COUNTY BOSS MATTHEW SETTING THE BAR
EIGHT years after dad Keith was named on football’s inaugural Black List, Matthew Alexander’s work with Notts County has been acknowledged. And he hopes – just like his legendary late father – he can prove to be a trailblazer.
Matthew is the only black CEO at a men’s or women’s professional football club in England, having been handed the role by chairman Ray Trew in December.
It’s a fact he finds astonishing but is convinced that, if a man who began working life washing cars can reach his position, then anyone can do the same, regardless of race or religion.
“I don’t see myself as any different,” said the 34-year-old, whose father was the first full-time black professional manager in England, as well as the first black fully-qualified referee.
“My dad was big on having more black coaches in the game, whereas I want to see more black faces in boardrooms. I can’t believe I’m the only black CEO in the entire professional game. It’s disgraceful.
“I had to bang on Ray Trew’s door for ages to convince him to give me a shot. Someone like him doesn’t see colour, race or age. He judges you on your ability to do the job and, when he felt I was ready, I got my chance.
“Unfortunately, he’s a bit of a rarity. He’s from London, so he’s lived in a multi-cultural society. It’s what he knows.
“I’ve seen it differently. Growing up, there was one other kid in my school, Ahmed, who was ethnic minority. And in football it is all about who you know, so I can understand why things are as they are.
“But there are certainly ethnic minority candidates that would do very well in the administration side. There needs to be more faces that take the route I did.
“I’m not particularly well educated or naturally intelligent, but I have worked hard in every sector of football. I’m only 34 but there’s not much someone could tell me about football that I haven’t seen for myself.
“If someone took five minutes to look at my route, the ups and downs, the jobs I’ve done, I’d happily talk to them.
“I think I can be a mentor for
anyone interested in working in the administration side of football.”
Alexander’s route to the Meadow Lane boardroom is certainly unconventional.
On leaving school, he opted for a life in St Lucia with his grandma, to “keep away from trouble”.
He arrived back on these shores and worked at a garage washing cars. He then went up in the world valeting cars and applied for a sales job at the weekend.
“I’d clean a car on the Friday and sell it on the Sunday,” he said.
His venture into the football world began as an agent, before becoming a scout for Bradford City.
Most recently, he was offered a job as the head of Under-21 recruitment at a Premier League club.
But it was eight-year-old daughter Remi’s love for the women’s game that convinced him where his future lay.
“Every game I go to, home and away, she is with me,” he added. “She loves it.
“I was offered a job at a Premier League club, but I felt I could make a difference in the women’s game.
“I do it all. I was handing out tickets at the last game. I love the women’s game. Our players are fantastic and so down to earth.
“Our challenge is to try to keep up with Arsenal, Manchester City, Chelsea and Liverpool and that’s very difficult with the money they have. But there’s no animosity towards them from me, because I’d also be spending millions if I had them. Teams like us need to be shrewder with players.The problem is you have the elite players and then you have players nowhere near that. There is nothing in between. So you have to look outside England, because the England players cost a fortune.
“We are fortunate we have players here on two-year deals, but when they signed the game was different. It will become difficult to keep players, but that’s where we need to be shrewd.
“We’ve signed Angharad James, for example, who is young and hungry to keep pushing on. It’s players like that we need to attract.
“If Leicester City can win the Premier League, then suddenly anything in football becomes possible. ”