December 01, (THEWILL) – The members of Manchester United’s newly formed Fans’ Advisory Board have been revealed.
In June, Manchester United co-chairman Joel Glazer held his first fan meeting in 15 years, where he explored the formation of a supporters’ advisory council.
This followed the demise of the much-maligned Super League and fan protests that forced the postponement of a Premier League match between Manchester United and Liverpool at Old Trafford.
The board is made up of seven volunteers from various backgrounds who have been appointed on a voluntary basis to serve for two full seasons.
The board will be co-chaired by Christopher Saad, an experienced barrister and lifelong United supporter, and Richard Arnold, the club’s group managing director.
Ian Stirling and Rick McGagh, two members of the Fans’ Forum, Jonathan Deitch and Duncan Drasdo, chair and chief executive of Manchester United Supporters’ Trust, Deborah Henry, chair of the Manchester United Women’s Supporters’ Club, and Oli Winton, a senior communications consultant and long-time United fan activist, are among the other representatives.
Saad and Arnold have appointed Dave Pennington, a retired senior civil servant and board member of MUST and the Football Supporters’ Association, as a special adviser.
Five senior club leaders who have also become permanent members will meet four times a year with the board. Glazer will be present at the first meeting, which will take place in January.
A United statement read: “The Fans’ Advisory Board is designed to create a channel for in-depth board-level consultation, with a focus on long-term strategic issues, including stadium development.
“It will operate in parallel with the Fans’ Forum, which will continue to focus on operational issues affecting fans.”
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
