Spennymoor Town has made commercially driven changes to its board structure ahead of the new season in line with the club’s long term strategy.
Chief Executive, Brad Groves, has made the decision to hand over more autonomy to Managing Director, Tony Wilson, in order to drive the Spennymoor Town brand forward.
This follows a raft of new business launches within the GAS Group, and will see two new additions alongside Wilson and Non-Executive Director, Debra Swinburn, who will continue to oversee all Legal and Compliance matters.
Phil Andrew will become the clubs Business Development Director, and be responsible for fostering relationships with current and potential businesses and partners both on and away from match days.
He will also play an integral role in strengthening the club’s commercial presence off the pitch as the next phase of Spennymoor’s long term strategy gets underway.
Andrew has worked for Great Annual Savings Group for five years and will balance his role as Partnerships Director alongside his board commitments with the club.
He said: “I have been involved with the club for around three years so I am fully aware of the upward trajectory that Spennymoor Town is currently on.
“Being a County Durham lad myself, it’s been amazing to see the club’s rise from afar, but I am now excited to be involved at a level where I can help the football club become the heartbeat of the community.
“As well as trying to generate more revenue for the club through commercial streams, it’s also about showcasing what is on offer and reaching a new generation of supporters.”
Phil Forster, who is currently Interim Managing Director at Teesside International Airport, will also be on the board as a Non-Executive Director for the new season.
Forster brings a wealth of commercial experience and expertise to the role, and he will be heavily involved in engaging and driving interest within the wider region of the North-East.
Following his appointment, he said: “As the airport is growing and undergoing a massive terminal redevelopment, we are continuing to expand our catchment area and make people outside of the Tees Valley region aware of our brilliant offer.
“With the growing fan base, outstanding ground developments and youth investment, we see Spennymoor Town as the perfect way to grow our links with the County Durham area.
“I have been interested in both business and football from a young age, and I hope I can use my skills to help the board bring in additional partners and strengthen their commercial footprint.
“If you look at The Brewery Field now it’s clear to see that this is a club that is going places, and with the ambition and direction matching that of Teesside Airport, we are two businesses that are moving forward together.”
The re-structure will also see Adam Brown step down from his role on the board due to his increased responsibilities with the GAS Group and GF Community Foundation.
Brown still be involved with the club on a group level, but following an interim promotion, Jack Franks will now take charge of the club’s marketing and communications on a day to day basis.
Brown joined the Board in July 2019 and has played a pivotal part in elevating and growing the club’s brand and reach not only in the North-East, but across the country.
During his tenure, he has overseen improvements in the club’s relationships with the local media, the club’s own media channels and year-on-year improvements in season ticket sales and sponsorship.
Wilson, who will soon be entering his fourth season as Managing Director, said: “We have spent the last two years looking after the operational side of matters within the football club.
“Now that stage has been completed, including the facilities and academy, the next part of the plan was always to become more commercial.
“Phil Andrew has a fantastic background and has the key commercial knowledge we require in order to execute the next stage of the club’s development.
“After looking at the clubs link with Teesside Airport and our relationship with Phil Forster, we spotted the opportunity to help each other moving forward, and with his excellent commercial background, it will take us to the next level.”
Chief Executive, Groves, said: “I am delighted that we now have an extremely strong board in place who can drive the club towards its long term ambition.
“I look forward to its continued success as we head into year 13, and although I will still be heavily involved, I’m excited to hand over more responsibility to Tony and his team
“I have every confidence in their ability to move the club forward and sustain long term stability, reducing the dependence on myself.”