ASD announces Grimsby Town Football Club’s participation in its Club Executive Membership programme

The Association of Sporting Directors (ASD) is pleased to announce Grimsby Town Football Club’s participation in its Club Executive Membership programme, building on six months of collaboration with the club’s senior leadership team.

Club Executive Membership supports leadership and workforce development across football clubs, giving colleagues across a range of roles access to ASD’s learning opportunities and professional network.

Through the programme, GTFC staff have accessed online education, knowledge-exchange webinars and a library of insights from football leaders. Joel Roberts, ASD Managing Director, also helps colleagues access support relevant to their development needs.

Over the past six months, ASD has worked alongside CEO Polly Bancroft and colleagues across executive and technical roles. This work has included support for an end-of-season review of football performance and operations, discussions about planning and recruitment, and mentoring and leadership support.

Joel Roberts, Association of Sporting Directors, said:

“It’s been a real pleasure working alongside Polly and her colleagues over the past six months. We’ve developed a strong working relationship built on openness, trust and a shared willingness to exchange ideas.

“Club Executive Membership connects colleagues across the club with relevant learning and experience, with support shaped around the priorities identified by GTFC. It reflects what ASD is about: bringing practical industry experience into clubs and helping their people put ideas into practice.

“Working with club staff also helps us understand the challenges they face and use that insight to improve how we support our members and the wider game.”

The collaboration is ASD’s first formal Club Executive relationship and will help inform how the association develops this support for other clubs and its wider membership.

Polly Bancroft, Chief Executive of Grimsby Town Football Club, said:

“We want colleagues across the club to have opportunities to learn and develop. Joel and the ASD team have provided valuable support over the past six months, giving us space to reflect on how we work and learn from others across the game.

“Club Executive Membership helps our colleagues benefit from that wider knowledge and experience, with access to learning and support relevant to their roles. It’s a practical way to invest in our people and strengthen how we work together.”

We are delighted to welcome Grimsby Town to the ASD network.