The new CEO of Scunthorpe United FC has credited his “love for the game”, his belief in the potential of football to “do good” and the skills he learnt at university as his keys to success.
Matthew Roberts is best known as a sports broadcaster with more than 20 years of experience working for the likes of the BBC, ITV, Eurosport and Discovery+, and for providing live coverage of well-known events including the Olympic Games and Super Bowl.
Last month, he was announced as the new CEO of Scunthorpe United FC – and has praised the Master of Sport Directorship (MSD) course at Manchester Metropolitan University as the catalyst for his career shift.
He said: “I’ve been kicking a football since I was a toddler and it’s always been my first love, if you like. I was never really that bothered about working in it because I didn’t want to turn my escape into my job.
“The MSD made me realise that I wanted to make a career shift and I really wanted to engage with what really matters to me, helping other people and having a meaningful impact through the power of football.
(Image: Getty Images)
“I wanted to embrace my love for the game, but also my belief in the game’s potential to do good because unfortunately it can be abused by predatory capitalists. And I want to rail against that and show that it can be a force for good.”
He continued: “I can only speak about my own experience, but my experience is that the MSD is the best thing I ever did. I almost didn’t do it because just when I had my applications accepted, COVID broke out and I lost a lot of my work and income.
“It was a big leap for me financially to make that investment, but it’s the best investment I ever made. I wouldn’t change a thing.”
One of Matthew’s fellow graduates put him in contact with the team at Scunthorpe United who were in the midst of a major restructure, and were looking for a fresh voice from outside the game to become the new CEO. After a rigorous interview process, he was offered the job.
He said: “The higher purpose of any football club or any sports club is to serve the community and to create social value, physical and mental well-being. That’s why the original founder of Scunthorpe United started the club back in 1899 as a local boys’ club; to get people off their bums and being active.
“That purpose should never alter. Obviously, the landscape has changed a lot, but fundamentally, Scunthorpe United have an opportunity to create social value and they can do that by providing joy through the entertainment that they offer on the pitch, by creating a sense of identity for the local people and a sense of pride in their community.”
Original artice: https://www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk/all-about/scunthorpe
