Cranleigh School is delighted to announce the appointment of Tom Newey, who joins the Sports Department to lead and develop the School’s football programme. Tom brings an exceptional wealth of experience to the role, combining a distinguished career in the professional game with a decade of elite coaching and educational leadership.
Tom’s football journey began at the Leeds United Academy, where he progressed through the ranks to secure his first professional contract. He went on to enjoy an outstanding playing career, making nearly 500 appearances across the Football League, including notable spells at Rotherham United and Oxford United. Upon retiring from the professional pitch, Tom returned to both Leeds United and Rotherham United to serve as a Youth Development Phase Coach, where he worked closely with academy players to nurture the next generation of professional talent.
Alongside his elite playing and coaching credentials, Tom has spent the last ten years leading high-performance football programmes within the education sector. He has a proven track record of creating environments where young people are supported to balance their academic ambitions with top-tier athletic development. This holistic approach, nurturing well-rounded student-athletes who thrive both on and off the pitch, aligns perfectly with Cranleigh’s core values and our school-wide vision for sport.
Academically distinguished, Tom is a UEFA A-licensed coach and holds a First-Class Honours degree in Exercise and Sports Science (specialising in Performance Analysis), alongside a teaching degree in Physical Education.
Andy Houston, Director of Sport at Cranleigh School, commented:
“We are absolutely thrilled to welcome Tom to lead our football programme. To secure a leader of Tom’s calibre, with the invaluable insight gained from a professional playing career, a deep understanding of youth development, and a genuine sport-for-all mentality, is a massive coup for us. It is an incredibly exciting time for football here, both for our girls and boys. With a new floodlit 3G pitch opening in September 2026 and Mr Newey joining us, I have no doubt that our football programme will flourish.”
Speaking on his appointment, Tom Newey said:
“I am incredibly excited to be joining Cranleigh School at such an ambitious time for its sport. Cranleigh has a fantastic reputation for nurturing talent in a supportive, holistic environment. My goal is to build a football culture here that challenges and excites players of all levels, helping them reach their full potential on the pitch while fully supporting their academic and personal growth.”
Tom’s unique blend of professional insight, technical coaching expertise, and educational leadership will be instrumental as we enter an exciting new chapter for football at Cranleigh.
Of course, we also had to ask Mr Newey three crucial football-related questions:
What team do you support?
“Sheffield Wednesday – born and bred in Sheffield, my Dad and eldest brother support Sheffield United and my middle brother and I chose the blue and white side of the city.”
Who do you think is going to win the World Cup 2026?
“Between France and Argentina – I’ll go with France.”
And one of the hardest questions…Ronaldo or Messi?
“Messi – just!”
