The Scottish FA will host their third annual Convention at Hampden Park tomorrow.
The purpose of the Scottish FA Convention is to offer all members a forum to share best practice, discuss current trends and participate in workshops all geared to improving the game at every level.
The Convention is the centrepiece of the Scottish FA Congress, a forum that is now fully representative of the Scottish football family with the incorporation of PFA Scotland, Coaches’ and Managers’ Association, sportscotland, Scottish Senior Football Referees’ Association and Scottish Football Writers’ Association.
Tomorrow’s Convention will be hosted by Richard Gordon and Eilidh Barbour and incorporate an update from the Performance Working Group on the proposals for the next phase of the strategy, including Performance Schools, Club Academy Scotland and the National Youth Teams.
Robert Rowan, Head of Football Operations at Brentford FC, will provide a case study on the mathematical model that now underpins the decision-making at the Championship club.
The success of the Scotland’s Women’s National Team will also be recognised, with national coach Anna Signeul leading a panel discussion on how reaching the Women’s EURO 2017 Finals for the first time can be a catalyst for increased participation and attendance at all levels.
Sports Marketing will also play a prominent part to the day examining the case of Hibernian’s William Hill Scottish Cup marketing campaign with their Head of Marketing and Commercial, Greig Mailor leading a panel including Michael Mlotkiewicz, General Manager of Dunfermline Athletic FC, Chris Samson, owner of the Sports Marketing Scotland blog and Andy McLaughlin, Commercial Director for Braehead Clan.
There will be four workshops, focusing on Supporter Liason Officers, equality and inclusion, mental health support and building better relationships through improving relations and fan perceptions.
Looking ahead to tomorrow, Scottish FA Chief Executive Stewart Regan said: “We want to develop our members and have compiled a schedule that looks inwardly at the successes within Scottish football – positives that deserve to be highlighted and case studies that can be easily adapted regardless of status or resource.
“From the outstanding achievement of Anna Signeul’s Women’s National Team in reaching the UEFA Women’s EUROS in 2017 and how that can be a springboard for growth in participation and attendances; to Hibernian’s marketing of their long-awaited William Hill Scottish Cup success.
“We will also focus on more practical workshops to guide clubs on such matters as the growing importance of Supporter Liaison Officers, building better relationships with our match officials, embracing diversity and inclusion and an area of growing significance in the game – providing support within football in the area of mental health.”