Imps chief executive Liam Scully is to become the new chair of the EFL Trust, officially taking up the role in September 2021.
The appointment follows the current EFL Trust chair John Nixon stepping down from his role after a successful and memorable 10-year spell.
Nixon will be succeeded by Liam, following an extensive and comprehensive recruitment process headed up by EFL Trust senior independent trustee Charlotte Hill OBE, with support from EFL Trust independent trustee Roger Davidson, EFL Trust and EFL board member Debbie Jevans CBE and Sanjar Bhandari, chair of Kick it Out.
A number of impressive candidates from the football industry, private, public and charitable sectors were interviewed and the decision to appoint Liam was approved by the EFL Trust board and ratified by the board of the EFL.
Liam will be joining the EFL Trust at an important period in its history, as the EFL Trust seeks to continue its work with the network of Club Community Organisations (CCOs), funding partners and Governmental departments, to create 72 stronger, healthier, more active communities in England and Wales as they emerge from the COVID crisis.
Liam’s experience prior to the Imps includes roles at the Club Doncaster Foundation, Doncaster Rovers and the Asian Sports Foundation.
He is well placed to understand the vital role football plays in the community and amongst the charitable sector, alongside the symbiotic relationship required between a club and its CCO.
Liam said: “It is a tremendous honour to be taking over from John Nixon, who has done such a fantastic job over the past 10 years. The responsibility of leading the EFL Trust during such a critical time for our communities is certainly a challenge.
"By collaborating with the EFL Trust and EFL board members and executive, along with all 72 EFL clubs and CCOs, I’m confident we can play a pivotal role to help build stronger communities through our collective influence and reach.”
Charlotte Hill said: “Liam’s wealth of experience both in the football and community sectors is something that really stood out during our discussions. Liam is an established leader, holding senior executive and Non-Executive positions, and has an extensive understanding, as well as being incredibly passionate about the role football clubs and their CCOs play in their local communities. I know he will bring energy, enthusiasm and real credibility to the role - though he has big shoes to fill after a phenomenal 10 years as chair from John Nixon.
"This is an exciting time for EFL Trust. Football Clubs have played an incredibly significant role in their communities during the pandemic, and we have much work to do as we support communities to come out the other side of this challenging time."
Rick Parry, EFL chair, said: “I would like to firstly thank John Nixon for his hugely impressive and impactful 10 years at the helm of the EFL Trust. John’s influence has seen the Trust and CCO network grow exponentially over this period, and he leaves a legacy of positively impacting hundreds of thousands of people’s lives.
“The EFL board believes Liam has the knowledge, skills and desire to continue this work and I personally look forward to working alongside him as we seek strengthen our links with our communities.”
