Relegated club appoint new chairman amid ‘great strides’ verdict

League One side Swinton Lions have confirmed the appointment of Andrew Unwin as the club’s new chairman. Swinton are readying themselves for the start of the new season after disappointingly falling out of the Championship last time around.

The club finished 12th in the second tier last year after winning just nine of their 26 league games and that saw them pitched against League One play-off winners Hunslet in a promotion/relegation play-off clash at Heywood Road. Ultimately, though, they were beaten 22-20, with the West Yorkshire side taking their place in the Championship.

The Lions will be determined to bounce back in 2025 then and win promotion from what promises to be an extremely competitive League One, and after hiring Paul Wood as head coach and making a number of signings, they have now taken the opportunity to appoint Unwin as chairman.

Unwin is a lifelong supporter of Swinton and takes up the role after serving as a board member for some time.

“From standing on the terraces at Station Road as a 12-year-old with my mates, I never imagined I’d be taking on the role of chairman,” he told Swinton Lions’ official channels. “In fact, not only is it a massive honour, it’s also quite humbling, but I’m up for the challenge to help the club through its next chapter.

“I’m also very mindful of the rich heritage and history of Swinton Lions, which brings us to this position at the start of another New Year.

“We have a fantastic and enthusiastic Board, supported by staff and volunteers who are working collectively to push the club forward. I believe great strides have been made since our relegation only a few weeks ago, particularly with the arrival of new coaching and back-room staff, new players, a new club logo, exciting new playing kit etc. There’s plenty more to come, so please keep a check on our official media channels.

“Everyone can play their part in the future of the club and small actions can make a big difference. We want everyone to contribute, by becoming ambassadors for the club, speaking positively and respectfully about Swinton Lions, encouraging friends and family to attend both men’s and women’s matches, or even reaching out to businesses about potential sponsorship or advertising to help raise the profile of the club. Together we are much stronger!”

Swinton Lions CEO Steve Wild added: “I was delighted when Andy accepted the role of Chairman when it was offered to him very recently following a unanimous proposal by the Board. I’ve known Andy for the best part of 40 years, in fact ever since our amateur football days when he displayed the same single-minded tenacity on the field that he now shows off it.

“What impresses me about Andy is that he leads by his actions, and during the time he has been a Board member at Swinton he has been extremely proactive without the need for fuss or needless debate. Even on a match day he’s often on the ground first helping out with the preparations, but he goes about his business quietly and with humility, but most importantly with attention to detail and effectiveness.

“Since joining the Board he’s been a massive help to me personally, and he totally appreciates the complexities of what it takes to operate a club at semi-professional level. There’s been a lot of change at Swinton Lions recently following our recent on-field setback, but with Andy taking on the role of Chairman, alongside our ongoing in-depth evaluation of our strategic direction, I’m enormously encouraged.”