Albion Rovers Football Club is pleased to announce the appointments of Stuart Black and Ben Kearney to the Club’s Board of Directors.
As the Head of Operations for Northwind Leisure, Stuart Black has grown an impressive reputation in the Sport and Leisure industry for his innovative business acumen over the last decade. With his background in business development, IT, marketing & media, Stuart has been instrumental in leading the rise and growth of Soccerworld, both North and South of the border. With a proven track record of working within the constraints of a tight budget, thinking outside the box, commercial expansion, team mentoring and development, Stuart brings invaluable skills to the Club to build a framework for success. A dedicated member of the Tartan Army, Stuart is a keen football fan and a regular follower of the National team at home and abroad.
Welcoming Stuart to the Board, Chairman Robert Cameron said:
“I am pleased that we have secured someone of Stuart’s calibre to join us and look forward to working closely with him. He brings a set of strong commercial and business skills. He will provide a fresh perspective to how we go about our business and new ideas for supporting our aspirations for the Club moving forward.”
Stuart Black added:
“I am honoured to have been asked to join the Board and look forward to the opportunity to roll up my sleeves, get stuck in, and make a difference to this incredible football club. I do not believe anyone at the Club underestimates the size of the task ahead of us to return to our rightful position in the SPFL while at the same time creating a sustainable and profitable business model that will allow the Club to achieve and consolidate that outcome, but it is a challenge I will wholeheartedly relish, and I hope to be the catalyst for positive change and growth.
“I look forward to working closely with the other Board members on a wide array of areas for improvement within the Club. For our supporters, I am keen to explore enhancing the Match Day experience and how we can bring new fans and perhaps some old ones back into the ground and create a genuine and optimistic buzz around the Club. I will also look to explore our options for stadium renovations and upgrades to regain our Bronze Status while developing and expanding our commercial partnerships. I hope to do this while creating a transparent and open working relationship between myself, the Board, and the fans. I would also like to say how delighted I am that Ben Kearney is joining the Board at the same time as I am, and I have enjoyed the working relationship we have built up in such a short time.”
Ben Kearney, a familiar face to many at the Club, steps up from the Media Team to full Board member after years of leading the Club’s media operations from strength to strength, keeping our fans up-to-date with Premiership-quality multimedia content while building and fostering an excellent relationship with the football department. Currently covering Scottish football as a Sports Journalist, Ben was part of the first-ever cohort of 20 young people across Scotland who joined the Scottish FA as part of a UEFA-backed Youth Ambassadors of Change programme, which championed young people being directly involved in the decision-making processes of the Scottish game. He has represented the Club regularly at Lowland League general meetings while attending previous Board meetings as an observer. Ben was responsible for helping raise a five-figure sum for the Club during the COVID-19 pandemic by live-streaming matches. This venture led to recognition in the form of Albion Rovers jointly winning a national digital transformation award.
Welcoming Ben to the Board, Chairman Robert Cameron said:
“I am delighted to have such a dedicated and talented individual bring his perspective to the Board of Directors. We believe it is crucial to have a young voice directly involved in the decision-making process, and talented, committed people like Ben are the long-term future of Albion Rovers.”
Ben added:
“Being part of the Albion Rovers family is something I cherish dearly. I am pleased to join the Board of Directors and to bring my knowledge and ideas to the top table. Most football clubs across the Scottish game wouldn’t appoint a 24-year-old to their Board of Directors. My opinion is clearly valued, and I will use that to champion the Club, its supporters and my vision for a bright future. I am proud and excited to bring my drive and energy to the current Board and look forward to helping this Club take new positive strides forward.”
The Albion Rovers’ Board now consists of five directors.
Robert Cameron was ratified as the new permanent Chairperson at the Club’s last board meeting. Hugh Morrison, Margaret Rizza, Stuart Black, and Ben Kearney complete the Board of Directors. The new Board looks forward to updating shareholders and fans alike on new initiatives and encourages supporters, old and new, to join us on the journey as the Club embarks on the next chapter in its rich history.
