Boylan bow out as Wembley Stadium Director

Article posted by Coliseum, September 28^th, 2023

Image: Coliseum GSVA

Ending a nine-year management tenure at the Wembley Stadium in Wembley, London (UK), the Stadium Director Liam Boylan is vacating the role.

‘Access All Areas’ stated that the above announcement comes at the end of a Summer season that has seen the stadium, which is celebrating its 100^th anniversary this year, host more than one million people across 13 events including concerts by The Weeknd (Canadian singer and songwriter) and Blur (English rock band).

The 90,000-capacity Wembley Stadium is a football stadium in Wembley, London (UK). It opened in 2007 on the site of the original Wembley Stadium, which was demolished from 2002 to 2003. The stadium hosts major football matches including home matches of the England national football team and the FA Cup Final.

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The FA Cup Final is the last match in The Football Association Challenge Cup. It has regularly been one of the most attended domestic football events in the world, with an official attendance of 89,472 at the 2017 final.

‘Access All Areas’ further stated that Boylan joined The Football Association (FA)-operated venue in 2015 as the Head of Events, having previously been the Lead Event Manager on concerts by acts including Take That (English pop group) and Foo Fighters (American rock band) while working for the SJM Concerts (one of the largest concert promoters in the United Kingdom).

London (UK)-based The Football Association (FA) is the governing body of association football in England and the Crown Dependencies of Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man. Formed in 1863, it is the oldest football association in the world and is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the amateur and professional game in its territory.

Under Boylan’s stewardship, the Wembley Stadium played a key role in helping to get events back up and running during the COVID crises, with the venue heavily involved in the United Kingdom Government’s Events Research Programme (to examine the risk of transmission of COVID-19 from attendance at events and explore ways to enable people to attend a range of events safely) and staging seven EURO 2020 matches.

The 2020 UEFA European Football Championship, commonly referred to as the UEFA EURO 2020 or simply the EURO 2020, was the 16^th UEFA European Championship, the quadrennial international men’s football championship of Europe organized by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA). It was held from June 11^th-July 11^th, 2021.

Nyon (Switzerland)-based the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) is one of six continental bodies of governance in association football. It governs football, futsal and beach football in Europe and the transcontinental countries of Turkey, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Kazakhstan, as well as some Asian countries such as Israel, Cyprus and Armenia. The UEFA consists of 55 national association members. Because of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, the FIFA and UEFA suspended all Russian national teams and clubs from any FIFA and UEFA competitions.

Shared Boylan, “Yes, I am doing the unthinkable and leaving, what I believe is the best stadium in the world. This is a very special job. The stadium delivery team are at the top of their game and the culture is fantastic.”

Boylan has not revealed the role or company he is moving to but said, “It goes without saying that my next role is an amazing opportunity and something I simply could not turn down.”

A ‘LinkedIn Post By Boylan’ stated, “I have had an amazing nine years under the arch and it was not an easy decision to leave (read the Wembley Stadium). Unfortunately I cannot say where I am going at this time, but It goes without saying that my next role is an amazing opportunity and something I simply could not turn down and I cannot wait to start early in 2024. I will post again once I can discuss where I will be. There is obviously a huge responsibility for not only the safety of 90,000 people (read at the Wembley Stadium), but realizing you are accountable for the escapism that the paying public are looking for when they attend one of your events. Safety, Security and Service have to be your foundation blocks.”

Job Opening

‘The FA’ stated that The Football Association is recruiting for the unique and exciting role of the Stadium Director at the Wembley Stadium. This is a high-profile leadership role in the organization, reporting to the Deputy Chief Executive Officer. He or she is expected to provide leadership and strategic direction to the Wembley Stadium Management team, ensuring that all events are appropriately and effectively planned and safely delivered.

‘The FA’ further stated that working with relevant senior colleagues to seek continuous improvements in the overall venue operation to enhance both the reputation and commercial success of the stadium, he or she will lead and inspire key teams including Event Planning and Delivery (inc Ticketing), Stadium Maintenance and Capital Project Delivery, Club Wembley and Health and Safety.

To formally apply, interested candidates are requested to email their CV and cover letter to wembley@psdgroup.com by October 10^th, 2023.

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