The Hereford FC Chairman, Ken Kinnersley, announced he was to stand down from his pivotal role at Edgar Street on Thursday, but has reflected on his time at the club.
Events at the club have moved on rapidly since the early days, back in 2015, as Kinnersley explains, “Originally my task was to recruit and co-ordinate the volunteers that have now become the life-blood of Hereford FC. In the early days, this involved restoring Edgar Street as well as organising the volunteers to clean and clear the stadium, then later overseeing the activities of staff needed to enable a matchday to take place.
“I also project managed the numerous tradesmen we had working at the stadium but as the demand for season tickets and club merchandise took off, we realised early on that there was a business to run and I eventually became CEO. This was a time-consuming role and I was happy to continue in the role as a volunteer. However, at the insistence of the Board, I was paid for my services for a period of 10 months until I became a member of the Board, when of course, I reverted to voluntary status. So, since the Club reformed, I’ve had a number of roles but was Chairman from January 2017”.
Kinnersley worked tirelessly during a tumultuous period as the team rose up through the divisions, with increased demands.
“Like most of the Directors I worked seven days a week for the club, and for as many hours as it takes each day. Some issues are quite time consuming and potentially have legal implications so require careful consideration. For me, it was principally ensuring that we were all discharging our responsibilities by working to the strategic business plan, complying with time scales and regulations, as well as dealing with the many issues that continually arise. We are also engaged in compiling reports and assessments, briefing papers for other board members as well as attending meetings and implementing decisions.
“Recently, most of my time has been working with the Council on the redevelopment of the Blackfriars End, issues arising from last September’s storm damage and liaising with Andrew Graham towards implementing our community programme. The latter is an extremely important part of the Board’s vision for Hereford FC, along with supporting the team, as the club tries to meet its ambition of progressing back towards the Football League”.