Stuart Reddington has set his aims for the coming years after taking the reigns as Lincoln United chairman.
Reddington, who is a former player and assistant manager at Ashby Avenue has assumed what he described as a “figurehead” role.
Lincoln United men’s team play their football at step five, while the women’s team secured promotion into the FA Women’s National League structure last season. However, in all, the club has some 38 teams.
Reddington said: “I want us to continue to build on the fantastic and strong foundations that other boards have created for us. And ultimately, under the banner of being a community club, we want to be a club of choice for young people, and not so young people.”
Lincoln’s offering ranges from a wide youth set-up, all the way through to walking football.
There is also work on-going on improving the fan experience at The Whites’ home ground. Reddington noted that the Lincoln United Supporters Trust, which was established in December 2022, are planning to install a LED scoreboard at Ashby Avenue.
As well as his goals off-the-field, Reddington has two clear ambitions on it. He said: “The aims on-field are really quite simple. For the men’s first team, the one priority is promotion back into step four. I don’t think it is too arrogant to say, we do believe that we are a step four club.”
On the women’s team, he added: “To win the treble last year was just phenomenal, and at our recent presentation night we quite rightly made a real fuss of the women’s team. It’s a new level now, and there’s lots of change, so the simple priority is to maintain our step four status.”
Lincoln United’s Newest Chairman:
The new chairman paid credit to his predecessor Allen Crombie, saying: “Allen did a fantastic job. He knows Lincoln United inside and out. I don’t have a lot of what Allen has, in that he walks around the ground on a matchday and knows all of the supporters, and spends time with all of them.”
Reddington, who has been associated with United and neighbouring Hartsholme Cricket Club since he was 10 years old, also painted a picture of what the day-to-day work is for the club’s chairman.
“We hold monthly board meetings, and in effective the chair should chair those, set the agenda, make sure those meetings run smoothly. The chair has the deciding vote on things, but we have a fantastic group of people [on the board], and while we do challenge each other, I can’t think of anything that has been marginal and needed the casting vote. We tend to all be on the same page,” he said.
Reddington will remain in his pre-existing role as club secretary for the upcoming season.
Feature Image Credit: Ed Mayes Photography