To celebrate the momentous 100th episode of the podcast, Ben sits down with James Whiting, the CEO of Northampton Town Football Club. He is also a trustee with the Northampton Town Community Trust.
James is a born and bred Northamptonian and has worked for the club for over 15 years. As a successful accountant, he joined the club as a Financial Controller and worked up to being the Chief Executive.
Navigating the margin between success and failure
Northampton Town F.C. is a historic team of 129 years, and it has faced its share of highs and lows.
Football is a very fast-paced industry, and clubs must be dynamic and adaptable to be ready for changes to teams, injuries, or unexpected game losses.
James discusses dealing with failure and the importance of bouncing back after disappointment. When running a club, it is important to always be looking ahead and planning for the next season rather than dwelling on losses.
Fostering young talent
There is a wealth of talent in under-21s teams these days, and the club is always on the lookout for up-and-coming players. While they highly value technical skill, James believes that a player having a drive to succeed is equally important. The player needs to have the ability to absorb feedback and constantly improve their play.
Much like in business, teams depend not only on talent but on character and culture fit. Gaining the right blend of people is invaluable to building a strong team.
James says that transfer windows are one of the most difficult periods of the year and put a lot of strain on clubs. He and many clubs would prefer to remove transfer windows altogether.
The partnership between business and sport
The club is grateful for their numerous business sponsors and have many long-standing sponsorships. The University of Northampton even has one of the longest front-of-shirt sponsorships in football.
James says he is proud that the majority of their sponsors are local Northampton businesses. The club have expanded their sponsorship options to include more community outreach opportunities, and encourages businesses to get involved.
Northampton Town Football Club are in a strong position right now, but they won’t be able to determine the season’s success until May. James is hoping the First Team ends up in the top seven and the Academy and Women’s Team also have a successful season.
The first home game of the season is tomorrow against Swindon Town, and we have our fingers crossed for a Northampton Town F.C. victory.
Watch or listen to the episode here:
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