The Media Team

In this episode the media team come together, by request of Andy T, to talk through the journey of a meeting back in September 2025 whereby we spoke about improving our social media presence and starting a podcast. Those ideas turned into reality and we have gone from strength to strength. 

Come have a listen to the guys behind the cameras, posts and mic's.  

Transcript

SPEAKER_03 0:00

Hi, and welcome to the Newton Willows FC Podcast with me, Rob Ludder. This week I've got a weird one. We've got the media team down here. And it is weird because I'm part of the team and it just feels really weird doing a podcast with this. But we do have we have Mr. Tiver with us, we have Craig, and we have Phil. Welcome, audience. Thank you. Thank you for having us. Uh yeah, thanks for having ourselves on. You're as much a part of this as us. Yeah, anyway, we'll get we'll get through that one. But yeah, this wasn't our idea though, before we start this, right? We we own we haven't got like that big an ego, and there's someone else that sort of bullied us into this, isn't there, Mr. Tiller?

SPEAKER_01 0:39

Do you know there is a common theme on every podcast we've done where I get the blame for something, so let's not break tradition. Yes, this was my idea. Yeah, I I said actually at the end of the AGM, I was like, we do these podcasts and they're really good and they're really insightful. And one of the biggest changes we've had at the football club this year is our media team. So why don't we do a podcast with our media team? And you all said no, and I said yes, then you said no again, and then I was like, let's let's just plant that in the group, and here we all are. So thank you.

SPEAKER_02 1:10

I still said no, I was filling, yeah. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 1:12

That's true. Everyone sat here and go, we all know it was eventually gonna happen, so that's as good at Daniel. It was gonna happen. I'm stubborn like that. And I I was much making light of it, I wanted to do it for good reason because around about well, it was probably summer last year, it was in the off season, and I remember walking around my garden and I was speaking to Phil on the phone, and he was saying, I think I think we could do a little bit more on the website, I think we could do, you know, the the media or whatever. And I was like, Do you know what, Phil? You're bang on, and we've done social media okay, and we've done it okay for 10 years, and it's actually really on my mind. But do you know what? It's one of those things that I think it's working, I can't really afford the time, I'm the one responsible for doing it. So by all means, go away and you know, this is what happens when you open your mouth to me. I've got an idea, you end up like project managing it and running away with it. And then at the same time, Craig, I'd known Craig a long, long time with a football club. Jackson was at the academy, and uh, Craig was a coach for a little while. That's right, and and and then a change of job sadly meant that he had to stand the other side of the rope, and you know, said a beautiful sentence to me that well, I I run social media now. I, you know, I do social media consult. I can get you know, your more likes and dynamic content and all of these. I'm like, Well, this is music to my ears, it's fantastic. I can't believe you know, we were having this conversation only a week after speaking to Phil. And then some guy said, You the Wills FC, you're interested in podcasts? And uh thanks, Rob, for that. Because I I wanted to do podcasts that I've done. And then Michelle is really, really handy with a photographer, and we don't do enough imagery. And I wanted to try and give the seniors more profile, and and Michelle had volunteered his services and to say I can go and take photos, and they're really, really good quality. And I thought, well, there's a little there's a little subcommittee team here in the making. This is fantastic. Let's get everyone in a room, let's talk about it. Phil had prepared a really, really good, thorough document about what he w what he what he thought the club was really good at, what he thought we could do in development. That was obviously in consultation with us all. We went away, and the media since September has been absolutely brilliant. It's probably the most talked about thing to me now. As in, isn't our social media brilliant? Isn't our the podcaster fantastic? Still got some work to do on the website, which I know is on your agenda, Phil. But genuinely, I I think the media team in the four months that it's been together, the fact that I'm saying we've got a media team, let me just say that again. We've got a media team, right? And we're all here today, and it's just fantastic. So I wanted to I wanted to bring you on and uh and talk about that journey. Appreciate that.

SPEAKER_03 3:58

Try and beat that then, uh but it is weird how it happened, I think, because I remember sending that email or or on the website and just going, Oh, I don't know if they'll come back to me and answer. But they don't even know this is anyway. Yep, okay. And then we met in that room, didn't we? Well, we met in this room where we were recording today. I didn't know anyone from Adam, and we all went away going buzzed up. Yeah, and and things are taken on, and the socials look amazing, don't they? They are they absolutely look fantastic, even like the the AGM slides. Who can put AGM slides on it? LinkedIn post them social media like that.

SPEAKER_01 4:30

You go, I'll put it I'll put it to you this way: the AGM slides look a lot better than my AGM slides on the social media. Like what Craig did with all that. I was like, I was like, oh, is it like I was reading it for the first time? This sounds really good. Oh, it's actually my words, but it just looks a lot prettier and in more chronological order. So it just shows when you've uh to quote Jeff Taylor, our former chairman. I feel now we've got square pegs in square holes, right? We've got the right people doing the right job and doing it better.

SPEAKER_03 4:57

Well, yeah, and Phil was at that meeting, so I'll go back to that meeting. I I I agree with you, by the way, square pegs in square holes. But I I was listening to you and I was thinking this guy is passionate about making this work, right? Going, that's decent, and then you know, you sort of sat there going, I don't know anybody here. But what's everybody's skill set? And we sort of worked it out very, very quickly who could do what, and then we said, All right, we'll do this podcast, someone will come down, and we did, and it it happened. And after that, we actually got volunteers. Yeah, my WhatsApp went off. I didn't I've got people on that I've never met before, and I'm going, that's his fault. And I'm pointing to Phil at the moment because I'm going, he was really, really passionate about all of it, and as a team, we'll work together, gents, didn't we?

SPEAKER_02 5:43

Yeah, yeah. I mean, I have I have this habit of particularly when Andy's about of grabbing hold of him and and sort of putting things to him that may or may not be a good idea and see where it goes, and it it's got me here, really, to be part of this. So that'll teach me. But I I just it was just one of those things of the club this size, and we were just I felt like, and I don't think Andy had disagree that we were going through the motions a bit with you know the posts on the you know, things that were relevant and and that, but it wasn't really particularly engaging. Now I'm I'm by no means a social media guru, although I I look at it a lot, but I I just thought even an enhancement on that what we had would would have just made a difference. And it just so happened to me that the the Craig Craig um met Andy at the same time well not met him but engaged with Andy at about about the same time as me and Andy were having this conversation, and then you know, luckily for me there was somebody who you actually knew knew how to how to do it. So yeah, I think I think it was just a case, it just needed a couple of heads together to to sort of get it rolling, really.

SPEAKER_03 6:52

100%. And when we look at the socials now, so we're gonna look at Craig at the moment, you've been very quiet in the background for the first several eight minutes, mate. But uh it's your turn to get picked on. But we we we look at the kit and the club colours, okay, and the socials reflect that properly now. It looks so professional. It's not just the Newton Lillow's badge and some blue background or a bit of yellow, it actually reflects the kit. You've taken that from uh you've really taken that up a level. And you must look at it and go, you have to unwrite that.

SPEAKER_00 7:23

Yeah, yeah. Do you know what? It obviously it was intentional, but I've said before, I sort of stumbled into doing social media a little bit. Andy touched on I was coaching for a little bit, I had to step away with my work and then set up my own business with my wife. So now we're we're looking at I'm available now and I can do social media. We set up this thing called from the pitch to the post, and the idea of the business was doing social media for not grassroots football, but amateur football where we could get money. I was thinking, I don't I want to enjoy doing it and I want to bring something to the community. So I spoke to Andy, and like Andy was saying, he was approached separately by everybody, and it all just fell into place. So we all came down there, we all met, we had a chat, we found out what was what, and I knew straight away once it's such a good time to get involved because there was the new kit launch, which was the first time in how many years was it since we're so brand new kit. I saw the fours and newton sign on a few things where it's like graffitied on. So I thought to myself, when you set up a social media, you're setting up a brand. It's not just about ticking boxes, having blue backgrounds, it's got to all tie in. So I started using the fours and newton a bit more. I started using the graffiti style and posts, and it just grew and grew from there basically. So it it was intentional, but I almost feel like I stumbled across it at the same time.

SPEAKER_03 8:43

So it's one of those where I've got to be honest, I hear that a lot on this podcast. I come down once to do something, right? And next thing you know, it's 20 years later, and I'm looking after the money, or I'm uh I've got free roles and whatever the case may be. But you know, that that that comment we we spoke about previous about square pegs in square holes, it it's a thing. So you're able to do it, but not just do it. You do it to a level, and that forza Newton thing, it stands out. You know, I think at the end of some podcasts, we've said the same, you know, uh given a forza Newton. It actually just goes it that brand, you go, that's Newton. Do you know what I mean? And we can go on the professional side of things like LinkedIn, or we can have a bit more fun, you know, on your Instagram or uh Facebook and whatever, it's a little bit more lighthearted, and you go, that's new. And and straight away you recognise it, you don't have to think, which is it stands out it's in the forefront, right? So to get that from wherever we were, and to go from September, we're now in February of the following year, it sleeps and bats strides, isn't it? For everybody.

SPEAKER_02 9:49

Well, one of one of one of the things that we've initially discussed when we first got together was you just touched on it there about LinkedIn, Facebook, uh and other different streams and and how we utilise them for what we want to do. And you know, Facebook is obviously used by a lot of people and that's where you're gonna put a lot of your posts. But let's, you know, let's talk about the fact that we want a commercial side to this as well, in terms of we need sponsors, you know, to keep keep us going, be it for a team, be it for a you know, Craig's been running the goal of the months, be it you know, they sponsored that or whatever, we need that to keep us going. And I think we've not really utilised it in the past to our advantage there, but now that we you know we're look we're looking to grow that, we're looking to get more sponsors on board, but it's gotta be a what's in it for them sort of thing, and you know, part of that is they're they're advertising and showing what they're doing and things like that. So that's where we've got to try and uh use these media platforms for the right things. One of the things we discussed is Craig not a big fan of I was gonna say Twitter, not a big fan of X, and it's not something that I've really used either, but we've kind of started using it for the right things. Whereas myself, uh Instagram I've never really been on it. You know, I'm on it now just to see the Newton stuff to be to be honest with you, but I don't I've never posted anything. So again, between between uh all members of the team, there's different uh aspects of what we can do, and we've just got to focus it in the right way, really.

SPEAKER_01 11:18

I think I think that you touched upon those other streams. So again, you've got to look back to look forward, don't you? And what we were really strong at, I'd probably give myself a green, you know, from the previous podcast, even myself giving a green. We were superb at Facebook. We had the engagement, the the growth of the page was really great. But generationally now, it's an Instagram first and then Facebook. So I'm kind of of a generation that is oh, I still go on Facebook, yeah. But the people coming through that are bringing the kids, you know, to football sessions at a younger age would check Instagram before anything else. 100%. And if we continue to do what we were doing, we would get some limited success. But you know, we've talked about TikTok and you know what we're what we're gonna try and do there. And the podcast is another way of getting messages out there. So we had to. I I felt that we need to, and we all felt at that meeting that we needed to be a bit more dynamic and and go down different streams. I mean, LinkedIn is another great example that you've used there, Phil, that you know, there is some corporate social responsibility. I'm sure it's got a different word these days.

SPEAKER_02 12:26

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 12:29

But effectively, you know, organisations want to help in grassroots sports and charities or whatever else. It's an untapped thing for us. And and you know, we we've got the right people now that are slowly but surely, well, not even slowly, they're building something that's really, really good. And you know, Phil has called a meeting tonight with the media team that is in, you know, straight after this podcast. Because although I, you know, I'm seeing that it's night and day, the people that are driving this are actually not that happy with it. They they're they're thinking, yeah, that's been quite good, but now what next? What next? What next? My my job's dead easy now. It's just we've got the right people doing it. And you know, I look forward to you know the social media posts, the podcast coming out, the posts on LinkedIn, the website we will get to. I promise you, Phil, we will do that. It's evolving. We've had to move with the times.

SPEAKER_03 13:19

100%. And and look, we we've said night and day, and you you hit a point there about moving forward. You know, I think that there may be some G up from us there because another local team might have advertised for some social media support in the way of a podcast or something like that. And it's like, what are they doing? And you know, maybe a trailblazer and go, well, we're gonna stay one, two, three, four, five steps ahead of that as well.

SPEAKER_02 13:44

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 13:44

I think that that's not gonna notice either.

SPEAKER_02 13:46

That funnily enough, uh, other local clubs sort of noticed what we were doing, noticed a bit of a boom because we went from next to nothing to to basically exploding into into it. And I think it's it's sort of kicked off other people to think actually, yeah, that's that's a good idea. So we you know we we started that off, but I think it's important that we stay ahead, like you said, we've got to stay ahead of that and we've got to think what's next, and you know not really focusing on anybody else, but that's how we that's how we could keep relevant and keep keep ahead of everybody to say, look, this is what we're doing now. So yeah, we we can't stand still and just think we've done this now. We need to look at the next thing.

SPEAKER_03 14:27

I totally agree. Social media is all about being relevant, isn't it? You're only as relevant as your last post, and you're only as relevant as the new influencer setting a new trend where you'd have to dance to some stupid music or you know, chopping. I'm I'm not dancing, Rob. No one wants to see that. Or eating cinnamon, you know, or chucking water ice water over someone, you know. It it has to be relevant and and you have to move with those times.

SPEAKER_02 14:51

I mean we we've we've come up with what what we think we should do and and everything like that, but you know, there's enough people in this club to to come over come up with ideas if they want to do something silly, you know, if they want to do something serious, if they want to promote themselves something they're doing outside the club, you know. I don't gotta say signpost them to Craig really things, you know, we can do it. You know, it's not it's not it's not a case of we're gonna do this and it's it's how we're gonna do it. It's for everybody to use.

SPEAKER_00 15:18

If they want we'll provide the platforms, you give us the content. Yeah, it's a it's a community club, and that's that's what's important, and it's I want everybody to be involved with it. There's not I get so many messages saying I took my club to do uh martial arts or I took them to some sort of circuit training. I don't know if it's any good for socials. Like, of course it's good for socials because it gives us the ability there to collaborate with other local businesses, and that's a massive thing as well. It goes after different sets of eyes, different people are seeing it, and that's what we want to do. We want to get everybody involved. So if you've got any ideas, if you want anything, always send it in. There's not a bad idea when it comes to obviously. I will uh apart from Andy dancing. Yeah, I was gonna say, yeah, I've seen that. We've all set loads of dislikes, but yeah, it's that's what we want. We want we want everybody to feel involved. We've tried a few little things on social media that haven't always worked, gone exactly how we wanted it to, but again, it's trial and error to an extent. You're just working out what works, what doesn't, and I think as Phil was saying, with Notes and other local clubs now picking up and doing similar things, it's good because it shows we're doing something right. Absolutely. We at this moment in time, I am happy with the progress we've made, but again, as it's been touched on, we've got more gears to go through, definitely. We I would say we're in second gear here. I think we've got another three at least that we can go through. And we've had a little chat this morning, someone before the podcast, we had another chat afterwards. We've got ideas on how we're gonna do this. Myself and you, Rob, we had a chat before we came here in the car park. We know what we want to do, we know how we're gonna do it, and we're gonna put it in place. And so if you think it's been good so far, it's it's only getting better, definitely.

SPEAKER_03 16:55

Well, on the on the previous podcast, Andy was saying about the AGM and the objectives, and they're not really changing too much, but we're just gonna do them better, right? And we said you've got the building blocks. So we've put the foundation in, we've given some effort, and we've measured that. People like it. So if I was to ask you, right, I'm gonna put the chairman on the spot actually. Why not, right? You're here, so it's um we have we have uh up to now there's been 17 episodes, okay? Yeah. How many list how many downloads so far? And and I don't need exact because that's out of order, but how in the region of can we all have a guess? Go on, go on, we'll all have a guess. I'm gonna go with I've had my phone open so they might see it.

SPEAKER_01 17:40

I I was trying to check the Arsenal score on your phone, let's be honest. Uh, because they're playing Wolves tonight. Uh I would say 900. 900.

SPEAKER_00 17:47

Well, that's do you know what I was around there because I know say hundreds of things. I've done the posts in which we've hit a milestone. So I would say it's a bit cheeky. I'm going 912. 912 inside the knowledge out. Yeah, um Philip.

SPEAKER_02 18:01

You'll win it now, though. I'm gonna say, um have we broke, I'm gonna say we broke the thousand mark.

SPEAKER_03 18:07

We will do soon. Uh the actual number up to now, at point of recording, is nine four two. Oh yeah, you want to do that. So well done. But you know when you think it's a like you said, a community club. Yeah. All right. 942 downloads of a podcast. Now, a lot of people still don't know today what a podcast is and that they're free. Okay, you can just listen, you don't have to pay for it. So it is a community club, however, we have touched a number of countries. Other than the United Kingdom, how many other countries do you reckon you can name?

SPEAKER_01 18:40

We'll go we'll go that way around. So you go first, Phil.

SPEAKER_03 18:43

I'm gonna say 16. Okay, go on, let's just see if we can name some of the two. Oh, right.

SPEAKER_02 18:53

I think you've already got a hit.

SPEAKER_03 18:55

There's seven others outside the United Kingdom, alright?

SPEAKER_02 18:58

Seven. I'm gonna say the States and Canada are on there already.

SPEAKER_03 19:02

They are, yes. Great. Australia? Australia is on there.

SPEAKER_01 19:05

Have we? Was there um was there was there like uh a popular holiday destination like uh Lanzarotti or a Tenerife or Ibiza?

SPEAKER_03 19:16

There might have been somewhere. Yeah, somewhere on the beach.

SPEAKER_01 19:19

And I'll tell you what, that'll be someone from our open age team going to Ibiza in the summer like downloading a podcast. I'm telling you now. I want to know who that is actually.

SPEAKER_02 19:27

I seem to remember there was one, uh there was a there was a random far eastern country, I believe, on there as well. A Singapore. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 19:33

Oh, Brazil. Brazil, Colombia. Island is uh is is a little bit more than a little bit.

SPEAKER_01 19:41

You want to board a plane or a but we're taking that as overseas.

SPEAKER_02 19:43

Yeah, it's we go over the seas, Michelle. Michelle's just telling us that was her when she was out of there working.

SPEAKER_03 19:52

A win is a win. We're taking it. And and some of the cities, it it astounds me when I read something. So Ashburn, Virginia. So you know, we're looking at the states there. We've got Wigan, we've got Liverpool, we've got Portsmouth. We've got Council Bluffs, Iowa. Who knew that that existed? Pennsylvania Sao Paulo, uh obviously Brazil, Douglas, um is that Islam? Yeah, that's Aleman. And Medellin. So the person that's listened in Columbia from Median. Uh so it just astounds me. So when we uh and Melbourne, Victoria, right? So when we talk about community, yeah, yeah, if you are traveling or you were part of this club in some way and you've emigrated or whatever, or you're on your holidays and you really, really want to listen about the club and you you need to. This is where it's touching, by the way.

SPEAKER_01 20:41

We might have uh expanded in the States because Liam, who came onto the podcast, loved it and he's talked to his you know, club of Philadelphia. So we might we might have Philadelphia to add to that because they they you know they're all big for that, aren't they? There's a talk. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 20:59

Uh well the the local football club was on about the wonder, they won't poach me, but if Philadelphia are uh asking, I'll get back as soon as I can blush you. Never mind. We can do it remote, honestly. Um, but yeah, I I just think you know, when we think about these ideas, walking around the garden in September, you know. I almost did a nursery mime there, didn't I walk around the garden? I said that to my lip ones for years. But those are ideas and they come to fruition. That that's really what's happening. And people on social media can, you know, I was in Mexico in November, October, November time. Yeah, I saw someone put our liked posts on the beach in Mexico. So I don't think we should underestimate what's happening. Newton and Willows are global.

SPEAKER_01 21:47

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 21:48

We've got a global brand on our kit, right? Uh that our kit supplier is global. Yeah. Newton and Willows is now global. Go and ask how many other local football clubs that have gone. And dog was yeah, I wonder I'm not sure about that person who made it in. It might be my daughter she does over there. Uh yeah, I just yeah anyway. There's some tours there though. I think we should get a flag and they there are some tours.

SPEAKER_02 22:13

So Benny Dawn's great, but I I think I think that idea, and and and we've done it a couple of times, and I know Mike who went went out to uh climb the mountain with the with the corner. But having that sort of flag, you know, the old Newton on tour sort of thing, I know it sounds a bit bit-ish and that, but there's nothing wrong with getting a picture in front of you know the Sydney Opera House with a Newton flag. That's yeah, that'll be eight ace.

SPEAKER_01 22:39

Anybody that goes. I annoyed my wife only a matter of days after getting married because when we were on honeymoon in Bali, we had two days where we're out and about, and you know those like it's hard to describe, but where you've got like two pillars against each other with this like beautiful kind of mosaic thing. And you're supposed to like you know, everyone does it, don't they, with the leaning tower of Pisa where you like put your finger on it, you point. So I, you know, held my hands up, and what did I do? I photoshopped a Newton the Willow's FC badge, like I was holding it up in the middle of it, and she really wasn't happy with me posting that. Like, I posted one picture on my honeymoon, and it was that it was me with a fake Newton badge. She did all the other photos, which were lovely.

SPEAKER_03 23:19

Fair play for uh getting to four days without being honest, to be fair. Most of us, it's the yeah, it's 24 hours and we're done here. Uh so yeah, it's a pat on the back for that. But seriously, we are having a giggle, and uh and I will say, I think yes, there is a little bit of effort put into any volunteering, right? Whether you're a coach on the pitch or fundraising, whatever you do, a bit of admin. But everybody's doing it with a spine, I face. Everyone's enjoying it.

SPEAKER_00 23:42

Yeah, yeah, you've got you've got to have a laugh, yeah. You've got to enjoy it. Um that's that's why you do it. Uh if you don't enjoy it, and it's a volunteer role, ultimately you don't end up doing it. So I think that's what Andy managed to achieve so well being the chairman of the club is we I know he gets a bit of a hard hard press sometimes with getting to blame for things, but he gets things done. Like when I moved up here, there wasn't really a team for my son to join. And he said, Oh, you can coach a team, I'm coaching a team. And like you said, everyone, everyone involved this club, pretty much everyone from top to bottom, something like that has happened to get involved. So obviously, he's like he's he's the the heart and like the lungs of Newtonly Willows Football Club, and he's he's bringing everybody together. And is that element of everyone's a nice person? We meet me me and you, Rob, chatted, didn't we? Uh earlier saying, like, normally you come to these sort of things when we got put in that room together. I only knew Andy, we didn't all know each other, but straight away you you gel so well, and that's what's so good about this club is that element of being able to find a friend within it so quickly, and that's what makes you stay, and that's why I think we've got so many coaches, so many teams that keep on coming, they keep on attended, attending kids are staying here, they're growing through the pathways, they're going into the club. That's what we want. We want it across the board, and we're smashing our cards.

SPEAKER_01 24:58

I remember the some so my mentor, if you like, Jeff Jeff Taylor, fantastic. I mean, he's still on the board of trustees and is an unbelievable chairman over 16 years has kind of got us from amateur to professional in you know, in a sense, not in a football sense, but everything that goes around it. And one of the biggest things that I took away is that he's very good at empowering people. So, you want to do a podcast, Rob. I don't want to micromanage you and say, Do you know what you should do on your podcast? You should do that. And and then Craig, when I did social media back in my day, this is the and and Phil, you know, said I want to I want to overhaul the media. Well, do you know what, Phil? You go and do it, you come back. But but what about I don't want to check your homework. Like, you go away, no idea is a silly idea until we tell you, right? Uh no idea is a silly idea. We'll sit around the table and we'll go, let's agree a way forward. And and only by doing that can you can you get stuff done. I we all hate those managers, don't we, at work that go, you need to do this, you need to do this, you need to do this. That absolutely isn't isn't the way to to to go forward. So you you've all been put in in position, and I suppose everyone at the start was a bit like, can I do this? Can I say that? Now, my my phone's quite quiet now, and it's like a post will just go up, and I'm I'm delighted at that. And then Phil will come with an idea, and he doesn't run the idea by me anymore, he just puts it in the group, and Michelle will say, I'm gonna take photographs at the tournament. Fantastic. There's no one better at the club to go and do that. I'm gonna do a podcast on this at a league of their own Christmas special. Yeah, you didn't need to run that by me, did you? No, you just thought that'd be a right laugh, and everyone will love it.

SPEAKER_03 26:39

That was a giggle. Uh, and Michelle was part of that as well. So the I was gonna say, Michelle, unfortunately, can't make it tonight onto the pod, but she has been on a podcast, so she actually got on a podcast before anybody else on that. Yeah, that's part of that. I'm actually gonna go back to a point about the coaching thing. I I'm I feel left out. I'm the only person I think in Newton has never been off for the coaching role. Well, you might as well give Kevin your number and then you'll be you'll be absolutely not. You are an Arsenal fan, Rob, so we need to Yeah, I'll just pay for corners. Stop piece my trip. Stop peace mind. Don't worry about anything else and uh play out from the back. But no, it's it's quite right. I I think you know the attitude the the autonomy has just come on leaks and bounds. But you know, like Craig said and Phil, next I don't say next year, you know, it's just gonna evolve. I think we've dipped our toes into maybe tip TikTok and we've all gone but it's it's the young person's getting but actually there's I'm not gonna name the apps because it's advertising, but there's some things out there and it makes it so easy. What we need to do, I'm gonna call out the ladies again because I'm sorry, I'm not gonna apologise until they go on there, they come on here. They're not they're getting called up, but we need that exposure to the first teams as well, because actually, I think we do a crossbar challenge with with those guys, and you know, my name's Rob, and I'm a midfielder and they've missed the crossbar bar. It it will get liked and it will get a little bit of fun, you know, that sort of thing. And I think they're just some of the ideas we've got in our minds that we'll bring to fruition.

SPEAKER_02 28:07

I think I think touching on it there, that's that was the one thing that we started when we first started, is where we wanted to what we wanted to prioritize with social media, and that's where the conversation started. And you mentioned in the AGM about focusing on the first teams and making them the pinnacle of of the club and where the kids to aspire to and keep them coming through the system. There, and that's what we've sort of done this year, I think. Mostly on match day stuff, but not so much out of that, and you know that there's a lot of a lot of room to grow that there. But talking about next year, I mean we're we've still got what six months? No, not quite six months. We've got four four months left.

SPEAKER_01 28:48

I mean the the season effectively ends in June, yeah, the first first of June.

SPEAKER_02 28:52

But but but we are now thinking about prepping and planning for how we how we tackle next season already.

SPEAKER_01 29:00

Well, you know, because this is like you're actually on the podcast as a guest, Rob.

SPEAKER_03 29:06

I'm still hosting at the moment, I'm still hosting at the moment.

SPEAKER_01 29:08

I've got the microphone in front of me, and I'm the most neutral in this, right? Okay. So I I was gonna take the microphone and I've just moved it towards me for the for the listeners, and I want to ask some questions if that's alright. Yeah, go. I'm gonna start with you, Rob. Okay, because you've asked loads of questions to everybody else. So you've gone on, I guess, this this is the question to all, so you can all have a little think about it, but you get no time to think about it, right? No worries, right? Okay, so we've we've been doing this since September. So, what two things do you want to do differently between now and September, which is the start of the season?

SPEAKER_03 29:50

Definitely will be the exposure to the first team. Okay. So maybe a review of the previous week and a preview of the upcoming game. Yeah I think a weekly snap from that will be great for listeners. It doesn't have to be long, but I think you know, we talk about the youngsters and the exposure to that. I think the coaches would love that as well to go, I'm aspiring to be the first team coach, etc. I'd I'd love to do that. And have a bit of fun with we've got we've got the audio there or thereabouts, I think. And I'd love to get more video podcasts going now. I just think that is the way forward for us.

SPEAKER_01 30:26

Yeah, that are my two things. Is that okay? Brilliant. Next question to you, Phil. Same same question actually.

SPEAKER_02 30:33

So you you've probably this is not a cop-out, by the way. Excuse me, what Rob's more thinking time probably hit on what what I've been talking about in terms of particularly the first teams, both men's and ladies, that match day experience, putting them a lot more in the line like whether they feel comfortable with that. We'll we'll sort of if we get Andy to speak to him in uh in the in the sales sales put his sales pitch to him. But you know, just to give that bit of exposure, make them the superstars of the club, so to speak, and get more people, more kids, more local uh people who may not be connected to the club directly down on match days. Great answer. You know, and that that that would be that's my my goal that that I want to happen. I want a Saturday and Sunday at Newton Club here to be banned, really. So that's what I want to aim towards.

SPEAKER_01 31:28

So it's really no, it it leads now because you're driving the content to try and raise awareness, which feeds into that objective. That's the media is drawing attention to our our seniors, right? That's what we said we were gonna do. So I think it's a great answer. Not to leave you out, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 31:45

So this isn't a cop-out. Right, what Rob said a little bit more time to think there, so I was working out as we were going along. But obviously, as Rob and Phil said, that's a priority for all of us. Other than that, I think I would like to try and encourage some of the coaches, the junior coaches, this is, to bring some of their teams to the club as well to watch games. I think the idea was always trying to boost the profiles of our senior teams, make them almost household names, make kids look up to our first team number nine, our ladies number seven, etc. But we haven't quite had the input we need to make that happen yet. I've been doing this now since September, and I'm not even too sure of everybody's name. So I want us to get that down. I want us to be able to identify who players are, uh, some consistency with player for the match, goal of the month. I think with goal of the month, we have had the issue with VO, the weather postponement. So it's not all been something that we can control. Yeah, but I think as now we are getting a little bit close to spring, there's a lot of things we can start doing now that we can create the habits that then when we're going to next season, we're in a better position to hit the ground running. Something small to be achieved.

SPEAKER_03 32:59

Does that meet your expectation, Mr. Chairman?

SPEAKER_01 33:01

Oh, as ever, this meeting team has exceeded my expectations. Whether that's my my expectations being so low or you lot just being amazing, maybe maybe a bit of both, though. Maybe a bit of both.

SPEAKER_03 33:12

We'll take it where we can. Uh I I will say I'm a little bit scared about when the ladies do come on because I'd call them out that often. They're gonna give me a hard time.

SPEAKER_01 33:21

They're a quiet bunch, Rob, you'll be fine.

SPEAKER_03 33:23

Yeah, I don't think anything can be worse than that Halloween one. That was that was scary.

SPEAKER_01 33:29

Oh, the Alphas, what an episode.

SPEAKER_03 33:31

Like, I've never I still have nightmares. My neck, there's a little twitch that goes off when I think of Halloween, and it's not because uh it's a scary time, it's I just remember that episode going. Shout out to the Alphas, you were amazing. They were brilliant, but I do feel for your parents.

SPEAKER_01 33:46

Wouldn't that be uh yeah, it does feel for the parents, yeah. But wouldn't that be great to have more teams come on as well? Oh, 100%. Just to build a profile of of them. I play for Newton the Willows, I love Newton the Willows because you know, get get a few down, get the coaches down, get them, you know. The podcast we we talk about some quite serious subjects, don't we? Like finances, the AGM or whatever. And it's you know, always done with a little bit of light-hearted stuff. But there's absolutely no problem at all in just having a bit of a laugh and a bit of a giggle with our teams. So there you go. Called you out, teams, get yourself uh nominated.

SPEAKER_03 34:21

I think we should do a little tour, you know, like they have a little roster for who's playing on what pitch or whatever. Well, if you if you get the if you get the preferential trip pitch to train or whatever, you've got to come on to the podcast next.

SPEAKER_02 34:34

There's no I I mean one of the things we spoke about is actually going down to match days, not not just for first like senior games, but going down to the 3G or KGV or match day where there's a few games on, and not necessarily watching a game, but interacting with some of the players, coaches, even even some of the parents maybe, just to talk about match days themselves and what how that goes and things like that. So, you know, it could be a case of we actually start approaching people on on the run and and and getting on the spot responses.

SPEAKER_01 35:08

I mean, I'm just gonna play this out in my head because that is an amazing idea, Phil. So we've got this thing in my head, right? We're going watching Under 10's Cosmos, right? And then Alice Rigby, because I'm looking at you, gets player of the match. So you can't interview her because you'd just say, Alice, you were rubbish, right? You you were an eight out of ten. I don't know why you got player of the match. So let's go with Craig, who's nice. So Alice, talk to me about your game. How was it? Oh, just fan. How would how good would you feel as a kid? Like they see it all the time on Sky Sports and TNT and you know, whatever else, Amazon Prime. Talk to me about the they would just feel the new board, come with me.

SPEAKER_00 35:44

You've got to use that board. Gotta use that board.

SPEAKER_03 35:47

That has to be done though.

SPEAKER_00 35:48

Yeah, we've got tournaments coming up again. Maybe now something we do, maybe we all go down there as a media team and we we make that happen. The tournament, the weather would be nice, there'd be lots of Newton teams there, there'd be lots of engagement.

SPEAKER_02 35:59

So but yeah, you know, going down to wildcards, going down to fundamentals, whatever it is, just to interact with a few players, few coaches, and and and spend a spend a day or morning there.

SPEAKER_01 36:10

Early Sunday, Sunday or Saturday morning. There's no excuse for you at the tournaments, Phil, because you went to every tournament, you and Michelle pretty much last year. So you've already got a media presence there.

SPEAKER_03 36:20

I'll always I let you into a little, don't tell my missus. I think I told Andy, but I might have might have just purchased some more toys to play with on this, in that we can be a little bit more remote. So that means that we can go outside and capture some audio. Evidently, we can link that to any video, so with permission, we can do that. So if we go down to games and interview players or coaches or fat, you know, some people won't want it that you know, you put a microphone in front of them. I remember I did a bit for the sports club down there, and there's a rather the word uh cocky young lad that was giving at the beginning, putting me in front of the microphone. Yeah, and it was interesting. Uh so that was funny, but you know, we've we've got the opportunity to do that. And look, what all we're talking about on this, we've looked back and now it's begun, but we're saying what we want to do more, more, more, more, more. That's been a common theme for me, right? So we've all got the drive, we've got the ambition to do it, we've got the technical ability now to do it, and I think we've got we we've just established we've got a listener group or a viewers group, you know, people are wanting it. If they didn't, it would tell us. So the stats on the social media tell us, stats on this are tell us. So it's evident we people want it.

SPEAKER_01 37:36

So I guess the more differentiation that dynamic content, and I'm speaking your language here, Craig, so you can correct me if I'm wrong. But for me, I just I just love the fact that because I've done the social media for so long, I knew what was coming next. Now I don't know what's coming next. So I'm like looking at it like, isn't that amazing? I mean, I sent you the AGM slides, and I didn't for one minute think that you would do what you've done this week with your achievements. They look good with the role of honour, and then what we've done off the pitch and community impact and all of those things. So I looked at that first hand like absolutely everybody else, and it was done in such a you know a better way. We we taught, didn't we, uh to use that as an example. So every year at the AGM for the AGM or for a like a new year post, I would go through 12 months worth of social media, and it was literally just a tick emoji next to it, and we've done this, and it looked alright, and now it looks pant after like what Craig has done. So again, you just you're just looking at at that and hopefully that like dynamic content, something that's not just oh, the fixtures are out or player of the match is out, which is to be expected now. Um, it was great and fresh at the start. Now we're looking at, well, what else can we do? You're looking at from a podcast going, let's do a video pod, let's do a league of their own or a dance competition we've spoken about. And yeah, there's one in the room, isn't there? So, you know, shuffleboard, we've been speaking about curling, haven't we, with the Winter Olympics and all of that stuff. So it's it's really exciting.

SPEAKER_03 39:05

It is, it it really is. And and I think imagine being a coach or another volunteer at the club, and they put a lot of graft in, right? You know, that the WhatsApps will be going, you know, it's it's seven days a week that they will do something, I'm sure, associated. Imagine going, that looks decent. What are they doing there? They're recognising things off the pitch as well. Other people are getting involved and doing a bit, you know, and that must feel nice for those guys, you know, because you know, it's quite warm in here, it's quite dry. It's a nice light, but you know, out there it's the easy job, isn't it?

SPEAKER_01 39:37

It's the easy bit.

SPEAKER_03 39:37

So it must feel nice on that respect as well for those guys. So, you know, it's uh it's all very positive, but lots more to come, isn't there? Lots more to come. 100%. What final thoughts are we leaving on? Because I haven't prepped this at all. And I've tried to let things go organic, but like when you're part of it and just yeah, so over to the guys.

SPEAKER_01 39:56

You're still smiling, so are Arsenal still winning.

SPEAKER_03 39:58

Yeah, it must be. I think it's what it's uh half time. So one nil.

SPEAKER_01 40:01

One nil because just to call that out, Rob wanted to be gone by eight o'clock because Arsenal was on and you know, he's up for work early. So fair play to you for uh you know taking your day job seriously and just doing that.

SPEAKER_03 40:12

Do not tell my missus because I do not miss an Arsenal game for anything in that house. She cannot listen to this episode.

SPEAKER_01 40:20

You've got to be clever when you bring this one outright. So just far enough away from this picture. If you know Rob's missus, give her a tag.

SPEAKER_00 40:26

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 40:29

My first thoughts are I'm not gonna I'm not gonna end the podcast, but I'm just gonna say thank you to the media team. Again, I can't believe I'm saying the media team out loud. But you've all come in with energy and enthusiasm, and you've taken the club's media to levels that I didn't think were achievable come September. It's gone so well in a short space of time, and the really exciting thing is that it feels like it's just the beginning with it. So I'm really looking forward to what next season brings, and we've got the right people doing the right things. So a thank you to the to the three of you and the extended media team.

SPEAKER_03 41:02

Appreciate that. Thanks, Sam.

SPEAKER_00 41:04

Yeah, I think echoing what Andy was saying, really, we we're in a second gear here. I think that's what's so exciting about it is we're getting so much so much love from the Newton community and the football community of what we're doing. And I think there's so much more to come, and it's that's what's exciting about it is we're not just sitting back and thinking right it's drop done now. We're we're looking at ways to tweak and fine-tune this and get more out of it. So that's what's so good about being involved is that element of growing, and that's what we want everyone to want everybody to grow with the club through the pathway, through social media, whatever we're doing, we want people to join us and grow.

SPEAKER_03 41:40

What else about that?

SPEAKER_02 41:41

I think for me is momentum's key now, is that we've started keeping it up, moving to the next uh thing, and again to to everybody in the club, just come come at us with your ideas, get involved with it because we need the content, and it's it's your club and it's promoting you and and everybody else around you. So just come forward with it, you know, just get involved.

SPEAKER_03 42:08

And you you you should say thank on behalf of Michelle as well, though, mate, because unfortunately she couldn't make it, but integral part of the team as well.

SPEAKER_02 42:16

Yeah, yeah, absolutely. I mean can't say it's a cop out, she's gonna just go repeat what you said. Yeah, uh I mean for for Michelle is is and and she'll say this herself, is that she just she enjoys doing what she's doing, uh you know, taking the photos, being part of the club, uh helping out in general is is what what she enjoys. So again, she's looking for ideas and opportunities, and if anybody wants a bit of focus on them, you could probably arrange something with her and she'll come down and take some photos, she'll you know just just to make sure, make sure you get in touch with her and she'll come down.

SPEAKER_01 42:56

She's got some really good ideas because you've talked about as an example, you've talked about player profiles, you know, for the seniors. Phil then next day, a bit like you, went went on Amazon, saw something, got bought a green screen, right? And Michelle's ready and waiting with uh with the photos, you know, for the for the next season. Talked about doing things at presentation days that we're gonna have at the football club, and you know what, it's it's just tournaments is gonna be a big thing for the club, and took loads of good photos, but didn't quite know what to do with it. So, absolutely, just to to back what Phil's saying up, you know, there's three of us here tonight. Well, four of us, sorry, because you're you're part of it, Rob. Well, three of us I'm not really part of it, but I'm kind of part of it at the same time. We'll go with three, but that wider team, like that that content, everything just seems to work in harmony. Like, Craig needs those photos in order to build the social media posts. We need your podcast to promote other areas of the club, which helps Phil in turn from a commercial perspective, driving traffic to the website. I'll say it again, we are gonna do that. Stuff on the website and and so on and so on and so on. So it's not like you're going in your direction, which is ignoring three other people. Everybody is kind of doing their thing for that common goal, which is the document and agenda that you put together way back when.

SPEAKER_03 44:14

Absolutely. And I I love the fact that Phil just said Michelle will do anything when she's not here. So if you're not here, you get stitched up so fair play. Um I I'm gonna sit as a challenge, right? Uh it's just come to me at the top of my head. So Andy asks us a couple of things, what do we want to see between now and September? How about we come back in September as this same team, right? And we Andy measures our success. So rag it, all right? And be open. Yeah, so no, but we we've started, we've got the building blocks, but if we really if we're serious about it, actions speak louder than words, in my opinion. And I think everybody's there's a lot of head nodding and whatever, but it's not a vacant head nod, it's yeah, let's get after it. And then just rag it in September and see where we are. And and if there are ambers or opportunities and red, yeah, no worries. Let's not worry about it, but opportunities, yeah. I don't think it's gonna be that, but yeah, let's have a look.

SPEAKER_01 45:04

So you've gone from not wanting to do your own media podcast to booking a second media podcast.

SPEAKER_03 45:10

Absolutely. I like it. I like it. Yeah, I like being on the other side. I prefer it. Two easy questions. Um worries. Any lasting thoughts, guys? Because this has been brilliant, actually, just getting us all together. We've we've almost had a meeting and a podcast, which is brainstorming, but it's in that box, hasn't it?

SPEAKER_00 45:28

I think just there's no such thing as bad content. Whatever you got, I like I say with some messages, I feel like some people feel like maybe they're wasting my time. Like, I don't know if you want this. I I do want it. Like, send it to me. There's no such thing as bad content. We'll make it work, we'll find a place for it. So just please uh everybody just keep on sending things in.

SPEAKER_02 45:47

Well, for me, like I said, we I just want us to look, we're doing it for the club. So if you've if you've in if if you've got something or an idea, come and throw it at us. You know, we'll we'll take it on board and we'll we'll try and implement it. We're not we're not here just to do it our way. 100%. Square pegs, square rolls, job done.

SPEAKER_03 46:06

Nice one, and ladies, ladies, ladies, I'm not gonna stop until you get on. So guys, thank you very much. Well done. Enjoyed that one. Cheers, thank you.