I joined West Riding FA in May 2023 and was appointed as one of the Independent Non-Executive Directors to bring skills, experience, and expertise from outside of football. Due to my previous experience as chair of Leeds Credit Union, I have a particular interest in how West Riding FA manages risk and monitors its performance against its strategic objectives.

My involvement with football to date has mainly been as a supporter until my son began playing junior football a couple of years ago. As many people will have no doubt experienced, it didn't take long until I was asked to help with running the team and found myself enrolling on the FA's Introduction to Football course and beginning my coaching journey. 

Having seen how the FA was improving grassroots compared with when I used to play junior football, I was keen to play my part in encouraging more people to get involved with the game. I am passionate about making sure football is open and accessible to all regardless of age and ability and, most importantly of all, takes place in a safe and enjoyable environment.

Business Skills: Financial Analysis/Data Interrogation/Analysis/Control & Audit/Strategic Leadership and Planning

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewmcphillips

Barry brings over four decades of leadership and expertise to his role as Chair of the West Riding FA Board, a position he has held since 2011. Joining the West Riding FA Council in 1983, Barry has been instrumental in shaping the future of grassroots football. He adeptly navigated the board through the 2018 Governance Review, spearheading transformative changes to decision-making structures. This initiative enhanced accountability, built trust in governance, and positioned the West Riding FA as a leader in grassroots football development.

Barry’s professional background reflects a diverse and accomplished career. Starting as a qualified electrician, he rose to leadership roles in the mining industry, serving as Deputy and Overman, roles requiring strategic oversight and operational excellence. These experiences provided Barry with the foundation to effectively lead complex organisations.

In 1968, Barry turned his lifelong passion for football into a career as a referee, dedicating 30 years to the game. His leadership flourished in the West Yorkshire League, where he served as Chairman from 1997. Under his stewardship, the league became the first Adult Charter Standard League in the country and advanced to a step 7 league within the National League system. In 2014, Barry was appointed President of the league, a role he held until 2019.
Barry’s contributions extend deeply into the football community. As Secretary of the Castleford and District FA from 1985 until its closure in 2021 and as President of the Castleford Referees Association since 1968, he has consistently demonstrated unwavering dedication. His achievements have earned him life membership with the West Riding Referees Association.

At the West Riding FA, Barry’s contributions have been pivotal. He served as the FA Representative on the FA Council since 2012 and held vice-chair positions on both the FA Sunday Cup and Referees Committees. His tenure with the FA concluded in 2023, marking the culmination of a career defined by vision, commitment, and impactful leadership.

Barry’s legacy is one of service and innovation, underpinned by his steadfast dedication to grassroots football. His experience, leadership, and ability to drive meaningful change continue to inspire confidence in his capacity to lead and advance the West Riding FA.

Business Skills: Change Management/Regulatory & Compliance/Corporate Governance/Competition Management

Grassroots Football Skills: Competition Management/ Regulatory & Compliance/Grassroots Discipline/ Refereeing/Football Administration

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/humayun-islam-bem-bcac-2196a793

After joining the West Riding County FA Council in 2008 and working on the Development, Discipline and Referee's Committees I received a nomination to and was successful in becoming a member of the Board in 2017. Having established my position on the Board I was invited to take on the role of Board Safeguarding Champion and became County President in 2019.

Being nominated for and then offered a seat on the Board was an opportunity that I was honoured to take as I have held and continue to hold several voluntary roles within different organisations allied to grassroots football. 

I am pleased with the contribution I have been able to make across more than 50 years of football themed activity and happy to know that I have played a small part in helping the County F.A. to become the strong organisation that it is today. The game has grown in its various incarnations and regulation is ensuring that it continues to remain a safe environment for its participants and the reward of seeing the pitch at Fleet Lane full of aspiring footballers being coached in that safe environment is testament to the work of the staff and the Board. 

Business Skills: Finance/Procurement/Human Resources/Safeguarding/Business Continuity and Risk
Grassroots Football Skills: Refereeing/Competition Management/ Football Administration/Grassroots Discipline

I have been a West Riding Country FA Director since May 2023 and previously for Barkston Ash District FA representative on West Riding County FA Full Council since September 2009.

I have been a registered referee since 1996, refereed Disability football in serval formats since 2011 refereeing Blind and Partially Sighted, Deaf and Cerebral Palsy football. I refereed at the IBSA European Championships 2015 (Hereford), World Grand Prix 2018 (Tokyo) African Championships 2019 (Enugu, Nigeria) and World Championships 2023 (Birmingham) in the B1 Blind category. Also, referee at the first 6 editions of the FA Disability Cup in B1 Final.

Outside of this I have worked in a public service role for over 35 years at home and in Australia. Also I have experienced freelance events co-ordinator working with several organisations including the Premier League.

Business Skills: Change Management/Regulatory & Compliance/Finance/Health and Safety
Grassroots Football Skills: Refereeing/Disability Football/ Football Administration /Competition Management/Grassroots Discipline

I am a dedicated safeguarding professional with over nine years of experience championing the welfare and inclusion of children, young people, and adults across education, community, and sports sectors. My expertise lies in creating and implementing robust safeguarding frameworks, fostering inclusive environments, and building strong, collaborative relationships to drive positive outcomes.

Currently serving as Sport Welfare Lead at Yorkshire Sport Foundation, I empower club welfare officers and National Governing Bodies to promote good practice and safe sports. I deliver impactful training on critical topics such as mental health, inclusive language, and active bystandership, ensuring the adoption of effective safeguarding practices. Additionally, I collaborate with local charities to enhance inclusion initiatives, furthering my commitment to community engagement.

Previously, as Head of Safeguarding at Bradford Girls’ Grammar School, I played a pivotal role in transforming safeguarding practices, elevating Ofsted ratings from ‘Inadequate’ to ‘Effective’ in just three months. I implemented strategies to improve attendance, maintained rates above 96%, and spearheaded equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) initiatives that enriched workplace culture and morale. These achievements reflect my strategic thinking, adaptability, and ability to lead impactful change.

Beyond my professional roles, I have volunteered extensively, notably as a Cricket Safeguarding Officer, where I ensured a safe and inclusive environment for all players. I also worked in Sri Lanka, supporting children with sensory impairments and introducing basic British Sign Language to foster communication.

Passionate about promoting diversity and inclusion, I am currently leading efforts to involve underrepresented communities in sports and developing policies to promote accessibility and a sense of belonging for everyone. Holding a BA (Hons) in Social Care and multiple safeguarding certifications, including Level 3 Designated Safeguarding Lead Training and Active Bystander Train the Trainer, I continuously refine my expertise to meet evolving needs.

Connect with Measha on Linkedin

Neville Wordsworth has been an active member of the WRCFA Board of Directors since 2018, having joined the WRCFA council in 2010 as a district representative for Huddersfield FA. 

He has served on various subcommittees, including Discipline, Cup, and Regulations. 

His tenure as a director has focused on transitioning to the Football Association's new code of governance. 

Neville has been involved in grassroots football since 1973 and has held numerous administrative roles, including club secretary, league management committee member, and Fixture Secretary for the Huddersfield & District AFL. 

Professionally, he transitioned from engineering to IT, ultimately leading IT teams in the finance sector. Now retired, he continues to engage with FA's computer systems. 

His skills include change management, team leading, regulation and governance, systems design, build and implementation, and various aspects of grassroots football administration.

I have recently joined the West Riding FA board as a Non-Executive Director. As an avid football fan; an education professional with over 20 years’ experience in schools; a father of two boys who play grassroots football; a committee member of a grassroots club; and a trustee for a charitable incorporated organisation of a professional club – I felt this was an incredibly exciting opportunity to help play a part in shaping the future of football in this region.

I am currently a primary school headteacher where, through my role, I have honed strategic leadership and management skills by overseeing the development and implementation of school-wide initiatives that allow all children to experience success. Safeguarding and child protection are central to my professional responsibilities, and I ensure that robust policies and procedures are in place to protect the welfare of all children and young people. 

In addition, I have a strong personal commitment to challenging stereotypes and eliminating discrimination of all forms and I have undertaken a lot of work in schools to implement different initiatives to help achieve this.

My weeks until my early 30s were dominated by my commitment to training and playing local football on both Saturdays and Sundays in Herefordshire, Worcestershire and, latterly, the West Riding. 

Now my playing days are numbered, I have been keen to remain involved in the game. I have since joined the committee of Carlton Juniors FC where I have spent the last 18 months as the Club Welfare Officer and, in addition to this, I have spent the last three years as the Lead Trustee for Safeguarding at Harrogate Town AFC Community Foundation.

Connect with Paul on Linkedin

I am a seasoned professional with a strong background in sports administration and community engagement. With years of experience in managing and promoting football at the grassroots and regional levels, I am committed to fostering inclusivity and development within the sport.

Throughout my career, I have demonstrated a passion for creating impactful programs, collaborating with diverse stakeholders, and driving positive change within the football community. Whether it's supporting the development of local talent, implementing initiatives for equality and diversity, or managing large-scale events, I bring dedication, vision, and a results-oriented approach to every project.

I believe in the power of sport to bring people together and make a difference in society, and I strive to create opportunities for all to participate and thrive in the game.

Siobhan has worked in sport since 1999 and has worked for The Premier League, The Football Foundation, Barclays, Rugby Football League and England Netball. She joined Huddersfield Town Foundation as CEO in January 2019 moving from Director of Projects for the RFL where she oversaw strategy, Rugby League 2021 World Cup Legacy, and international tours. 

During her tenure at Huddersfield Town Foundation she developed the organisation’s first ever strategy, oversaw the development of a new corporate identify and widen its delivery geographically across Kirklees as well as expanding the type of projects and programmes delivered. She increased turnover from £600k to £1.5m and grew the organisation to employ 35 staff.  

She has worked at both Leicester City Community Trust as Interim Trust Director to overhaul their strategy and project delivery and at Stoke City FC where she supported the development of their Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion work. Siobhan spent 8 years at the Premier League supporting Clubs on their community strategy development and implementation. During this time, she led on Premier League for Sport, a £10m project which created a legacy around London 2012 Olympics. She created Premier League Girls Football, a £3m initiative that created opportunities for over 25,000 young girls. Siobhan was Event Director for the Premier League Schools Tournaments engaging over 10,000 participants and 1,300 schools annually alongside creating a feature programme on the BBC to showcase the event.

From 2004-2009 she headed up Barclays Spaces for Sports, a £30million initiative that developed 200 new community sports sites across the UK which included a 6-month secondment to South Africa to project managing the build of the first overseas site for Barclays.

Siobhan has also worked on several major international sporting events including the London 2012 Olympics, 2002 Commonwealth Games and the Boat Race. She gained a BA Hons in Sport and Recreation Studies from The University of Birmingham and a PGCE in Physical Education.

Currently she acts as the Clerk to the Board at Northern School of Contemporary Dance providing independent advice and overseeing governance and compliance alongside Board and subcommittee meetings. 

She is also a Trustee of Leeds Rhinos Foundation, enjoys travel and fitness activities.

Business Skills: Finance/Safeguarding/Corporate Governance/Performance Management and M&E/Strategic Leadership and Planning/Quality Assurance/ Charitable Structures

Connect with Siobhan on Linkedin

With a career spanning decades in education, I have been dedicated to creating opportunities for students and adults to maximise their potential and contribute meaningfully to society, particularly within their local communities. I am passionate about the transformative power of sport, especially football, which has a unique ability to unite people while fostering values such as fairness, teamwork, equality, discipline, inclusion, resilience, respect, confidence, and leadership. Football also plays a crucial role in the physical and emotional well-being of participants.

Throughout my career, I have held senior leadership roles in schools, gaining significant experience in leading and managing teams, policy development, performance evaluation, and quality assurance. I have made a positive impact in all my roles while learning valuable lessons from challenges. After concluding my headship in 2019, I have continued to support and mentor senior leaders on a part-time basis, focusing on strategic planning, implementation, and rigorous review processes.

I bring excellent communication skills and the ability to address large audiences effectively. I have a strong aptitude for data analysis, recognising its critical role in informed decision-making. My approach ensures data is used constructively, avoiding the pitfalls of box-ticking exercises. 

I excel at building professional relationships and navigating complex or sensitive situations with a clear distinction between personal and professional dynamics.
My experience extends to corporate governance through my involvement in school academisation processes and handling HR and legal matters, including tribunals and appointments. 

Having been actively involved in schools’ football since 1986 and with Bradford FA since 1994, I have a deep understanding of the challenges facing grassroots football. I am committed to ensuring high standards and professionalism within the County FA, fostering confidence among stakeholders, and addressing the complex issues facing the grassroots game.

Business Skills: Change Management/Business Continuity and Risk/Health and Safety/Human Resources/Safeguarding/Performance Management and M&E/Training and Education 

Grassroots Football Skills: Competition Management/Safeguarding/Football Administration