UCFB visited BA (Hons) Football Business & Media Graduate, Michael Brown at his new role as Marketing and Communications Officer for Manchester County Football Association, a subsidiary of The FA, and the guardian of the national game in Greater Manchester.
Overseeing 3,500 teams and 30,000+ participants, MCFA is responsible for providing the support structure that enables players, volunteers, coaches and referees to develop individually or as part of a club or league. A progressive County FA, they are a dynamic, fast-moving and evolving organisation that is passionate about football and its long-term success, with Michael’s role playing a pivotal part in publicising its work.
See what Michael had to say about his exciting role with Manchester FA:
- What do you do on a day-to-day basis?
I am mainly responsible for writing articles and reacting to the football environment around Greater Manchester via social media. I’m often out of the office attending games and events so we can capture the atmosphere and write accurate accounts of these. A lot of my work is after 5pm, but I love getting involved and being a point of contact instead of a person behind a computer.
Everyone in grassroots football is passionate and they need me to promote what’s happening for them now and in the future; I need to give everyone time but there are only so many hours in a day. I need to prioritise to make it fair and efficient. It’s tiring but football is the reason I studied!
Q: What do you make of the work experience opportunities at UCFB?
Work experience is the reason I went to UCFB – the networking opportunities are the reason it stood out. My first placement was with Ashton United, a club I will now always support as it gave me the opportunity that I was dying for. I still go down to the games now! Ashton wanted us to work together, I made suggestions and they supported me. I soon took over the social media for the club, I went out there and networked with other clubs’ media departments and learnt a lot by asking questions and trying new things. The work placements give you a chance to show you can do it – you just need the chance.
Q: Can you talk about your interview experiences once you’d finished your study?
The first thing I get asked in interviews is about my experience and what I can do for them. Employers aren’t interested in you if you don’t have experience. When I applied for a job at the Manchester County FA I had to demonstrate with practical examples that I could stick to deadlines, had written and edited articles, been active on social media and had hands-on experience at match days. Before UCFB I had little confidence before I was thrown in the deep end at Ashton United. I couldn’t talk to people, let alone do an interview like this! My track record meant I could demonstrate that they weren’t taking a chance, but an estimated guess that I can do something for their business.
Q: What advice would you offer UCFB students?
UCFB offers an opportunity to not only get a degree but a three year track record. So get stuck in and enjoy the learning curve. You may sometimes learn the hard way – but you won’t make the same mistakes again!
The Manchester County Football Association offers UCFB students regular work placements; Follow their latest news @Manchester_FA on Twitter.
