Lancashire FA Staff
Got a question? Find out who you need to contact
Meet the Lancashire FA team!
Here you can learn more about our hard-working staff and find out who to contact for a particular query.
If you would like to speak to someone directly, please call us on 01772 624000.
If you are still unsure about who would be best-placed to answer your question, drop us an email at info@lancashirefa.com and we will ensure that it is forwarded onto the right person.
chief executive
Simon Gerrard
Chief Executive Officer | Senior Safeguarding Lead
Simon is the visionary CEO of Lancashire Football Association, having joined the Company in June 2018, and proceeded to progressively modernise and transform its operations and governance with his energy and drive, ensuring it can succeed within both the sporting and business arenas moving forwards.
Simon is a strong and vocal advocate for creating an inclusive environment where football can be enjoyed by all, and this is reflected in the Lancashire Football Association mission, as well as within the working environment at the Association.
With his passion and enthusiasm for football, and his keen desire to create an infrastructure for developing football for the future, Simon has a long history of rising to challenges and having a positive influence in the industry – he has worked within the Football Association Group for over 19 years.
As well as his strong impact at Lancashire Football Association, notable other achievements include transforming investment and partnerships whilst CEO at Cheshire FA from 2011-2016, and, when Team Manager for various England Disability Squads, supporting the Partially Sighted Team to win a World Cup Bronze in 2008. Simon continues to work within Team Operations, supporting the current England Futsal Squad.
Outside of football, Simon developed a third-generation climbing centre offering a unique climbing experience for all ages and abilities. He is a keen cyclist and golfer and enjoys both watching and playing football, whilst sharing his interests with his wife, Kim, son, Jake, and his extended family and close friends.
Email: info@lancashirefa.com
CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER
Jo Ashworth
Chief Operating Officer and Deputy Safeguarding Lead
Jo arrived from Westmorland FA, where she held the position of CEO. Jo has a wealth of experience in the football development arena, and has been instrumental in driving change and modernising systems throughout the business in her previous roles. Jo knows the value of building collaborative partnership development and drove investment into Westmorland, working with key funders, such as the Football Foundation & Sport England, and accessing grant funding on behalf of clubs, leagues and participants.
Email: info@lancashirefa.com
Football Services & Safeguarding
Neil Yates
Head of Safeguarding and Football Services (DSO)
Neil and his colleagues within the safeguarding department are responsible for the safety and wellbeing of all under 18 participants in the county. His role in the FA centres on this principle of safety. Neil also delivers many of the free workshops which Lancashire FA offers, including the Adults in Junior Football workshop which he helped to create five years ago. Neil is also an FA tutor on our Safeguarding Children and Welfare Officer workshops as well as our Referee courses. Previously, Neil was a Football League Assistant Referee. Outside of work, Neil is a National Leader of Governance after being a school governor for fourteen years and the Chair of a school for five.
Phone: 01772 954232 | Email: info@lancashirefa.com
Chris Doherty
Designated Safeguarding Officer and Health and Safety Coordinator
Chris assists with any safeguarding complaints or complex DBS issues, whilst working closely with his colleague Neil Yates (Head of Safeguarding). Chris is also a fully qualified First Aid Instructor and an Enhanced Community First Responder with NWAS. Chris also delivers the Association’s free CPR/AED Awareness Training workshop to clubs across Lancashire. In addition, Chris is an affiliated FA tutor for the Welfare Officer Course. Outside of the FA, Chris is involved in grassroots football as a Club Welfare Officer. The Manchester United Supporter also works as a freelance Health and Safety, Food Safety, First Aid and Mental Health First Aid Tutor.
Phone: 01772 644271 | Email: info@lancashirefa.com
Justyna Demuth
Football Services Manager
Justyna has been working at the Association since 2008, and is the main contact for enquiries relating to Discipline.
Phone: 01772 644263 | Email: info@lancashirefa.com
Rachael Murphy
Football Services Officer and Deputy Designated Safeguarding Officer
Rachael joined the Association in October 2018 and works alongside Neil and Chris in the safeguarding department. Outside of the FA, Rachael is involved in grassroots football and is a U5’s coach.
Phone: 01772 237137 | Email: info@lancashirefa.com
Andrea Gratton
Football Services Officer
Andrea, who has been working at the Association since 2014, is the main contact for enquiries relating to Competitions, which include County Cups and Tournaments.
Phone: 01772 644267 | Email: info@lancashirefa.com
Samantha Murphy
Football Services Officer
Phone: 01772 644274
Jamie Turkish
Football Services Apprentice
Email: info@lancashirefa.com
FOOTBALL DEVELOPMENT & PARTICIPATION
Iain Kay
Head of Football Development
Iain started his current role in October 2016. The role includes developing, maintaining and delivering the FA National Game Strategy across Lancashire FA’s nineteen local authorities. This involves managing the Participation & Development team delivering against the FA’s National Game Strategy focusing on the Male, Female, PAN Disability & Workforce targets. Outside of work, Iain is keen on health & fitness and completed the Preston Half Marathon as part of the Preston Guild in 2012. Iain is also an avid season ticket holder at local club, Preston North End; his family even held shares within the club since it formed back in 1882.
Phone: 01772 644261 | Email: info@lancashirefa.com
Katie Makinson
Women's Recreational Football Officer
Katie joined us in January 2023 as a Recreational Football Development Officer with a focus on women and girls football. She joins us in a repositioned role from the Wigan Community Trust.
Phone: 01772 644264 | Email: info@lancashirefa.com
Michael Nadal
Football Development Officer
Michael is our lead on Women and Girls Football programmes. Through his role he supports new projects which encourage women to become more involved within football in Lancashire and grow existing movements such as the Wildcats Clubs. Moreover, Michael is the former coach of the girls’ section, a role that he is very proud of. Michael is also the generic Football Development contact for clubs in Chorley, Sefton, South Ribble, St Helens and West Lancashire. For over two decades, Michael has been a keen season ticket holder at AFC Telford United, although he does also watch Newcastle United. Outside of work, Michael enjoys spending time with his two children and wife.
Phone: 01772 624279 | Email: info@lancashirefa.com
Leigh Jeffrey
Football Development Officer
Leigh joined Lancashire FA in October 2022 from Burnley FC in the Community where she was a Premier League Primary Stars coordinator. Leigh has worked with us in Leyland previously as an apprentice and supporting our Coach Education delivery. Outside of work, Leigh is a keen volunteer at Gillibrand Warriors and Chorley Women FC, supporting a number of teams at youth and adult age bands.
Phone: 01772 237960 | Email: info@lancashirefa.com
Poppy Haslam
Football Development Officer
Email: info@lancashirefa.com
WORKFORCE - REFEREES & COACHES
Colin Greenall
Workforce Manager
Colin manages and oversees the delivery of our coach education courses as well as the Apprenticeship Programme. Prior to his role at Lancashire FA, Colin was a professional footballer. His former clubs include Preston North End, Blackpool and Wigan Athletic and he still checks how the clubs are faring throughout the season. Colin is also often heard on BBC Radio Lancashire giving a live summary of the match.
Phone: 01772 644269 | Email: info@lancashirefa.com
Shaun Taylor
Referee Development Officer
Shaun has worked in a few different roles before being appointed as Referee Development Officer in 2018. Shaun is responsible for the recruitment, retention and development of all grassroots referees across Lancashire. This role ensures that all referees in the county have access to support, training and education opportunities to aid their on-field performances, whilst ensuring their experience as a match official is as enjoyable as possible. Shaun, a Preston North End FC supporter, is also a Level 2B referee himself; this means that he referees in the National League North and South, as well as acting fourth official on the National League Premier and EFL 1 / 2 Divisions.
Phone: 01772 237838 | Email: info@lancashirefa.com
Andrew Watson
Apprentice Mentor
Andrew’s role includes planning, developing and delivering our PE and School Sport Apprenticeship Programme. Andrew, a Manchester United supporter, is also heavily involved in football outside of Lancashire FA as he is an FA Level 1 and Level 2 coach educator for grassroots coaches. Moreover, Andrew is also a semi-professional footballer who enjoyed two promotions and an FA Cup run with Curzon Ashton.
Email: info@lancashirefa.com
Avril Palmer-Fye
Apprentice Mentor
Avril has a wealth of experience in the education setting, with a significant skill set in coaching, mentoring and leadership, and has coached and mentored apprentices from Level 2 through to Level 7. Avril is also an End Point Assessor (EPA) for the’ L3 Business Administrative’ standard with Pearson Qualifications, as well as working up at Lancaster University in the ‘Management School’ where she has been employed since 2020. Outside of Education Avril is also a successful business women, and the founder of a successful nail company.
Email: info@lancashirefa.com
FACILITIES & INVESTMENT
Lee Boyer
Head of Facilities & Investment
Lee joined Lancashire FA in January 2019 and is the county contact and lead on facilities development programmes, supporting clubs, schools and Local Authority’s in particular.
He is passionate about grassroots sport, having been a volunteer and an employee employed in various roles in Sports Development, as well as being a previous Manager and Coach of several semi-professional and amateur football teams across the county. One particular highlight was winning the Lancashire FA Amateur Cup in 2012. Consequently, he has seen first-hand the great work many of our volunteers and employed workforce do, to ensure the game takes place, improving their community and facilities.
Lee is a long standing Burnley and Accrington Stanley supporter, having first watched Stanley in their North West Counties Days and has followed the national teams home and away on many occasions.
Email: info@lancashirefa.com
MARKETING, COMMUNICATIONS & PARTNERSHIPS
Helen Summers
Chief Communications Officer
Having worked across the game for several years, Helen will work closely with CEO Simon Gerrard, the Board, Senior Leadership Team and all colleagues to help transform the way Lancashire FA communicates its messages to a wide range of stakeholders.
Email: info@lancashirefa.com
Lucy Roberts
Digital Media Officer
Lucy joined Lancashire FA in November 2022 and is a graduate in Sports Journalism from UCLan. Lucy brings experience as a freelance digital content creator and reporter and creates engaging content for all Lancashire FA communication and marketing channels and events.
Email: info@lancashirefa.com
Lyndsay Riding
Partnerships Manager
Lyndsay joined Lancashire FA as Sales Executive in April 2019. Lyndsay is responsible for building all key relationships with advertisers and sponsors at the county ground. She is always keen to meet new businesses who have an interest in supporting grassroots football. Lyndsay also assists in the booking of conferences and events at Lancashire FA. Prior to joining us she has worked for Bartle Hall and Marriott Hotels, where she was instrumental in building partnerships with many football clubs. Outside of work, Lyndsay is a Liverpool supporter and enjoys spending time with her husband and two sons who all support different football teams; making the football season an interesting one for this household!
Phone: 01772 644272 | Email: info@lancashirefa.com
FINANCE
Ellie Smith
Finance Officer
Phone: 01772 953979