Mick Rathbone joins the FTD team

Mick 'Baz' Rathbone, the head of sports medicine at Everton FC, joins the Rugby Trade Directory team to give a monthly insight behind the scenes at a professional football club. Baz had ambitions to become a doctor, but decided instead to pursue a career in football when Birmingham City, the club he supported, offered him an apprenticeship in December 1974, as a schoolboy he was capped twice at youth level by England. Baz made his first-team debut on 20 October 1976, and played 16 games in the First Division that season. He also played eight seasons for Blackburn Rovers before moving to Preston North End and Halifax.

Baz returned to Preston North End for a further six years as they progressed from Division Three  to the play-off for a place in the Premier League, latterly as part of David Moyes' backroom staff.  When Moyes joined Everton as manager, Mick followed a few months later. His son plays for the Manchester United academy

This week, Baz writes from dugout after the Europa League game against Benfica