More than 30 UCFB staff and students got the opportunity to be involved in the incredible atmosphere of the 2023 Carabao Cup Final.
32 representatives from UCFB attended the final between Newcastle United and Manchester United, with students at both ends of Wembley Stadium organising and assembling each club’s banner displays.
This all came about when a UCFB alumnus, Alex Croft, got in contact with our employability and careers planning team.
Alex now works for the Sports Presentation Company, a sports event and fan engagement agency, known for delivering ‘thrilling, creative, consistent and memorable major events that excite fans, athletes, sponsors and broadcasters.’
Alex was looking for a bank of volunteers to help assist with the tifo displays at the cup final in both the Newcastle United end and the Manchester United end, and UCFB students stood up to the mark.
May Hayden, employability and career planning advisor for UCFB said: “We had to organise and assemble banners at each end, and then wait in situ, paying attention to visual and audible cues from floor managers, to ensure a seamless production.”
May added: “The day was a great success, the volunteering opportunity allowing the students to witness first-hand the operational complexity to pulling together one-off sporting moments such as a cup final.
“As football and wider sports fans, we often overlook choreography and sheer people power that goes into moments such as this.
“A special highlight for me was how accommodating the fans were, allowing us access to display the banners, and I am sure the students felt the same.
“The whole student workforce was rooting for the tifos to be a success, elevating the supporter experience for everyone involved.”
To find out more about our Wembley Campus, where the Carabao Cup Final took place, click here.
