Management Committee Elections 2024

Earlier this month we opened up nominations for the Management Committee positions, of which there were seven vacancies.

Following the closure of nominations, we received seven nominations, all of which were in order.

As a result no election is needed and these members are all duly elected. These are:

Brian Pickstock

Hi, I am Brian Pickstock the Technology Lead on the SOS Management Committee and committee member of the Liverpool Supporters Board.

I have been actively involved with SOS since attending the Football Supporters Europe congress in 2019 in Lisbon to lobby UEFA for fairer ticket allocations and facilities. Since then I have been actively involved in the ongoing campaigns of SOS, such as, ‘Liverpool is not for trademarking’ before joining the Management Committee in 2024.

My intention is to lead the technology updates for SOS to improve the member experience while continuing to actively hold the club to account on the issues that matter to supporters, such as, matchday experience, home and away ticketing and memberships.

Technology developments currently underway to improve the SOS membership experience are to continue developing the web shop, which is currently selling away coach travel and also in-process of integrating the membership system to the website.

My first game at Anfield was 1976 and in more recent times I was initially a member when the fan card system was introduced and have been a season ticket holder since 2015, I also regularly travel to the European away games and live and work in Liverpool.

Gareth Roberts

I am a Kop season ticket holder and a regular match-goer since 1990 and believe passionately in defending the traditions of Liverpool support at Anfield. 

I have been actively involved in football supporter-led campaigns for many years, including the campaigns for safe standing and fairer ticket prices. The success in these areas demonstrates the power of the collective and shows much more can be achieved. 

Since joining Spirit of Shankly’s MC, I have played an active role, contributing ideas, speaking to media and liaising with the club. 

I believe there is plenty more for the union to do, from representing our members in conversations with the club and the media, to continuing and expanding the great work done in the local community and beyond. 

I am currently advocating an idea around mental health and football, which I believe could be hugely beneficial to many of the regular Anfield support. 

I am the former editor of Well Red magazine and co-founder of The Anfield Wrap, an experienced journalist in print and broadcast media, and would like to help Spirit of Shankly shout about its work, garner more support and push for fairer treatment of football supporters now and in the future.

Helen Brown

It’s been an honour to represent you as a member of the SoS Management Committee since March 2024. I believe my fellow supporters deserve to have their voices heard and to have meaningful engagement with LFC. The traditions of the club must be fostered and upheld ensuring a legacy for the next generation.

LFC is an intrinsic part of my life, I’ve been a member since 2001 and a season ticket holder since 2012.  I’m a match-going fan traveling home, away and to Europe.  I’ve also been an SoS member for several years.

My working background is in the Pharmaceutical Industry in project management.  What I’ve already accomplished on the management committee to date will help to shape the future of the organisation.

My Aims if elected:

Continue to write and implement SoS processes and procedures ensuring transparency, accountability and continuity.

Establish a partnership with Her Game Too and LFC to educate and raise awareness of sexism and misogyny in football.

Create a legacy mental health campaign to improve the approach to mental health in football fans.

Continue my work supporting colleagues with a number of issues and topics as the SoS rep for the FSA UEFA Working Group.  

Neil Pullar

My name is Neil Pullar and I am leading the marketing workgroup for SoS. I wish to stand for re-election and having been in the role for 6 months believe we are only just getting started. My personal background has been in sales and marketing all my career which is currently in the pet supplement business. 

Re SoS I passionately believe in the causes SoS supports and my only motivation is to help other fans and to try to help the club understand the challenges fans face and why the club needs to listen to fan groups and SoS specifically. The community work SoS does also fits perfectly with my own views on life and society and the support for the Greenhouse Project and Fans Supporting Foodbanks is outstanding. In terms of football related matters growing the membership of SoS is a key objective, assisting with ongoing campaigns re ticket pricing and access to tickets is another. For the MC I have also detailed how we can actively raise the issue of local fans having access and in line with this young local fans and there are plans in place to do so. 

The ways to engage with fans has changed massively in the last 10 years and as part of the team we want to use all channels to engage with fans – this includes Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Tik Tok, podcasts, YouTube and others are they emerge.

Jay McKenna

Having taken a ‘short break’ from the union, I am back involved and as keen as ever to make a difference for members and LFC supporters. As an SOS representative on the Supporters Board, I have now become Chair of the Supporters Board too. As part of the union and on the Supporters Board, I’ll make sure your voices are heard. 

There are big issues supporters face, with the biggest relating to ticket pricing and access to tickets. There are ongoing conversations with the club about this and I am playing, and want to continue to play, a part in these. They are important issues that affect supporters now and future generations. 

I’ve also been involved in work for supporters facing sanctions or problems with tickets and will continue to use my experience and expertise in this area, ensuring processes in place are fair for supporters. 

I’ll continue to use my experience to represent supporters and SOS members to get the best we can – whether that’s in discussions with the club or football authorities. 

George W Bevan

Following Liverpool since the early 70’s, STH 

Occasional away and europeans, from North Wales so official Wool on the MC Member since 2008 and actively involved for 5 years 

Self employed,the skills I bring to the Union are management, marketing, finance, organisation, planning 

I believe in hard work, equality, honesty, transparency, teamwork and leading by example. 

I am currently part of the Management Committee and responsible for 

Leading on the National Ticketing Price campaign – we need to stop ticket price rises 

Lead Planning Work Group to organise the operations of the Union to deliver for members 

Part of the marketing group looking to grow the SOS membership and increase funding for our community work 

Lead on the development of the new SOS Constitution 

Assist with the Shankly Cup, The Tiber Street Pantry. 

An SOS representative on the Supporters Board 

The owners won’t look after fans, the players come and go, the fans are constant and we need a strong Union to look after our interests. 

If elected I will campaign for reduced ticket prices, protection of the regular match going fans community,traditions and heritage and to grow the Union. 

I hope I can count on your support. 

UTR 

Matty Johnson

Hello, My Name is Matty Johnson, I’m 30 years old and I would like to put myself forward for a position on the MC of the SOS

As a regular match goer, who is an official member I see first hand the struggles that we all go through, from bulk sale issues involving online bots,Ticket collections at short notice on European games, to the introduction of NFC ticketing, and more recently a reduction in allocation at away games.

As someone who is very vocal on social media regarding these issues I feel I would be a valuable asset to the Spirt Of Shankly team and would be willing to be involved in conversions and discussions with the club around ticketing and match day experience.

Having been a member of the Spirt Of Shankly now for a number of years I’ve seen the impact that the union can have on the supporters of Liverpool, and feel I can continue the passion and desire to help assist fellow supporters with any issue they may have.