RHYDIAN THOMAS
Chief Executive
Rhydian Thomas, the managing director, a former college lecturer and Head of Campaigns, Promotions and Public Affairs for a national charity, has been working as a sports agent for 20 years, initially on a part-time basis in the field of rugby union, representing professional players, negotiating contracts and facilitating opportunities.
During this period, he obtained RFU Registered agent status, in 2009 (RFURA/09/015), one of the first fifteen agents ever in the UK, although he was representing rugby players since 2002. Rhydian also passed his exam enabling him to become an FA Licensed Agent in March 2004; Since the deregulation of licensed football agents by FIFA on 1st April 2015, he has been an FA Intermediary (IMS000178). In more recent years, he also passed his exam to become a licensed RFL rugby league agent (UK33), in April 2015, and the PCA Cricket agents’ exam, in 2016. Rhydian is also a UK Athletics Licensed Race Agent (3908088) and managed a former World Professional Darts Champion, as he is also a darts agent, having re-registered through the DRA in early 2021.
He has full professional indemnity insurance and clean and enhanced DBS reports, which enable him to deal with young players in rugby union, rugby league, cricket and football.
Since 2015, Rhydian has been a full-time sports management professional, running the GSF company, and focusing on football and rugby union. He currently represents 23 academy and professional footballers, ensuring that he can service all parties with the same level of professionalism. Nine of these clients have signed their second contracts with Rhydian and GSF, while three more clients are on their third successive representation contracts, and one is on his fourth.
He has also negotiated and delivered professional football contracts for clients at Premier League, Championship, League One, National League and Scottish Championship football clubs.
He has FA and PFSA Level 1 certificates in Talent ID, is a qualified UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) Adviser and has a Degree (2:1), Masters (MSc) and a Post Graduate Diploma in International Sports Law and is a fluent Spanish speaker.
He is a family man with four children and three grandchildren.
MARK GERMAIN
Head of Football
The Head of Football, Mark Germain, heads-up the talent ID on the football side of the work, and has previously worked for other larger, London-based agencies. He has over 38 years’ experience in football and has managed premiership players and age-group internationals. He has a track record of identifying young talent, from a very early age, and nurturing relationships with the young player’s family.
Mark’s ability to identify young, talented footballers cannot be underestimated. In the calendar year of 2020, all 9 of the GSF scholars at four different clubs – Swansea City, Cardiff City, Bristol City and Bristol Rovers – were offered their first professional contracts, a 100% record. This is even more remarkable when you discover that all 9 players were identified by Mark at 15 years of age, before they were even offered scholarships at their clubs.
Mark is well-renowned in South Wales and the West Country as the ‘go to man’ who has all the knowledge of the best young players in the area and it is a huge coup for GSF to have him in our ranks. He is regularly asked for his advice on players in the region.
He has previously worked as a civil servant for a local authority for over 20 years.