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Wrexham fans who wear their heart on their sleeve

No.4 Allan Thomas

Peter Davies meets Wrexham fan, and WFC Commercial Manager, Allan Thomas…

Background

Everybody likes Allan Thomas. No-one has a bad word to say about him. No-one. He’s Mr Happy, Mr Enthusiastic and Mr Jolly all rolled into one. And as Commercial Manager, he’s a key man - the club shop, the brick scheme and anything and everything to do with sponsorship. But most of all, he’s a fan - BIGTIME.

Setting

It’s a Wednesday and it’s lunchtime. It’s sunny and the Racecourse is quiet and subdued. Nothing’s doing really. But Allan Thomas is bustling around - the shop, the club offices, his own room. Allan says come in. It’s spooky, really spooky, to be inside the club offices - to be on the other side of the counter in the club shop. Allan is very busy, as ever. He’s got people to see and in mid-afternoon he’s got to shoot off to see Mr Flynn at Colliers Park. So he pops out for three-quarters of an hour, and Promotions Manager - and ace London Marathon runner - Phil Sadler comes in to have a word. Allan returns - and continues to answer questions (very honestly). Allan’s office is, well, not the tidiest in the world, but that’s because he’s BUSY, VERY BUSY - all the time.

Q. Can you tell us a bit about your background?

A. ‘I started out as a butcher in Wrexham in 1970. I worked for Tesco and by 1973 I was managing my own butcher's store in Shotton - again within a larger shop. Between 1975 and 1979 I worked as a bus conductor in Wrexham - a really good job. And then, between 1979 and 1981 I became involved in a cosmetics company in Rossett. I had an accident though in 1981 which injured my left foot. So I was off work throughout the period 1981-91. In the early '90s I basically had to start again, but I had a stroke of luck. My daughter was working with Phil Stokes at the Racecourse on a YTS. Phil needed somebody to help sell Gold Bond lottery tickets in Acton. She said that she wasn't interested but that her father might - as he was a Wrexham supporter. I asked the doctor if this would be OK. He said it could help me therapeutically so I got the go-ahead. Collecting Gold Bond would ease me back to work - there were 400 members in the Acton area. Phil then asked me to be a canvasser for the football club in all areas - getting new members and getting agents to take over in certain areas. Basically it was about raising extra money for the club. I had two years of doing this and gradually I became more and more involved with the club, and in making money for the club.’

Q. What then?

A.’I then took an important step by taking some driving lessons and passing my test. At this stage I also started to get matchball sponsors for Phil, and also calendar sponsorships. In 1996 Phil finished as Commercial Manager and I put in to become Commercial Manager. I had a couple of meetings with the Board and I was very pleased when they gave me the job. They gave me it on a six-month trial period - and I'm now in my fourth year of doing the job.’

Q. Are you from Wrexham?

A. ‘Yep, I was born and bred in Wrexham. Originally I hail from Montgomery Road, Queens Park, Wrexham. I was born in 1956. My first Wrexham football memory was 1961. My father asked me if I'd like to go and watch Wrexham with him. I said yes - and that was that. The atmosphere just took over. It was just brilliant - following your own local football team. I remember thinking what a brilliant feeling it must have been for the players as well - playing in front of thousands of local people.’

Q. Which players do you remember?

A. ‘I mainly remember players like Ken Barnes and Clive Colbridge. I remember Barnes swaying from side to side and Colbridge flying down the wing. I was a regular home supporter in the Mold Road Paddock, although sometimes I would stand on the Kop.’

Q. Any favourites?

A. ‘I've got a few Wrexham favourites: Eddie May - superb - Dixie McNeil, and Bobby Shinton. The '78 side in general really - they were just brilliant. There were lots and lots of heroes - people like Albert Kinsey and Billy Ashcroft, to name but two.’

Q. Did you play football yourself?

A. ‘I played a bit - for Llangollen in the Welsh National League. I was a left-winger or striker and I scored lots of goals.’

Q. Have you always been interested in the commercial side of football clubs?

A. ‘As a fan I was never conscious of the marketing side of the club at all. It's only when I started to work behind the scenes that I became really conscious of commercial matters. To be honest, when you're a fan you really don't have a clue as to what's involved in running a club and in being able to put a team out on a Saturday afternoon. However, if you spend one or two days behind the scenes, you quickly realise - it can really open your eyes. So for me selling the Gold Bond tickets made me interested in the commercial side of things. It really gave me a buzz to come in every day with more and more members. It was a good feeling.’

Q. Any favourite games as a fan?

A. ‘In terms of great games, I think Rotherham at home - 7-1 - was one of my favourite games. It was just so relaxing: to be winning 5-0 at half-time and to know that you were already promoted. I remember one thing in particular: the referee applauded the Wrexham side at half-time. It really brought a tear to your eye. It also brought home what a good side we were then - and playing in front of home gates of 15-16,000 week in week out.I also vividly recall the European games at the Racecourse. They were brilliant and being under lights also added a certain something.’

Q. What are your goals as Commercial Manager?

A. ‘My aim is to be better than the last one - and to be the best there's been. And when someone takes over from me, I'm sure their aim should be to be better than me. I've got no real targets - just to make sure that each and every day I make some money, and more and more money, for Wrexham Football Club. It doesn't matter how much; it's just the principle - every day I've got to make money for the club. That's always my goal. I remember the buzz when I started and when I got my first £500 sponsorship. I remember celebrating - telling the wife, going for a pint. But the next month I had to get more than £500 - I had to get £600, then £700...and then 1,000 and 1,200. It gets harder each year because you want to raise more and more money.’

Q. What’s the relationship between yourself as Commercial Manager and the other people at the helm?

A. ‘The manager Brian Flynn is the main man. There's also obviously a Chairman, a Managing Director - David Rhodes - and a Board of Directors. I sit on that and my ideas in the commercial sphere have got to go through the Board. I'm accountable to the Board. They usually tell me off! So when everything's quiet I know everything's OK and I've done well. In a sense I do have a lot of freedom - but to do the right job in the right way. The Commercial Department is totally under my arm and I'm particularly concerned about customer service - friendliness and doing things with a smile.’

Q. What are your main concerns as Commercial Manager?

A. ‘The Commercial Department is responsible for the following: the Gold Bond lottery system with 6,000 players and 2,000 agents, and nine regional collections - money is collected from the agents every month and brought into the club every week - the club shop, buying and selling, programme adverts, the electronic scoreboard, the 70 perimeter advertising boards, player sponsorship, kit sponsorship, all matchday sponsorship and matchball sponsorship, and corporate hospitality at all home matches.’

Q. Who works with you?

A. ‘My staff comprises Phil Sadler, who works on the promotional side of the Gold Bond lottery - it's his job, for example, to replace agents and replace collectors - and a secretary, Gaynor Owens. And there's myself.’

Q. Seems quite a small staff. Would you like more help?

A. ‘Yes, I've got to admit that I would like more staff - I think the time has come for more staff definitely. We've got to look after our customers and at the moment I just think we don't devote enough time to this. We're rushing around all over the place and we just can't spend enough time with the people we need to. The size of the shop is less of an issue. At the moment I don't think the shop makes enough profit to justify bigger premises. But when club shop profits are bigger that will be the time to ask for enlarged facilities. You've got to remember as well that this current season has been one of the worst seasons for merchandise sales. The form of the side has definitely affected sales and I think that with some lines we have been guilty of over-stocking. I take some of the blame for that. I suppose also that the early season Rush thing was also a factor. This wasn't the sole factor, but I suppose you could say we were optimistic when we really should have been more realistic.’

Q. What about publicity?

A. ‘I'll do anything to promote the club. I want to promote it as much as I can - TV, radio and magazine interviews. There can never be too much of that. I think really that my job can be summed up as this: I'm a fan and I've got the brilliant job of selling the club and helping Wrexham FC reach Division One. I've also got to keep things in the black. I'm proud to be involved and proud to be a fan. I suppose being a fan is a bit of a hindrance sometimes - particularly when the side isn't doing well. I suppose I'm a heart-and-soul Commercial Manager. I don't have lots of degrees in business and marketing, but I do have the club's interests at heart and I am passionate about Wrexham.’

Q. Do you keep in touch with other clubs?

A. ‘Every month there's a meeting for Commercial Managers up and down the country. It's a kind of discussion forum, but I've got to say I've never attended one. It's usually in London, but to be honest I don't think it's a particularly valuable use of my time. I feel that I'm better using that time working for Wrexham Football Club. That's why I don't attend - I just think I could be doing more useful things at the Racecourse.’

Q. How would you characterise yourself as a Commercial Manager?

A. ‘I sense that most Commercial Managers are business people rather than fans. Here the Chairman gave me six months to prove that I could do the job. He knew I was so pro-Wrexham and it was nice to know that I didn't have to have a huge string of business qualifications. I'm a heart and soul kind of bloke - and I'm also learning fast.’

Q. What are your main concerns as Commercial Manager?

A. ‘I think it's also very important to listen to the fans - to hear what they're saying, what they want, and what they're concerned about. They, after all, pay our wages so fans are very important. At away games in particular I do go on the terraces and listen in to what the fans are saying. It keeps me in the know - otherwise I'd just be oblivious to things. In many ways I'm still a fan myself anyway. I'm always ready to listen to fans when they voice their grievances.’

Q. How do you interact with the Board?

A. ‘I'm accountable to the Board for my work on the commercial side. That means I do have to go to the Board when there are important issues to discuss - like changing the name of a stand. Sometimes too I'm called before the Board to explain certain things that are happening in the Commercial Department.

Q. How do you get on with the management team?

A. ‘Superb, unbelievable. Brian, Joey and Kevin are fantastic. I meet at least once a week with Brian and Kevin, and we discuss any issues that may have arisen. They may want some advice about sponsorship for a player or something like that.’

Q. What about the players?

A. ‘All the players are absolutely fantastic - every one of them. I’m always asking them for help, and they never say no. I try and look after them in any way I can. I want them to realise that they’re important. And apart from the fans, they’re the most important people at the club.’

Q. How do you reflect upon the outbreak of ‘Rushmania’ last year?

A. ‘Just the same as I did at the time. I see Ian Rush almost every day of the week and let me tell you something: he’s a gentleman, a professional and one of the best things to happen to this club. He’s got a great feeling for Wrexham and he knows the potential of the club. Obviously, for me, he was a key marketing tool: the Daily Post sponsor him - and he obviously has a regular column in that newspaper. In general terms, he’s generated thousands of pounds for Wrexham Football Club and, in every way, his attitude has been first class. People want him to do everything - open this, attend that. It’s been incredible. Commercially, I’d like to keep him here until he’s 65!’

Q. What’s your typical Saturday routine?

A. ‘At 9.30 in the morning I’m all dressed up and looking forward to the day ahead. I open the club shop and make sure that everything is in order before the rush of customers. Then I go to the Centenary Club to meet Meg and Dave - the hosts there on the food side. I check the day’s sponsorship arrangements and I make sure that people are scheduled to sit in the right places. I also make sure we’ve got the match programme and check the wine too. I check the trophies, the silver salver and the champagne for the winners of the various matchday awards like man of the match. I also sort out the scoreboard and the tannoy messages - and make sure everything’s ready to go there. At 10.30 I open my mail and meet my staff at about 11. About this time I sort out the executive box tickets, and see if any tickets need leaving. I meet the sponsors at 12.30 and spend half an hour or so with them. The two hours between 1 and 3 are absolute bedlam. All sorts of people are wanting me for all sorts of things - favours, pictures, signed balls. I’m all over the place really, but don’t like to say no to anything. At 2.45 I take the sponsors onto the pitch. I also check that the 50/50 draw sellers are in place and everything is OK for the draw at half-time. And then there’s Rockin’ Robin. He’s got to get on the pitch with his helpers - and he’s then got to meet all the kids. I then go back to the shop to do a bit of stocktaking. I make sure the 50/50 draw is ready for the half-time interval and if I’m lucky I might get to see the last 20 minutes of the first half. In the interval we do the 50/50 draw on the pitch. During the second half I sort out the money, sort out the winner and bag everything up. After the game I have to make a couple of speeches in the Centenary Club. I also do an interview after the game with Marcher Sound; I try and publicise the matchday sponsors in this interview. There are then a couple of presentations to make; I also spend half an hour in the club shop and sort out any away ravel business that needs to be seen to - booking coaches, for example. I then go back to the sponsors for 20 minutes after everything has died down and I probably leave the club at about 6.30pm. I must also say that I do not get paid for all of this on a Saturday. I do it voluntarily. On paper I work Monday to Friday - that’s when I’m on duty for Wrexham FC officially. It’s not a grievance though - I love my job so much. I suppose it does get to me a bit when people start giving me flak. It’s at such times that I sometimes just want to say: I don’t have to be here you know! I don’t think people realise this. On Saturdays I work 9 till 7 and never have time to see my children or grandchildren. But when I’m finished I like to wind down with a couple of pints of lager in The Acton…’

Q. Do you pick up any ideas from other Commercial managers?

A. ‘Every month we have a news bulletin sent to us - you know, what other clubs are doing up and down the country. You can pick up the odd idea here - the odd new innovation - but I guess that all clubs are quite different in what they do.’

Q. Do you admire other clubs’ commercial set-up?

A. ‘You’ve got to remember that Wrexham is one of the smallest towns to have a football league club - so it’s a very challenging job. I suppose I admire Ipswich: they’ve got 13,000 people in their lottery. Lots of clubs also ring up for advice ; Cambridge and Exeter, for example, have contacted us recently for advice about the Gold Bond scheme.’

Q. Which clubs do you think are similar to Wrexham in terms of size and their commercial activity?

A. ‘Tranmere - they’re doing very well commercially. But in my opinion, Crewe, Bury and Stockport are all the same type of club as Wrexham. They’ve all been promoted recently to Division 1 - it certainly makes you think. I’m sure Wrexham can do it as well - we’re not a million miles away. But after three years’ work on the commercial side, I think we’re moving here definitely.’

Q. Tell us about the stand…

A. ‘It will be brand new and it will help create what will be, in effect, a new ground. It will be all-seater and designed especially for kids and families - it will certainly have a family flavour. There’ll be eight executive boxes, which can house 10 people each. There’ll be special pre-match entertainment for people in the boxes, there’ll be food, and the whole thing will just give us extra potential and capacity. One box will cost £7,000 for a season. I’m confident of getting takers for all the boxes; at the minute I’ve just got a couple left to sell. There’ll also be an Executive Club - and we hope to get customers into that in midweek, not just on matchdays. We went business people to meet and talk here. We’re also going to launch special schools tours - taking kids round the stand, giving them the opportunity to meet the players, and also handed out goody bags. We’ve got to sell the stand, as it were, and obviously we’ll do this in tandem with the caterers there.’

Q. Can you tell us how much a season ticket in the stand will be?

A. ‘No, not yet’

Q. What’s your interim verdict on the brick scheme?

A. ‘I’m really pleased with the response - we’ve sold about 1,000 - but I suppose I am slightly disappointed we’ve not got closer to 2,000.’

Q. Do you think that’s because of the price?

A. ‘No, I think people are worried about their bricks being too high and being out of sight. I feel there’s also a fear of vandalism. I believe that when the stand is completed, a lot of people will be very sorry they’ve not had a brick. I don’t think cost has been the key issue; I just sense that a lot of fans seem to have preferred to have a shirt rather than have a brick It shouldn’t be forgotten though that there’ll be plenty of value in the bricks - they’ll be there for 125 years.’

Q. How did you decide on the £30 cost?

A. ‘We broke down the cost and settled on a price. And it is a fact that the club will take less than half the £30 paid for each brick.’

Q. What have been the most popular kinds of inscriptions?

A. ‘There have been a lot of messages that are in memory of a loved one. It’s really good to have seen all the messages: a lot are touching and a lot are funny - a really varied selection.’

Q. Have you had to censor any inappropriate inscriptions?

A. ‘Yes, a couple were slightly distasteful.’

Q. Can you tell us what they said?

A. ‘No.’

Q. Are you sure?

A. ‘Yes. Let’s just say that we were happy with 99.9 per cent of inscriptions - most were to do with family members and obviously the club.’