The National Football Museum has announced the nine newly-selected trustees.

The museum is celebrating a decade in Manchester this year and see this as the perfect time to introduce some fresh faces, reset, look forward and implement an exciting new strategy.

The museum has just announced a new lease with the Manchester City Council and has set ambitions on developing the museum’s galleries and forming new partnerships within the football world.

The museum has been conducting a recruitment process over the last few months which has culminated in the induction of the following nine trustees:

Andy Farr is currently Head of Business Planning & Transformation for British Cycling, with specific expertise in strategic planning, place-based development, business development and business transformation, coupled with sector-specific knowledge in sport & leisure, local government, charities, health and education.

Catherine Forshaw is a Regulatory Sports Lawyer and Sub-Sector Leader of the Women in Football initiative at Brabners LLP. Prior to joining Brabners LLP, Catherine completed a six-month secondment with The FA at Wembley Stadium.

Laura Pye is Director of National Museums Liverpool, having previously worked as Head of Culture forthe Bristol City Council, overlooking the city’s’ five museums.

Matt Pilkington has worked in the charity sector for the majority of his career and has over 10 years’ experience in senior fundraising and communications roles. He is currently a director at StreetGames, the national charity working to equalise access to sport for those growing up in the underserved communities in the UK.

Paul Castle is a professor of sports physiology and has provided consultancy for many clients including Brighton and Hove Albion FC, UEFA and Team GB Paralympics for Athens 2004, Beijing 2008 and London 2012. He now works for GSK.

Steve Grace is currently Head of Audience Planning for BBC Sport, having spent the last 10 years working in audience strategy at the BBC and The LEGO Group.

Dr Wanda Wyporska is the Chief Executive of the Society of Genealogists, the national charity that houses the largest archive and library on family history. She previously led The Equality Trust.

Rikki Singh is a former BBC journalist of over 30 years. He was also on the David Mellor Task Force looking into access and facilities for disabled football supporters and has also served on an FA Diversity Panel.

Tom Watt is probably best known as an actor, but has been writing, broadcasting and making documentary films about football for the past 35 years. He has contributed match reports, radio phone-ins, long-form press and broadcast features to every major UK media outlet.

Chair of Trustees John Brewer said:

I am delighted to welcome nine new Trustees to the Board of the National Football Museum.

Brewer continued

“Each of them brings a wealth of experience in a range of areas that will benefit the museum in many ways, and provide valuable support to our Executive team, staff and volunteers. I am confident that they will complement the skills of our current Trustees, and all of them have energy and enthusiasm that will help to move the museum forward for many years to come.”