West Bromwich Albion are delighted to introduce members of its inaugural Fan Advisory Board (FAB) which will hold its first meeting with club officials at The Hawthorns on Thursday, October 16.
The FAB is part of the club's wider Fan Engagement Plan and will be a high-level, strategic conduit for two-way dialogue between supporters and the club's key decision makers.
The newly formed advisory board, which has been endorsed by Albion Chairman Shilen Patel, will facilitate the exchange of ideas and feedback on a formal basis.
The Albion Assembly, a larger group with 36 members, has been consulted on its implementation and elected two FAB members at a September meeting.
FAN ADVISORY BOARD
Dan Head, Co-Chair
Dan is Co-Chair of Albion’s Fan Advisory Board, working to ensure supporters have a real voice in the future of the club. Dan has followed Albion all his life and cares deeply about keeping club traditions alive and making matchday experiences better for all. Earlier this year, Dan was able to take his five-year-old twin girls to their first game. In his day job Dan is Global Sales Director for a major beverage company - and looks to bring a global outlook, strategic thinking and group leadership to this role.
Richard Jefferson, Vice-Chair & Albion Assembly Representative
Richard is a home and away season-ticket holder who has followed the Albion since his first game in 1974. He has been an active and vocal member of the Albion Assembly since its launch in 2015. He will represent the Assembly on the Fan Advisory Board. He is passionate about meaningful fan engagement and believes it is vital fans’ concerns, ideas and feedback are not only heard but listened to by the club’s leadership.
Christian Black, Member
Christian is a lifelong Baggies fan, attending his first game at the age of six and is now a proud home season-ticket holder. Outside of football, he works in the charity and education sector, bringing significant experience in representation, democratic processes, and governance. With a strong commitment to community and accountability, Christian combines his love for the Baggies with a career dedicated to making a positive impact.
Clare Sidaway, Member & All Access Albion Representative
Clare is a season ticket holder of more than 30 years and feels privileged to represent the supporter group All Access Albion on the Fan Advisory Board. She currently works in a senior role with the Ministry of Justice with previous work in the education sector. At the FAB, Clare reflects the views of a group of Albion supporters either with a disability or health condition themselves, or with personal experience of the challenges faced by disabled people when attending football matches. She attends matches home and away with her disabled teenage son.
All Access Albion’s agenda is clear:
Adaptability
Liaising and Learning
Breaking barriers
Inclusivity
Openness
No voice goes unheard
Shin Aujla, Member & Apna Albion Representative
Shin has been a season ticket holder for more than 30 years and is Chair of Apna Albion supporters’ group that he represents on the Fan Advisory Board. He also travels to watch England play home and away when he can. He previously served a three-year term on the National Council of the Football Supporters’ Association and has worked as a Senior Leader and Director at two professional football club foundations and Chairs the Inclusion Advisory Group at a County FA. Nationally he supports The FA as an EDI Community of Practice Ambassador.
Hannah Butler, Member
Hannah is a fourth-generation Albion fan and long-standing season-ticket holder of more than 25 years. Formerly a Deputy Headteacher, she now works as an adviser to primary and secondary schools across the local area. Hannah also holds a Business Management degree and contributes to a range of strategic boards, bringing extensive experience in leadership, resource management, logistics, and community engagement.
Dean Walton, Member & Albion Assembly Representative
Dean has been watching the Baggies since the 1960s and is a home and away season-ticket holder, with experience of watching Albion play in 21 countries. He is Chairman of the Warwick Baggies, a committee member of the club’s official supporters’ club, an Albion Assembly member, runs BATS (Baggies Abroad Travel Service) and is a member of Shareholders for Albion. Dean brings extensive formal experience of representing fans and is the author of three Albion books: Born to be a Baggie (parts 1 & 2) and Proud to be a Baggie.
Sarah Kerton, Member & Proud Baggies Representative
Sarah has been a Baggie from birth, attending her first game with her brothers in 1993, before purchasing her first season ticket after the launch of Proud Baggies, the LGBTQ+ supporters’ group she represents on the Fan Advisory Board. Sarah is the Deputy CEO of NUS UK, and Chair of the Board of a youth engagement charity.
Ben Deeley, Member
Ben is a long-standing Birmingham Road End season-ticket holder, who attended his first game in 1993. He has travelled far and wide in the pursuit of football, visiting 127 stadiums in 19 countries. Ben lives more than 100 miles from The Hawthorns and aims to give a voice to fans who support the club from outside the local area. Away from football, he is an auditor with significant experience in financial services.
Albion’s Director of Communications & Fan Engagement, Ian Skidmore, will Co-Chair meetings on behalf of the club.
How were FAB members recruited?
The FAB will consist of up to 10 supporter representatives.
Three seats are taken by representatives of supporter groups: Clare Sidaway for All Access Albion, Sarah Kerton for Proud Baggies and Shin Aujla for Apna Albion. Apna Albion were added after members agreed to amend the FAB constitution to allow an additional reserved seat.
In addition, Dean Walton and Richard Jefferson will represent the Albion Assembly, after the group held a democratic election in September.
Dan Head, Christian Black, Hannah Butler and Ben Deeley were appointed following an anonymised shortlisting process, which was carried out by a Fan Advisory Board selection panel, consisting of two Albion Assembly Working Group members, the FSA’s Head of Supporter Engagement and Governance, Ashley Brown, Cyrille Regis Legacy Trust Chair, Julia Regis, and the club’s Director of Communications & Fan Engagement, Ian Skidmore. In-person interviews were held for suitable candidates in July, before an interview panel consisting of Ashley Brown, Julia Regis and Ian Skidmore appointed members. The club wishes to thank everyone who applied to join the FAB.
A further seat remains reserved for a future, FSA-approved Independent Supporters Trust.
When will the FAB meet?
The FAB will meet with the club on four occasions per season, as well as meeting independently on other occasions.
Following an induction in September, the first official meeting of the FAB will be held on Thursday, October 16, with further meetings scheduled for January, April and July.
More information on agendas, minutes and meeting summaries can be found in the FAB constitution, here.
What will be the FAB's scope?
The FAB will retain a focus on topics including the club's strategic vision and objectives, business operations, the stadium, key matchday issues, any relevant heritage items, community activities and the club's equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) commitments. Sporting and on-field issues will not form part of proposals.