Danny Mills Visits Castleford Academy to set up World Cup Build-Up and Educate VETS Footballers on Game-Changing Treatment

Based in West Yorkshire, a region with a rich footballing heritage, over 30 players from local grassroots and VETS teams attended a special training session to discuss injuries and refine their skills. They also received advice and guidance from former Leeds and England international Danny Mills.   

Football is a sport many players continue to enjoy long after their professional years, staying active through local leagues and recreational formats. And while the pace of the game may change over time, the physical demands do not. The knees, in particular, remain a persistent pressure point, a challenge that follows players well into later life. 

Led by coaches from Kirkstall VETS team, the session explored how football impacts knee health, with players rotating through targeted skill zones designed to ease knee tension and lower injury risk. The programme also featured an educational talk from clinician Dr George Bownes, who discussed his involvement with Arthrosamid® and how the product can benefit individuals in their quest for long-lasting knee pain relief. 

Mills enjoyed a successful career, earning 19 caps for England, but like many former players, he experienced ongoing knee pain. Looking to relieve his pain, Mills was first treated with Arthrosamid® in summer 2025, which has aided his long-term arthritis and knee pain. Danny and Dr George Bownes’, attendance at Castleford Academy served as an opportunity to engage with and educate the sports community on the long-term health benefits Arthrosamid® can have for individuals experiencing knee pain.    

Arthrosamid® is a cutting-edge injectable hydrogel implant that delivers long-lasting, proven pain relief for knee Osteoarthritis, improving people’s quality of life without surgery and enabling people to stay active well into their later years. As one of Arthrosamid®’s targeted audiences is retired athletes, the event aimed to shine a light on a medical product that would offer VETS footballers a real alternative to surgery. 

Speaking on the event at Castleford Academy, Danny said: “It was a great experience to come down to Castleford Academy and spend time with players from Kirkstall VETS team. Sessions like this are really important because they give people the chance to think about their long-term health, especially as they get a bit older. 

Football is one of those sports you never really walk away from, but over time the strain on your body, especially your knees start to build up.  Arthrosamid® has made a huge difference in helping me manage my pain and allowed me to continue to stay active and enjoy exercise. The fact that I can share a bit of advice from my own experience with the VETS footballers I hope gives them a different perspective and highlights the alternative solutions to managing knee pain." 

Rakesh Tailor, CEO of the Contura Orthopaedics, added: “We’re grateful to everyone at Castleford Academy for providing a fantastic environment to engage with players and have important conversations around long-term knee health in football. 

“Following the success of our event in partnership with Planet Sport earlier this year, we were thrilled to bring Arthrosamid® to the grassroots football community in Yorkshire. With both Danny Mills and George Bownes in attendance, we were able to facilitate an event that combined education on the product along with awareness and practical support to an engaged group of players and coaching staff.”