwXIfr Instagram: @thesetpeacepodcast TikTok: thesetpeacepodcast Website: www.thesetpeacepodcast.com