We were, of course, thrilled (said through envious gritted teeth) when our Youth Development Director, Ruby Loynd, was recruited by the club to become their new Fan Liaison Officer. Ruby has been a standout performer and has excelled as the Youth Director for the Trust since we recognised her potential during a conversation after an event at the Ratcliff. and co-opted her to the Trust Board.
She is now the second of our young Trust officers to be pinched by the club; our Video Media Associate, James Devine, has been with the club for the past season as a Pitchside Video Match Operative. We are immensely proud of both of them, and it is enormously satisfying to see younger Trust members get these chances to move and help move the club forward. Both still retain Associate positions on the Trust board, and we hope that the excellent work they are now doing will continue to strengthen the club and enhance the Trust’s working partnership.
This is Ruby’s story. Ruby joined the Trust over a year ago after discussing her interests with her parents during a fan forum meeting. Just before her 18th birthday, she expressed a genuine interest in our work programs and mentioned her desire to develop an initiative aimed at the younger generation. Since joining us, she has become an invaluable member of the team, successfully enhancing our junior programs positively and skillfully.
As we mentioned above, Ruby continues to serve on the Trust board as Youth Director, collaborating with Dave Earnshaw, our Director of Fan Liaison.
Here is the official announcement that was published on the Club website yesterday, shared with permission from Greg and the media team.
This new position is a further positive step towards building and maintaining strong relationships between the club and our supporters.
Ruby, who is a member of our newly formed Club Advisory Board (CAB) and also contributes as Youth Inclusion Officer for the Dale Supporters Trust, will work from the Crown Oil Arena on Wednesdays (9am-5pm), as well as an hour every Monday, Friday and Saturday”.
As part of the appointment, a new club email address – fanservices@rochdaleafc.co.uk – has been created to aid with supporter enquiries. Fans should expect a reply within 48-72 hours of submitting an email to this address.
Dale Trust Liaison
Dave or Ruby