After a period of sustained growth, which has included our recent rise up the football pyramid and consolidation of our place at Step 4 of the National League System, with a record seventh place finish in the Northern Premier League East division, Heaton Stannington FC has transitioned to a new corporate structure in order to future-proof the club.
Over the last few years we’ve continued to welcome record numbers of fans to games, invested more than £250,000 into facilities and the experience at The Willow Park thanks to support from the Premier League Stadium Fund, expanded our Stan Army volunteer base to more than 100 people, established and grown our Heaton Stan Juniors division to more than 40 teams, 500 players, and 85 FA-qualified coaches, and seen our Stan A reserves side win back-to-back promotions to reach the Northern Alliance Premier Division.
With this growth and success, both on and off the pitch, and our continued ambition, the time was right to reassess the corporate structure of the club, providing a robust legal framework to professionalise operations moving forward.
Scott Lyndon, Co-Chair and Club Secretary, said:
“This is a significant milestone in the club’s history. While promotion and cup finals naturally attract attention, ensuring the club has a modern and sustainable governance structure is equally important for our long-term future. Having grown significantly in recent years, we outgrew the unincorporated model that had served the club for more than a century. This new structure provides a scalable framework that will help ensure Heaton Stannington remains sustainable and community-focused for generations to come.”
The club called on the team at Muckle LLP and accounting firm, Azets, to support the incorporation. To formalise and update the governance of the club and set it on a more professional footing for the future.
As part of the new structure, the inaugural board of directors comprises existing club committee members Scott Lyndon (Co-Chair and Secretary), Neil Drummond (Co-Chair), George Clark (Treasurer), and Kevin Mochrie, alongside newly appointed directors Craig Swinhoe and Lee Massingham. A number of custodian trustees have also been appointed to safeguard the club’s long-term interests and provide additional protection over the future of the Club.
The club, its directors and trustees will continue to put the interests of fans, its members and the community at the heart of everything it does and will remain volunteer-run and self-funded.
