On behalf of Paul, Craig, and myself, may I give a massive ‘thank you’ to you all, for the very warm welcome we have all received since we first stepped into the Victoria Ground. From the outset, it has been clear that this is a good friendly family club, which shares in our firm ambitions and beliefs that ‘things can only get better.’
We have met supporters at previous games, and I was personally honoured to chat to those fantastic supporters who travelled all the way to Leiston for that excellent win just over a week ago. At the same time, I would also personally like to thank the manager and players who gave me such a very warm welcome after turning in an excellent performance and result.
As your new management team, we have been delighted to meet all our fellow directors and all the many volunteers who work so hard, providing hours of dedication and devotion behind the scenes, to ensure this club continues to operate successfully. We cannot thank you enough for what you do!
We also wanted to pay tribute to Mike Burke who stepped down yesterday. Mike, as you know, gave eight years of dedicated service to the club. He successfully guided the club through some very difficult times, having overseen several promotions on the way. Mike deserves our sincere thanks for everything he did, and we would all like to personally thank him for allowing us this opportunity to help take the club forward.
About Us:
So, who are we, what will our roles be, and what are our aims and ambitions for your club?
The three of us are all massive football fans. We come with a background steeped in sport and in particular football, having worked at the highest levels in each of our particular fields of operation.
My background as the new Chairman, includes business, communications and broadcasting. For nearly seven years, I served on the board of Bristol Rovers as a fully participating Fans Director, where I was honoured to have been elected onto the board by the club’s supporters twice.
Prior to that, I spent nearly 11 exciting years reporting and interviewing for Sky Sports, while at the same time, leading all PR activity at the West Brom Building Society. During this period, the society was the main sponsor of West Bromwich Albion FC, to which I was heavily involved. At the same time, I also worked on other business and community relationships with Aston Villa, Walsall, Shrewsbury Town, and Kidderminster Harriers.
As Director of Football, Paul Molesworth has taken control of all football related matters. He lives locally, and his father and two sons both played for Bromsgrove. Paul, is possibly one of the most experienced chief scouts in the country, having begun his career at Liverpool, and going on to be a highly successful chief scout at several clubs including Exeter, Newport, Swindon, Mansfield and Bristol Rovers, which is where we first met.
Craig Cotterill has taken control of all commercial activity at the club. Craig, is one of the most experienced commercial executives in his field of operation. He is currently working as the commercial director for The Club Management Association of Europe. This association works across multiple sports, delivering globally recognised education pathways to over 5,000 club managers in the UK, Europe and the Middle East, and he will prove a major asset in securing all our potential future commercial opportunities.
Our Aims and Objectives:
Be under no illusion, our sole intention is to ensure the positive long-term welfare of this football club, in which you as supporters, will be at the heart of everything we do!
Regardless of any investors and partners we may bring in, and regardless of any aims and ambitions we have, without you we have no club. You are, and always will be the lifeblood of this football club, now, and for generations to come. Through the club’s elected board, every decision we take will be based on this premise.
Yes, we are extremely ambitious both on and off the field. However, we are also very realistic about what we can achieve within our current physical and financial limitations. We have to move forward and we will!
To realise these ambitions, you will appreciate it takes investment both on and off the field. Without investment, we cannot support the manager in his quest for promotion, nor can we improve the aging facilities in which we want you to fully enjoy every aspect of watching and supporting your team.
Already, we have been talking to potential investors and partners regarding sponsorship and advertising while at the same time, ensuring packages prove beneficial to investor and club alike.
As you will appreciate, the council-owned Victoria Ground is desperately in need of improvement. We are already looking at the south end which is open, cold and uninviting, and discussing ways in which this end can be improved. We will keep you informed accordingly.
We are looking to fulfil the club’s ambition to bring in a 4G pitch, so that this can be used significantly as a major community facility, as well as offering our own team a new all-weather and an everyday training facility.
On the pitch, already we’ve witnessed some excellent results. We want to bring in further investment, so that Paul can work closely with the manager to support the excellent squad we have, and to add where they feel further improvement can be made. Progress will be made season upon season, based on ambition and realism.
We want more families to come to the ground. This means ensuring we provide a safe and happy, cost-effective environment so that everyone feels welcome. In the current difficult financial circumstances in which many families are struggling, we will be looking at new ticketing offers which make football affordable, without at the same time, discriminating against existing season ticket holders.
We have looked at the current disabled facilities. Our intention is to reduce the price of disabled tickets backed by a sponsorship deal, while at the same time, discussing ways in which the current facilities can be moved and greatly improved.
Further, as part of our policy of ‘openness and fairness’, we will be holding a Fans Forum at the club in mid-September, and the AGM will take place towards the end of October. Dates will be released shortly.
As you will appreciate, we have no magic wand and offer only hard work. What we do have, are very dedicated and devoted supporters and staff. As your new business team, Paul, Craig, and I, will do all we can to ensure your football club is successful on the pitch, playing the kind of football you love to watch. At the same time, we will ensure your club is safe, secure, and remains at the heart and soul of our Bromsgrove community for many years to come!
My sincere thanks to you all.
Brian Seymour-Smith
Chairman
