My name is Joel Moore. I am 21 and currently a member of the FA National Youth Council and am on my Placement Year whilst studying at Loughborough University as the Men’s Football Operations Coordinator. This means I currently hold the roles of assistant secretary, matchday secretary and assistant treasurer at Loughborough Students FC who play in Step 5 of the Non-League System. I hope through this blog I can explain to you what these roles are and how rewarding they can be. I hope you also see that it is possible for a young person to hold these roles in an environment where most of the time everyone is a good 20-30 years older than you!
A normal week for me involves communicating with our opposition for the weekend sending over our match confirmation if we are at home and replying to the home team’s confirmation if we are away. This involves sorting out what kit we are playing in, arrival times, sending over our committee list (for free tickets!) and sorting out arrangements for warming up.
I will check all players have been registered for the weekend through the Whole Game system and then pay any outstanding yellow or red cards from the week before.
Throughout the week I am confirming arrangements with other members of staff which include making sure our pitch bookings are all correct for the weekend, confirming our catering bookings, making sure the company that wash our kit has been booked in and confirming security for home games. I will also count the money from the previous home game and make sure our turnstile tin has a float in. I also need to liaise with our volunteers to confirm they are okay for the match at the weekend.
For away games I am also responsible for booking coach travel (which is done at the start of the season) and then checking with our transport provider to make sure the booking is correct.
Once it gets to a Friday evening (before a Saturday home game) I will make sure the programme is finished and a QR code is ready for spectators to view and the complimentary tickets list is created. I will also go up to the Stadium to prepare the Function Room and check the pitch and changing rooms are all laid out correctly. I will send out the team sheet on a Friday evening and get a good sleep before the Saturday.
On a home game day, I am responsible for the safety of all spectators that come to watch the match. I will open up the stadium, unlock the fire exits and sweep for any rubbish. I then prepare the dressing room by hanging up the shirts and preparing the water bottles and any protein bars and gels we provide on a matchday. I will then make sure our signage is correctly put out and brief the security once they arrive early afternoon. I pay the referees and fill in our league team sheet and exchange this with the officials. I then wait for kick off.
Through the game I am checking around the ground for any spectators that need assistance and check on the volunteers in the turnstiles and on hospitality to see if they need any help. I am also in control of the PA music which is always good fun!
I will also record the stats for the game for Loughborough Students to then be inputted to Full Time at the end of the game.
At the end of home games, I will lock up the stadium after making sure our post-match food has been served. You cannot beat a bit of lasagne! I will then tidy up the tunnel and the dressing rooms and make sure all equipment the team has used is put back in our container.
Away games are far less busy and often feel like I am the teacher on a school trip which is a funny feeling. Once again, I will send out the team sheet on a Friday evening but include our bus leave time. I will also ensure all equipment is ready to be packed and taken on the Saturday morning.
After communicating with our volunteers on the leave time we will depart for the away team’s ground where I am responsible for getting everyone there along with the equipment. Once we arrive, I fill in the league team sheet and exchange with the opposition and the referee. I then sit back and enjoy the football.