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MEET THE BOARD
Robin Sainty
Chairman
Born in Kings Lynn, I read History at Fitzwilliam College Cambridge before trying to fit a business career around a much more important thing, football!
I played in the old Eastern Counties League for Wisbech Town and the Southern League Premier for Kings Lynn before a spell as a director there and 13 years in management at Swaffham and Downham. In between I managed to set up a successful business in 1990 from which I retired in 2019! I’ve also written a weekly column in the EDP for the last 11 seasons.
I’m a season ticket holder in the South Stand and try to get to as many away games as possible, while away from football I’m a big cricket fan and love to travel.
I joined the Trust board after the winding up of NCISA and became Chair in late 2014. I believe passionately in fans being shareholders, having a sensible input into their clubs and the need for supporter groups to work together for the common good.
Gary Field
Treasurer
Chartered Surveyor managing property investments for a private property company based in London.
City supporter for over forty years; 59’ers Lounge season ticket holder and regular away day traveller. Occasional My Football Writer columnist.
Joined the Canaries Trust in 2014 and interested in football governance.
Kathy Blake
Secretary
As former secretary of NCISA I have always been interested in fans issues and consider it important for the fan base to hold shares in the club. We never know what the future holds for NCFC and supporters’ shareholdings have proved vital for other clubs during difficult times. I was brought up in an NCFC supporting family I first started attending matches in 1965. Over the years I have sat in just about every area of Carrow Rd including the posh bits. I have however now found my spiritual home in the Snakepit.
I also enjoy cricket and am a wildlife enthusiast. In the spring I volunteer at the peregrine watch point in the cathedral close. I am also a storm chaser and travel to the US mid west most years to experience severe weather on the plains.
Lorraine Taylor
Membership Lead / Co-Vice Chair
Being born into a family of Norwich City supporters, I was taken to my first game in 1975. In the early 90's I worked in the Club Shop and was there during our UEFA Cup run. I am currently a season ticket holder in the Lower Barclay.
With a degree in marketing, I have used those skills in a range of industries, however I can now be found designing kitchens.
My interests outside of football are Moto GP, cricket, gardening, the wine, food and art of Italy, and enjoying walking my dog along the many miles of the beautiful Norfolk coast.
I am proud to be part of the Canaries Trust and I very much believe in the part the Trust plays within our club and the wider footballing community.
Chris Newby
Co-Vice Chair
I am a proud Norfolk lad born in Norwich, and have held a season ticket in the South Stand since 2010. I also travel to away matches whenever possible.
Unforgettable Canaries memories for me, amongst many others, include being part of the Yellow Army for our away day at Portsmouth on that cold Bank Holiday Monday night back in 2011, and the celebrations on the Fratton Park pitch after we won 0-1 against Pompey and secured promotion back to the Premier League after Cardiff’s shock defeat earlier in the day to Middlesbrough. Obviously, as well our play-off final day at Wembley. As well as the result, seeing half of one of the worlds most famous stadiums packed with Yellow and Green, singing ‘On The Ball, City’ is something that will live with me forever!
By Day, I work and develop strategic relationships with various companies within the Global Food Industry, offering support in areas such as product procurement and sourcing, market research and knowledge and help and support with branding and design. Currently, I'm based between Portugal and the UK.
I hold a Diploma in Professional Photography, having studied with The Photography Institute.
I’m extremely proud to be a part of the Canaries Trust board. I believe that it is important in this day and age with evolving times in Football, for the fans to have a real voice at the football club, and the Canaries Trust provides that platform. I hope to bring my various skills gained throughout life and my working career to complement and help the Board, and to help discover and develop ways to give the Trust more exposure to our up-and-coming generation of fans.
Andrew Polley
Marketing & Communications Lead
Being a proud Welshman with his roots in the Cardiff area, Andy’s first football experiences were at Cardiff City watching a certain young John Toshack playing up front! This meant that the play-off final against Birmingham at the Millenium Stadium was a particularly special day, despite the final result! However, much of his own sporting involvement was playing rugby union and basketball. Having moved to Norfolk in 1980, Andy played for Crusaders, Norwich Civil Service, Norfolk Welsh and University of Wales.
Andy has enjoyed a successful career in leadership and transformation management, largely focussed in the marketing, procurement and supply chain disciplines. He has a specialist MBA gained at University of Wales, Cardiff and is also a qualified business coach, mentor and NLP practitioner. Andy has been a Canaries fan since 1992, having caught the ‘bug’ from his son Stephen, who was then just eight years old. With season tickets in the South Stand, he regularly attends games with Stephen and daughter Alice who have both been passionate supporters for many years.
Andy is a firm believer in the fans having a genuine ‘voice’ in how their Club should be run and the direction that it takes in the future. As a board member of the Trust, he feels that this is an excellent opportunity to help achieve this.
Chris Clarke
Marketing & Communications
I’m born and bred in Norwich and have supported the Canaries since 1992-93 season and attended my first match in 1994 a dull 0-0 vs Sheffield United for my 8th birthday.
I’ve held a season ticket in the Geoffrey Watling City Stand Wensum Section since 2007-8 season and have been through the good and bad of the last decade of the club from that vantage point. And yes I’ve argued with the managers there when times have gone bad.
Recently moved to the Snake Pit in order to add to the atmosphere.
Emmanuel Ncube
Board Member
Born in Zimbabwe, Emmanuel is proud to call Norwich home having moved to the city from London in 2009. Emmanuel is an avid sports fan with keen interests in football, Formula 1, Golf, Rugby and Cricket. Emmanuel, his daughter Zinhle (14) and Son Thelo (9) are all dedicated Norwich City fans. Emmanuel’s son also had the good fortune to experience the magic of a game as a mascot and met some of his favourite players.
“Football is a powerful tool to engender a sense of community. We should seek out marginalised or overlooked voices and create avenues for people of all backgrounds, motivations, and persuasions to participate in the beautiful game and fly the Yellow flag. I am honoured to part of the Canaries Trust and looking forward to making a positive contribution”
Emmanuel has a background in management consultancy from professional services firms and has undertaken a range of roles drawing on his business and management expertise to support the delivery of complex change. Emmanuel is currently Strategy Director for the NHS East Genomic Medicine Service Alliance. Emmanuel holds a BA (Hons) from the University of East London and an MBA from University of East Anglia – Norwich Business School.
Andrew Waddison BEM
Social Media Lead
Andrew Waddison was born in Norfolk, attending his first Carrow Road game in 1989 which was the record breaking 8-0 win against Sutton United in the FA Cup - he fell asleep at half time! Since those primary school days his Canaries journey has taken him from Munich to League One and the Premier League, and now to working to spread the Canaries Trust message far and wide.
Football and cricket are Andrew's sporting passions, and away from them it’s food, wine, travel and nature - very often all at the same time. Andrew owns his own PR Company which specialises in promoting all that is good in Nelson’s County from pubs and restaurants, through to nature reserves, architects, local events and much more. But 3pm on Saturdays (subject to regular change!) are always kept free for Norwich City.
Sarah Greaves
Women's Football Ambassador
Born and raised in Norfolk to a football-supporting family who started attending at the Nest, I have followed the Canaries since the glory days of the Milk Cup final in 1985. Having seen many ups and downs since the 1980's my best game on a personal level has to be March 18th 1992 when Norwich beat Southampton in an FA Cup quarter-final replay to celebrate my birthday.
Attending games over the years has changed dramatically - it is no longer unusual to see female fans in the stands and outside of Carrow Road young girls no longer have to ask their schools to put on football training. Having represented Warwick University and Darwin College, Cambridge as a left-footed defensive midfielder, my playing days ended with the glory of winning Cambridge Women's League Division Four in the late 1990s.
Even though I left Norfolk many years ago to study science, the season ticket has remained and I now attend home games (and many away games) with two of my three children in tow (a 66% conversion rate isn’t bad!). I am truly passionate about engaging more women and girls in the beautiful game through my role at the Canaries Trust, ensuring our ground is as welcoming as possible for everyone and working with NCWFC over the weeks and months to come. Having married someone who really isn’t into football I have a true role reversal household where my other half can often be heard commenting on when the season will end - something everyone who knows me finds pretty amusing.
I can often be found commenting on either football or science at @SarahGreaves18 on Twitter (usually in my NCFC hat of emotional comfort).
Nicol Nicholls
Women's Football Ambassador
Nicol was born in Manchester and raised in Lancashire. Sport was a huge part of her childhood and she competed in as many sporting events as possible during her school years. Her first memories of football are linked with watching Manchester United in the 1990’s. Having lived in Norwich for over half her life she is now a fully fledged member of the Yellow Army.
A mum of four, with two football loving girls, who both play weekly and funnily enough, two boys who have zero interest in football.
It was actually seeing her girls fall in love with football, along with her memories of herself never having had opportunities as a football loving girl that gave her the push to get more involved in pushing and promoting the women's game. Having witnessed all the hard work that the Trust puts in, especially through fellow board member Sarah Greaves, it seemed only natural to take up the offer to work alongside Sarah in campaigning for better equality for the women’s game.
Nicol recently became an FA ‘level one’ qualified football coach and now coaches girls aged 5-14. Her hope is that in future, no girl will be told that football is 'just for boys', like she was.
Nicol focusses mainly on 'Women in Football' matters, which is a high priority area of work for the Trust. Nicol is an avid NCWFC fan and volunteer at The Nest and is a passionate and dedicated member of our ‘Women in Football’ Team. She is keen to see how we can continue to develop our relationship with the Womens' Team and will continue to support all fans up at The Nest.
Nicol attends as many games at Carrow Road as she can but you will always find her at The Nest for NCWFC home games, both as match day volunteer and a fan.
Laurie Egan
Fundraising Lead
I was born in Gravesend Kent and cricket was one of my childhood favourite sports, I still support Kent CC. I then lived in Cornwall where rugby and cricket were the main school sports and always look for the Cornwall and Bath RFC results.
I moved to Norfolk in 1987 and lived opposite Mike Phelan, who had a lovely family and was a great bloke to have as a neighbour, and underated as a player.
I have supported NCFC since moving to Norfolk and have been a season ticket holder for 10 years. I retired a couple of years ago and now enjoy doing away days too !
Away from football, I play golf ( very badly), love walking and exploring the Broads by kayak, and volunteer as crew with the Wherry Yacht Charter Trust.
I joined the Canaries Trust because NCFC is such a special club. I want to help the Trust influence the NCFC to ensure that ordinary hard working fans are considered in their decision making, and to help the Trust continue to develop and promote links with the community.
Mal Mortimer
Fundraising
Joined the board in the early 2000’s. Like fellow board members over the years, striving to increase the share holding of our beloved NCFC through fundraising, and to hold the club to account through difficult times, but to maintain support throughout.
Supporter since the 58/59 cup run.
Currently an accountant but now on a semi-retired basis.
Still remembered in some quarters as the shareholder who Glen Roeder questioned “my tenure as England manager”!
David Whiteside
Mental Health Team
Born in Huntingdon and now living in Birmingham, I saw my first Norwich game in September 1994. A 0-0 against Arsenal at Carrow Road. My favourite memory is watching the Playoff Final against Middlesborough.
These days, living in Birmingham I get to more away games than Carrow Road so I'm an away member. My work in the trust revolves around the Mental Health advocation and you can usually find me as one of the team behind the Canaries Trust Mental Health Twitter account.
Away from football, I am a Data Engineer in the travel industry. In my spare time, I enjoy football, music, F1 and quizzes and you can usually find me tweeting about these things as well as politics and mental wellbeing promotion.
Nick O'Brien
Mental Health Team
Stewart Lewis
Board Member
I worked for 30 years at opinion research company MORI (now Ipsos MORI), including 20 years as a director. I am now an independent consultant.
I bring business and communication expertise to the Canaries Trust, which i am delighted to serve as a life-long Norwich City fan and season ticket holder.
After Great Yarmouth Grammar School, I studied Modern Languages at Selwyn College, Cambridge.
I am equally proud of scoring 100 career goals for Capital Canaries in the West Fulham League.
Steve Barber-Hayes
Board Member
I was born in Norwich and grew up in Norfolk before taking a wrong turn on the A47 and ending up in Yorkshire, where I’ve been ever since, proudly waving the flag for Norwich City.
My earliest memories of Norwich City are from that ‘92-93 season, and of course I just naturally assumed that’s where Norwich would remain, perched among Europe’s elite. Division One anonymity followed, managers and players came and went, and then there was the brief trip to League One – but since then, the club have been moving steadily in the right direction.
I’m a regular on the away day terraces, from Brighton to Newcastle and Liverpool to Hull, I’ve had some wonderful experiences following our club.
The Trust is an important organisation, working hard to give fans a voice, and I am delighted to be a part of the board.
And if I could give City fans just one piece of advice…it would be ‘Never book a holiday so you are out of the country on the day of the play off final…!”
James Blower
Board Member
My dad took me to my first Norwich City game in 1983 and I've been going ever since. I was fortunate to get the honour of representing my City and County at schoolboy level but injuries curtailed my playing career and prompted an early move in to football administration. I spent 7 1/2 years living in Guernsey where I served two stints on the Guernsey Football Association - as Commercial Director initially and then as Director of Football. I still retain strong links with the Channel Islands and remain president of Parishes of Jersey FC, a role I've had since 2018. Having moved back to Norfolk in 2022, I'm also currently a youth coach at Spixworth FC.
Away from football, I live in Horstead with my family and run savings information and comparison website, Savings Guru, and have worked with several new entrant banks on the savings side of banking. I regularly comment on savings and personal finance in the national media.
Roberto Bergonzi
International Ambassador | Italian Canaries
Roberto was born in Pavia, near Milan in northern Italy. Always a lover of football, he played in the lower minor leagues until 1998.
After completing his university studies, he left his hometown and began working as a doctor in Bergamo, where he still lives. Having had to abandon his sporting activities, he only followed football on television, until 2015. In that year, his son Tommaso began to take his first steps on a football field.
Then, the "Anziani di Razza" Football Club, ‘Oldies but still Cool’, was founded by a group of ‘young’ but over 40 year olds, who still want to win on the field and above all, to party at the pub after the game! Then, after years of trying to recover his athletic form, in 2019 the real matches began.
Inspired by the coincidental yellow and green shirt of their children's team, Roberto and his friends decided to wear Norwich City shirts for their own games: Passion for Norwich City was then almost instantaneous!
As a consequence, Roberto helped found the first official Norwich City Supporters Club in Italy and made contact with other Norwich fans across Italy and around the World, through social media. They proudly wore their shirts to the Champions League finals in Madrid in 2019 and in Paris in 2022. This was amongst the incredulous Liverpool fans!
Since 2020, the Italian Canaries have been proudly affiliated to the Trust. In Bergamo, Roberto often organises matches between Italian Canaries and other local teams with the aim of raising money to contribute to the activities of their friends and fellow fans of the Canaries Trust and for local charities, both in Italy and in Norwich.
Marc Foster
International Ambassador | American Canaries
I grew up in Kansas City, but my ties to Norwich are ancestral. My paternal grandmother was a Balderston, and that family helped establish The Old Meeting House church in the 17th century, with one ancestor (Timothy Balderston) serving as Mayor of Norwich in the early-mid 1700s. I started following the club as best I could as a teenager in the mid-late 80s and was fortunate my local paper included league results and tables in the Sunday edition. We've had games available on TV consistently in the States now for about a decade, allowing me to deepen my devotion to the club. I helped found the AmeriCanaries Supporter Group a few years ago, which now has about 600 members on this side of the pond.
My sports interests run deeper than soccer. Although my day job is as a science teacher and coach (soccer, football, basketball, and triple jump), I did radio commentary for a local ice hockey team for three seasons and have worked with several teams and leagues over the years as an analytics consultant. I also remain committed to my childhood clubs from Kansas City (Royals for baseball and Chiefs for NFL), and the University of Oklahoma from my college days.
Lucas La Torre
International Ambassador | Brazilian Canaries
Norwich fan group from Brazil, created in 2009 by Lucas La Torre. You can find us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram by the handle @NorwichCityFCBR. On YouTube we are in youtube.com/NorwichCityFCBrasil.
Also we have our own website with many Brazilian Canaries content for you: norwichcityfc.com.br and our WhatsApp group with you want to make part of it, just send us a direct message. Lucas La Torre will reply you as soon as possible to help you with any doubt.
There is no charges to join in. Just be respectful and have fun with the other fans. We are spread all over Brazil states, with more than 40 fans participating.
On the ball, City!