Football Industries students hear from Industry Insiders during club visits
In March, Football Industries MBA (FIMBA) students enjoyed two great visits to quite different clubs, first to MK Dons and then to Manchester City.
At Milton Keynes, Andy Cullen, the Executive Director, welcomed the students to the club and explained its strategy behind building a fan base and its role within the community. At the end of the visit students were privileged to spend an hour’s Q&A with Karl Robinson, the 1st-team manager, who readily answered questions about the football side of the club, in particular on player development.
FIMBA student Nicole said: "Our class trip to Milton Keynes Dons was a personal highlight of mine. During the trip, we had presentations from their Chief Executive, First Team Manager, and Security Officer. Hearing the day-to-day activities of these high ranking professionals helped me realise how much I will enjoy working in football. One major takeaway from the trip was the importance of leadership. This is something that we had discussed in several modules but hearing the staff at MK Dons speak about the different kinds of leaders was beneficial because I was able to imagine myself in their roles and think of ways I could improve my leadership skills."
At the Etihad stadium Danny Wilson, FIMBA graduate (1997-98) and now Director of Stadium Sales and Operations, introduced his team and took students through the process of hosting a UEFA Champions League match.
The students now look forward to visits to the FA’s National Football Centre at St George’s Park, Celtic FC in Glasgow, and UEFA headquarters near Geneva in the course of the next few weeks.