A VOICE FOR THE FANS

The role will be filled by life-long fan Aaron Mullan, who is a regular face at The Showgrounds and is heavily involved with supporters group the Friends of Coleraine FC, as well as playing a key role in the club’s fantastic website..

The introduction of a new UEFA licensing requirement from season 2012/13 for all clubs to have an operating supporter liaison officer (SLO) marks an important new chapter in club-supporter relations and emphasises how important this relationship is considered for the football club.

Supporter liaison officers at clubs already exist in a limited number of European countries and primarily help improve the dialogue between the fans and the clubs they follow. Most importantly, SLOs must be credible with supporters, and therefore should have experience with, and contacts to, the networks in the club’s fan base.

They inform supporters about relevant decisions made by the club’s management board and, in the other direction, communicate the needs of the fans to the board, as well as building relationships, not just with various fan groups and initiatives, but with the police and security officers.

They will also engage with fan liaison officers of other clubs before matches to ensure that fans behave in accordance with security guidelines.

Philip commented on his new role; “I look forward to this role and I will put all that I can into it. This is set in place to improve the relationship with the fans and the club and a sense of pulling together as such.”

Board member, Nevin Oliver, welcomed Aaron’s appointment.

“Coleraine FC is one of the more progressive clubs in relaying oinformation to the fans via our website, local media and the fans’ forum,” he told Times Sport.

“This is obviously a key requirement in the application for a UEFA Licence, but we also see it as a worthwhile project which will further strengthen the links between the board and the fans.

“We are very pleased that Aaron has taken on his role as he is not only a deicated Coleraine fan, but he is also a very hard working volunteer at the club.

“He already plays a key role in communicating the club’s information to the wider market through his role with the club’s website, and we have no doubt he will fulfil this new role in a professional way.”

Aaron is looking forward to getting started.

“It’s an exciting role and one which will benefit bot the fans and the club as a whole,” he said.

Fans can contact Aaron on [email protected].