Farewell.....

It is with a heavy heart I have decided to leave my position at Preston North End FC. It certainly was not an easy decision but in the end the right one for me and my family. I would like to thank Mr Hemmings for the initial opportunity and all my commercial clients and suppliers.

 I am really proud of what we have achieved in my time at PNE and I am very excited for the future. The support I had from current sponsors and the commitment to the football club from new club partners was incredible really.

We introduced a 3 tiered partnership programme with financial entry points at each level. There are now products that fit partners budgets and most importantly aligned to their business objectives. For those who still wish to add football into their marketing mix without the expenditure of an official partnership 'off the shelf' products available which I feel are still really important in to keep connected to smaller businesses.

We have moved a few of the square pegs from round holes and tried to make sure that we now understand our commercial relationships at every level and account manage them effectively. I said when I started that at this level of football it is really important to establish a healthy partnership programme and I am proud to of delivered that. For a partnership to be really successful though the strength of the relationships are vital and every single one of our partnerships are different, they are different because our clients are different and so too are their objectives. To add to our bespoke partnership programme we have had to adapt to a global pandemic and come up with new ways to keep the commercial tills ringing in the absence of our supporters through the turnstiles. We made a rallying call for the business community and supporters to come together and support us with seat banners for the tail end of last season and they did not disappoint filling the Alan Kelly Town End with flags to show support for the players, Deepdale was a truly humbling sight and many other clubs have commented on the success of that campaign.

 Of course not every partnership generates income, some saved on the bottom line supporting the players, fitness and medical staff at the training ground with top class products or equipment.

 We grew social media channels and the Linkedin business connections by 595%, we created engaging commercial content and brought our partnerships to life 7 days a week.

 We secured our first ever sleeve partner in the Emirates FA Cup through local company Clearview Home Improvements, in long standing partners Par Group we have a back of shirt and shorts sponsor at significant new levels of investment and 3 football kits in my opinion that look fantastic. We have new retail offerings through licensed partnerships with the Terrace and Next Goal Wins.

New for 2020/21 we launched a business club with a difference ‘Club 1880’ which gives smaller businesses in the Preston and surrounding areas a platform to network and grow their business using the power of the Preston North End brand.

 And finally we were recognised for our hard work by making it through to the final of the Pitching In, North West Football Awards 2020 in recognition of our Where In The World campaign with our Official Foreign Exchange Partners FCI Markets. This campaign was designed to bring people together in such uncertain times and connect people. We connected PNE supporters all around the world, we ran competitions and announced the winners real time in play using the latest technology, we discovered new International territories and strengthened the ones we already have and gathered insights for both club and partner and I really am honoured we were shortlisted alongside Liverpool FC and Everton FC which for me really demonstrates the progress we have made. 

I would like to thank the colleagues I worked with who supported me in-particular Hannah in Media, Jen and Laura in Marketing and Design, Hannah and her team in the ticket office, Jo and her team in finance, the brilliant maintenance and ground staff, Nick and his academy colleagues who do an amazing job and Tom and Harriet at PNECET. Of course the players and backroom staff led by Alex and Frankie who are a credit to this brilliant club. I would also like to thank the Chairman, Mr Craig Hemmings who I have no doubt will lead the club to success, a fantastic appointment to the club.

Finally I would like to wish my friend and former Norwich City colleague Joe Savage who is also leaving the club the best of luck in his new appointment at Heart Of Midlothian FC, a fantastic move

 Hope to see PNE in the Premier League soon.

Good Luck and thanks, Stephen

**Please contact [email protected] directly moving forward