CANADIAN PAIR GET ON BOARD WITH ALTY
ALTRINCHAM have gone global in their quest to deliver far-reaching strategic plans by appointing two Canadian-based businessmen to the board of directors after both invested in the club.
Chris Parry and Scott Burton are the two new faces on an increasingly dynamic, forward-thinking board at Moss Lane after both became significant shareholders.
The new directors bring with them a wealth of experience in attracting investment for ambitious, growing businesses, helping to underline Alty’s proactive approach to overcoming the many challenges currently facing clubs throughout the country.
Both based in Vancouver, Parry is an Australian by origin who runs Equity Guru, an information provision and analysis company focusing on millennial investors.
Burton, meanwhile, is CEO of FansUnite Entertainment, a sports and entertainment company focused on technology related to online sports betting.
“Recently, I set out to strike an item off my bucket list by finding a UK club to buy into,” Parry explained. “I hear investment pitches all day as part of my job, and these were terrible pitches. ‘Come pay for our mistakes’ is not a clarion call I want to answer. Then I called Alty. The rest is history.
“When the time comes that Alty need a financial injection for infrastructure improvements to meet League Two standards, I’m someone who brings those pieces together. Streamlining the business plan, the investor documentation, the share structure – that’s my jam.”
Burton is just as enthusiastic about lending his expertise to the transformation in Alty’s fortunes under manager Phil Parkinson.
He added: “My family is from the north-west originally, so it’s great to be involved in a club in the region. There is a huge appetite around the world to invest in English football. And there are very few clubs that have got it together like Altrincham have.
“The next few years will be very exciting as we help this club achieve its enormous potential. The next chapter for this great club starts today.”
Co-chairman Lawrence Looney said: “We’ve been in conversations with Chris and Scott for quite some time, but it is clear that both of them were impressed by the vision we have laid out for the club.
“Their joining the board accelerates our plans to establish ourselves in the National League and to kick on towards achieving promotion to the Football League.”
Co-chairman Bill Waterson added: “Not only have Chris and Scott both made a significant investment in the club, both can tap into global investment networks to bring additional funding to the football club.”