Chairman’s Update: Boardroom and Staffing changes

As i have mentioned in previous updates, this club is now a totally different beast to the one it was five years ago when I came in. The level of competitiveness in the league, the sheer size of the operation at the club and numbers of players, volunteers, staff, services offered etc are now significantly higher! For example we have over 500 children registered to play for Farsley and over 38 teams wearing our badge on a weekly basis. This is a higher number than at Leeds United! But we as a club are still run on literally a handful of upper management volunteers.

So to look to address this balance I have brought in a new CEO to the club, a new marketing and media manager, and we will be announcing the appointment of a new general manager and finance manager in the upcoming weeks.

So I would like to take this opportunity to welcome to the club and introduce you to the new CEO Jon Wickham!

Jon is a name and face many of you will recognise. Jon is a Farsley fan and has often been seen “freezing his bits off” in the stands watching the Celts play. His son plays in one of our grassroots development teams and Jon even had his 18th birthday party at the club!

Living just a stones throw away from the ground, Jon owns three businesses locally, the most prominent of which is his sales agency BDC, named in homage to his father (BD), which is a nationwide operation employing sales agents and brand ambassadors with a long history of working in sport.

Having met Jon and spoken to him on a number of occasions, he fits in with the clubs ethos, his achievements to date are proven and unquestionable, and at 41 he fits in with the young and hungry demographic of our board. But on top of that he is a good guy to be around and is someone who I believe can make a huge impact on our club!

On his appointment Jon said: “I’m excited to be announced as CEO of Farsley Celtic Football Club. As a lifelong fan of the club, stepping into this role was an easy decision for me. I am super passionate about the club and committed to bringing my experiences within business and dedication to help drive our club forward.

“One of my primary goals is to bridge the gap between the club and our community. FCFC has always been a community-centred club and I believe the future success both on and off the pitch will be directly tied to the strength of our relationships with local businesses and the supporters of the club.

“Over the rest of the season and beyond I’ll be reaching out and engaging with the community on all levels to explore how we can work together to not just benefit the club but the wider community as well.

“Please know that every decision I make will have the best interests of the club and our incredible supporters at heart. I am excited to be part of this journey and to witness the continued progress of our team on the pitch starting at Hallam tomorrow.”

As mentioned, we have also appointed a new Marketing and Media manager to the club, so please welcome Jack Wickham to the club.

Jack has come in with a lot of great ideas, and has really got a grasp of where we are and what we are looking to do very quickly! Very much looking forward to having him on board!

Welcome to the club chaps!