Port Vale is delighted to announce that CEO Colin Garlick has been named League Two CEO of the Year in the Football Business Awards and shortlisted for the overall CEO of the Year Award by fcbusiness – along with colleagues rom the Premier League, Championship, League One and SPFL.
The nominees for this year’s award are: Phil Alexander (Crystal Palace FC), Dane Murphy (Nottingham Forest FC), Mal Brannigan (Wigan Athletic FC), Colin Garlick (Port Vale FC) and Andrew McKinlay (Heart of Midlothian FC).
The CEO from each league has been nominated by fcbusiness for their leadership throughout the 2021/22 season and is now shortlisted for the overall CEO of the Year prize. Each winner will receive their divisional award at a ceremony on May 27 at the Brewery in London before the overall winner is announced.
Recognising the valuable contribution of the game’s executives in the UK has seen fcbusiness present the CEO of the Year Award each year since 2012, with winners including the likes of Susan Whelan (Leicester City FC) Peter Moore (Liverpool FC), Henry Staelens (Forest Green Rovers FC) Mark Ashton (Bristol City), Alan Burrows (Motherwell), Karren Brady (West Ham United), Mark Catlin, (Portsmouth) and Alistair Mackintosh (Fulham FC) to name a few.
Announcing the award, fcbusiness Editor and Football Business Awards judge Aaron Gourley said: “As always, this award has been incredibly tough to judge due to the high standard of work that goes on behind the scenes in club football and the high calibre of candidates to choose from.
“The role of CEO has never been more important than it has over the last few years. Difficult decisions have had to be made as they navigate their clubs through what has been a very turbulent time due to the pandemic.
“Our nominees for this year’s awards have shown great resolve to ensure their respective clubs thrive both on and off the pitch as the game picks itself up and moves forward to become even stronger than before.”
Jez Moxey, Head of Sports Teams Mergers and Acquisitions, for award sponsor Global Sports Worldwide, said: “On behalf of Andy Appleby and the whole team at General Sports Worldwide, LLC, the Sports Teams Mergers and Acquisitions division of GSW is once again delighted to be sponsoring the fcbusiness Magazine CEO of the Year Award at their prestigious event.
“Having worked with club owners and CEO’s up and down the country over many years, we can attest to the dedication, expertise and professionalism of the executives who run our nation’s professional football clubs. We congratulate this year’s worthy divisional winners on their successes and look forward to crowning one of them the overall winner of fcbusiness CEO of the Year for 2022 on May 27.”
Football Business Awards co-founder, Simon Burton, added: “The role of a CEO as leader of a football club has never been more important. The nominees stand as exemplars of the unique blend of talents required to deliver success for the club as a sporting enterprise, sustainable business and cornerstone of the community.”
Commenting on the award, Colin said: “I am delighted and humbled to receive this accolade which is very much a reflection of the work carried out by all staff at Port Vale FC through what has been a particularly challenging period of time for the club and the industry as a whole and I’m very grateful for the support of talented and passionate colleagues.”
You can see the full awards shortlist here.