DEVON_FA - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Football Development Officer ( Facilities and Investment & 3G Co - Ordinator )
Job Titles:
- Football Services Officer - Front of House and PA to the CEO
Job Titles:
- Football Development Officer ( Inclusion ) Lead on Disability Football, Walking Football, Inclusion and Advisory Group and Disability Talent Pathway
Job Titles:
- GMA Regional Pitch Advisor
Job Titles:
- Senior Independent Advisor
I am also a Vice President of the West Devon Referee's society
Bill originates from the North of England and spent most of his life as a young footballer and trying to play for Liverpool Football Club.
Injury forced Bill to retire early at the age of only 27 and it was volunteering for many different roles ranging from Club Secretary, Coaching, Management and to now again as a Chairman of a football club.
He has now been involved with football for over 50 years and it was in 2021 that he was given the opportunity of becoming the Chairman of Barnstaple Town FC.
During the latter part of 2021, Bill decided to join the Devon FA Board of Directors. He has been made the Senior Independent Director for the Association, which now means this role allows him to check and challenge on how the county is performing as a business.
During his business career he spent many years in London and ran one of the best Ad Agency companies in the UK. Since leaving London he moved to Devon in 2003 where we purchased his first holiday park in North Devon.
Since then, he has now become the owner of three successful holiday parks in the North Devon area and is finally looking over the next few months to retire from his work in the entertainment sector.
He's been a former director of Carlisle United and helped them enjoy winning the League Two title in 1995 and helped the club appear at Wembley for the Auto Windscreen Cup Final in 1997.
In addition to Carlisle United, he also he also took over the running of Workington FC and managed to have help the club avoid possible extinction and took them to their first Championship win for the first time in 115 years.
Bill's focus is now to be committed in improving the Grassroots game of football in Devon in particular the North Devon area but has said on many times that he is more than happy to help and lend a hand anywhere across the county.
Job Titles:
- Finance Director
- Member of the Life
I have been involved in local football for many years now, mostly involved with the running of my local club Witheridge, which I duly held and served many different roles.
Around 1996 I was approached and given the opportunity of joining the Devon County FA as a Council Member.
For several years I served on various Committees of the Association including a lengthy spell as Chairman of the Discipline Committee.
During my time as a DCFA Council Member I was made the Finance Director in 2011 and was then duly elected to the Devon FA Board of Directors.
In addition to the Devon FA, I have been involved with the Devon & Exeter Football League as their Fixtures Secretary and took over the same position for the newly formed Devon Football League in 2019.
My working career has always seen me working with finance as I'm an Accountant, who has worked for Bedford & Co Accountants for some forty years and still enjoying my day-to-day work.
In addition to football, I also enjoy Cricket and helping the Community of where I live when possible.
Job Titles:
- Chief Executive Officer
- Chief Executive Officer & Senior Safeguarding Lead
Responsible for management and delivery of the FA Operational Plan. Lead for facility and investment in Devon and Senior Safeguarding Lead.
Chris was born in Gibraltar and moved to Plymouth as a toddler and where he still resides. A player throughout his youth, Chris started his coaching journey at the age of 15 and still continues to coach with his sons team YMCA All Saints.
Chris joined the County FA in 2010 and has held various roles during this period and took over as CEO in April 2023. During his career he has held a wide range of volunteering roles with the Devon Junior and Minor League, Plymouth Schools FA, Devon Schools FA, SB Frankfort as well as working for The FA and the England 2015 Rugby World Cup.
As recognition of his work in football and the local community Plymouth University awarded Chris an Honorary Sporting Colour in 2015 and the Devon Junior Minor League Ralph Bowman Memorial Trophy for Services to the league in 2013 and 2022.
Away from the County FA Chris is the Vice Chair of Governors for Pennycross Primary School, Committee Member at his club YMCA All Saints and enjoys his training and running for Hyrox the World Series of Fitness Racing.
Job Titles:
- Football Development Officer ( Leagues and Clubs )
Job Titles:
- Football Services Officer - Marketing & Communications and Discipline / Lead on the Devon FA 's Marketing Programmes & Social Media Platforms.
Job Titles:
- Vice President of the Life
Job Titles:
- Vice Chair of the Board
- LEADER of the COUNCIL
David Parish lives in Great Torrington and has served DCFA as Council Member representing the North area for over 20 years.
He is currently the Leader of Council for DCFA and represents the DCFA Council on the Board of Directors. He also chairs the Rules and Sanctions Committee. Dave has previously chaired Discipline and Charter Standards and worked with the DCFA team and clubs to improve their disciplinary record and assist clubs in gaining charter standards.
Dave is currently the Vice Chairman of the North Devon League and has been a committee member since 1996. For the past 28 years I have been Chairman of the Torridge Cup Committee. The Torridge Cup is a prestigious local competition which has been running since 1923.
Outside of football Dave worked for the Royal Mail for over 30 years managing in multiple business functions. He is now semi-retired as a part time postie. In addition to his football and employment experience, Dave is also operating as a Councillor on Great Torrington Town Council.
Job Titles:
- Community Engagement Director
Born in Exeter, Rod is a retired health & social care clinical academic having spent most of my career working within the NHS as a mental health nurse specialising in the treatment of alcohol misuse. A joint academic career was undertaken through part-time research resulting in the award of MPhil (Psychology) and later a PhD (Advanced Social Work) - both through Exeter University. These joint clinical and academic interests resulted in involvement in national alcohol treatment strategies, as well as the education of medical and other clinical staff in both Hong Kong and Malaysia on behalf of Exeter University Post Graduate Medical Centre.
Having spent most of his teens playing for Exeter City as an amateur player he subsequently played for a few local teams until the wear and tear of injuries led me to enter football coaching and management. His coaching/management career took him initially to Newtown FC (Exeter), after which he managed at Wellington FC, Barnstaple Town FC, Heavitree United and Dawlish Town FC.
During this period Rod was also very involved in concurrently managing/coaching women's football (1976 onward). During the 1980's Rod was appointed South West Regional Coach to what was then the Women's Football Association - responsible for the identification and preparation of players for potential international team selection, and in assisting the team manager on international duties.
He was fortunate to be able to continue my involvement in coaching until he reached the pre-determined retirement age of 70, by which time he had gradually moved into the realm of football administration, initially as Vice-Chair of the Devon Women's Football League (now Chair), and at Tedburn St Mary Football Club, where he currently holds the role of Chairman and Secretary. He is now in a second term as a Devon FA Councilor and recently appointed as Director of Community Engagement.
Job Titles:
- Football Development Officer ( Programmes )
Jen brings a breadth of business experience and keen interest in football to the board.
Jen started her career as a Chartered Management Accountant and change maker in the private sector holding a number of roles in different sectors. It was during her time in banking that Jen pivoted her career to inclusion, diversity and equality where she was a senior manager in Inclusion & Diversity. Jen was approached by Somerset FA to join their inclusion advisory group (IAG), where she became vice chair. Not long after moving to Devon in 2016, Jen successfully applied for the role of chair of Devon FA IAG.
Jen has two daughters who have played football since an early age, leading her to be involved in the grassroots football structure. Jen kicked off her involvement in 2013, to support the coaching of one of her childen's teams. Qualifying as a level 1 coach for the local Under 6s team, Jen started her journey in volunteering in football.
Over the last 10 years Jen has coached through the age groups in both mixed and girls' football, set up a girls' Wildcats centre and recently started a women's recreational football team under the Devon FA Female Flexi Football initiative. Jen has been recognised by her club Central in Exeter with the Adam Stansfield club person of the year award and is a previous winner of the Devon FA community project award. Growing up at time when girls were often not allowed to play football Jen is committed to creating an inclusive environment on and off the field of play for all.
Job Titles:
- Football Services Officer - Media & Partnerships
Job Titles:
- Designated Safeguarding Officer
Job Titles:
- Football Development Manager ( Youth & Adult Female Lead ) Lead on the Development of Female Football Including Wildcat Programme, Girls Football School Partnerships and Female Talent Pathway
Job Titles:
- Football Services Manager & Deputy Senior Safeguarding Lead / Lead Discipline Officer & Responsible for the Management of the Football Services Department
Max was born in Cornwall moved to Devon 29 years ago also having played football in Cornwall for many years.
Max has worked in the fire industry for 40 years, He was the Managing Director of a company called Firewatch South West Ltd based at Newton Abbot. In the last 12 months he decided to sell Firewatch and has now retired.
Firewatch became involved with Devon FA and the sponsoring of the Senior cup in which they have been delighted to have supported for over 10 years. The opportunity came along to join Devon FA as the Operations Director which Max was delighted to take up.
Max currently dedicates some of his spare time at the local magistrates sitting in Plymouth and Newton Abbot which he has now done for the last 13 years.
Max also plays his part as a volunteer and helps support with the delivery and collection of food for a local food bank organisation within the South Devon area.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Life
- DEVON FA PRESIDENT
Job Titles:
- Football Development Officer ( Facilities and Investment )
Job Titles:
- Football Services Officer - Competitions & Affiliations
Job Titles:
- Football Services Officer - Player Memberships
Job Titles:
- Referee Development Officer & County Appointments Officer / Lead on Referee Recruitment, Retention and Support, FA Respect Programme and Devon Referee Appointment Scheme
Job Titles:
- Football Services Officer - Front of House