BEES UNITED BOARD ELECTION 2025
There are five candidates contesting three places on the Bees United Board.
All BU Members, who are being invited to vote for three of the five, will be contacted on email* by our independent election auditors, Carpenter Box.
We welcome diverse expertise including, marketing and communication, digital and project management member engagement, events.
We said that we are looking for individuals who are able to contribute to BU Board Meetings, Committees, AGMs and community events and who are willing to represent BU members and wider interests on BFC working groups
Here are the candidates personal ‘hustings‘ statements:
1. Ben Bland
I am long-standing Brentford season ticket holder eager to join the Bees United Board to help ensure that our club maintains its connection to our fans and our heritage as we become an established force in the world’s top sports league.A local resident, my first season supporting the Bees at Griffin Park was as a teenager in 1994-95. The transformation of our club since then has been remarkable.While we all love playing in the Premier League, the eye-watering levels of money and interest require supporter groups such as Bees United to be ever more vigilant about protecting fans’ interests.The recent new investment into the club provides a timely reminder that we cannot rely on past goodwill alone. To keep our voices heard, we will need to work with the club and provide critical feedback when necessary.With a deep understanding of where we have come from, strong communication skills, and the drive to contribute, I believe I can assist Bees United in its mission. As a supporters’ trust, Bees United has played a vital role in keeping our club alive and getting it where it is today. I want to work with the board to make sure our future is bright yet grounded in our past and our community.On top of my love for Brentford, I have significant experience in the not-for-profit sector. I am a former executive committee member of the Brentford Independent Association of Supporters. My day job is as director of a research team at a leading registered charity that works on international affairs. I have deep experience of managing complex negotiations in sensitive commercial and cultural contexts.In my previous career, I was a journalist for a decade in Asia where, among other subjects, I worked on the surge in Chinese investment into global football, and especially English football.I am always keen to learn more and will always fight for the interests of my community.
I am long-standing Brentford season ticket holder eager to join the Bees United Board to help ensure that our club maintains its connection to our fans and our heritage as we become an established force in the world’s top sports league.A local resident, my first season supporting the Bees at Griffin Park was as a teenager in 1994-95. The transformation of our club since then has been remarkable.While we all love playing in the Premier League, the eye-watering levels of money and interest require supporter groups such as Bees United to be ever more vigilant about protecting fans’ interests.The recent new investment into the club provides a timely reminder that we cannot rely on past goodwill alone. To keep our voices heard, we will need to work with the club and provide critical feedback when necessary.With a deep understanding of where we have come from, strong communication skills, and the drive to contribute, I believe I can assist Bees United in its mission. As a supporters’ trust, Bees United has played a vital role in keeping our club alive and getting it where it is today. I want to work with the board to make sure our future is bright yet grounded in our past and our community.On top of my love for Brentford, I have significant experience in the not-for-profit sector. I am a former executive committee member of the Brentford Independent Association of Supporters. My day job is as director of a research team at a leading registered charity that works on international affairs. I have deep experience of managing complex negotiations in sensitive commercial and cultural contexts.In my previous career, I was a journalist for a decade in Asia where, among other subjects, I worked on the surge in Chinese investment into global football, and especially English football.I am always keen to learn more and will always fight for the interests of my community.
2. Brian Jeffreys
I have been a BEES supporter since I was 9 years old standing against the fence opposite the players entrance at Griffin Park. I think I paid 9 old pence entrance fee to watch my heroes kick a heavy ball on a muddy waterlogged field cheering a Johnny Brooks Goal or a Gerry Cakebread save.Now, 70 years later I sit and watch our modern-day heroes in luxury in The Legends Lounge at the GTECH stadium in awe of the transformation as to how far the Club has come. The formation of Bees United and the achievement by those involved has brought the Club to its present situation standing shoulder to shoulder with the best teams in the land and even closer to the local community and organisations. My family moved to Ramsgate when I was 15 and from there I worked 20 years with Graham Builders Merchants and most of the time in Management at Depots throughout the South-East and latterly London when I moved to Surrey. This enabled me to watch the BEES once more !I started my own business on an idea I had to capture the moment. it lasted 12 years with a part time sales force of 2000.I then from my original working job took up kitchen designing and sales thereof. This was very successful which led to having a workforce to build extensions and design and supply of Kitchens, Bedrooms, Bathrooms. Tiling and decorating till I retired. During retirement I was a School Governor at Epsom Primary School for 4 years. I then spent time visiting the elderly on behalf of AGE CONCERN Banstead, Surrey.I have played Tennis for 50 years and was involved with organising events at Banstead where for a number of years I was a Director as the Club was a Ltd Co.I am now a Committee member of Kingswood Tennis Club during the last 6 years and recently organised a 100 years old event for the Club . I arranged for Greg Rusedski former British no 1 to come to the Club along with Lee Childs the Head Coach of Queens for the day coaching and exhibition matches with our members. To achieve this I had to raise funds from members and local Companies. I am also a match organiser from home for the LTA Surrey throughout the year.In between retirement and now I also embarked on family research which led me to do quite a number of friends and others family research as well as my Tennis Club. My main passion is Brentford Football Club and I would love to be involved in this new era.
I have been a BEES supporter since I was 9 years old standing against the fence opposite the players entrance at Griffin Park. I think I paid 9 old pence entrance fee to watch my heroes kick a heavy ball on a muddy waterlogged field cheering a Johnny Brooks Goal or a Gerry Cakebread save.Now, 70 years later I sit and watch our modern-day heroes in luxury in The Legends Lounge at the GTECH stadium in awe of the transformation as to how far the Club has come. The formation of Bees United and the achievement by those involved has brought the Club to its present situation standing shoulder to shoulder with the best teams in the land and even closer to the local community and organisations. My family moved to Ramsgate when I was 15 and from there I worked 20 years with Graham Builders Merchants and most of the time in Management at Depots throughout the South-East and latterly London when I moved to Surrey. This enabled me to watch the BEES once more !I started my own business on an idea I had to capture the moment. it lasted 12 years with a part time sales force of 2000.I then from my original working job took up kitchen designing and sales thereof. This was very successful which led to having a workforce to build extensions and design and supply of Kitchens, Bedrooms, Bathrooms. Tiling and decorating till I retired. During retirement I was a School Governor at Epsom Primary School for 4 years. I then spent time visiting the elderly on behalf of AGE CONCERN Banstead, Surrey.I have played Tennis for 50 years and was involved with organising events at Banstead where for a number of years I was a Director as the Club was a Ltd Co.I am now a Committee member of Kingswood Tennis Club during the last 6 years and recently organised a 100 years old event for the Club . I arranged for Greg Rusedski former British no 1 to come to the Club along with Lee Childs the Head Coach of Queens for the day coaching and exhibition matches with our members. To achieve this I had to raise funds from members and local Companies. I am also a match organiser from home for the LTA Surrey throughout the year.In between retirement and now I also embarked on family research which led me to do quite a number of friends and others family research as well as my Tennis Club. My main passion is Brentford Football Club and I would love to be involved in this new era.
3. Peter Turner
Brentford FC has been a part of my and my family’s life for over 20 years. I still remember someone visiting our home with a bucket asking for funds to support the club, and the request to give up our shares to support the takeover by Matthew Benham. But, and more importantly, I remember wet and windy evenings in Griffin Park watching ‘proper’ football in the 4th tier; helping my 4 year old son decide who his club would be; proudly watching my wife, Kirsty, go on the pitch to collect her volunteer of the year award from the Community Sports Trust; and, of course, memorable wins in both Griffin Park, our amazing new stadium and, finally, in Wembley.I became a member of Bees United early on and have always admired the way it acted on behalf of the community, making the whole club feel safe, accessible and in some way, partly ‘mine’. The golden share and the position on the main football club board is, I believe, just what Brentford needs. We have in many ways a model club for the modern age and Bees United is an essential part of this. I want to actively support this going forward.How can I do this? Well, I’ve worked and led communications teams in consumer and business services my entire career. Most recently as an Executive Board Director at TeamViewer, a software company listed on the German stock exchange and before this at Experian PLC, Orange, Freeserve, Dixons Stores Group and others. I’ve worked with football clubs including Fulham (… sorry) and Manchester United in my career and have some understanding of how they operate. More importantly I bring leadership, passion and communication skills in a digital age. From emails, website management and social media management to large event management at football stadia and Formula 1 grand prix, I’ve managed and successfully driven change in Marketing departments around the world.
There are, I think, 4 areas impacting Bees United in the future – potential increased regulation following on from the introduction of Fan Advisory Boards; the growth of women’s football at Brentford and the need for proper safeguarding around this and young people; the continued on field success of the football club, its international growth and how to stay grounded in the local community; and, an increase in the type and amount of media both as a tool to communicate and engage and to stay connected with fans locally and wherever they are in the world, and whoever they are.
I’ve recently retired from full time work and believe I can help with all of this, as a fan and as a professional and would welcome the chance to contribute on the board of Bees United.
Brentford FC has been a part of my and my family’s life for over 20 years. I still remember someone visiting our home with a bucket asking for funds to support the club, and the request to give up our shares to support the takeover by Matthew Benham. But, and more importantly, I remember wet and windy evenings in Griffin Park watching ‘proper’ football in the 4th tier; helping my 4 year old son decide who his club would be; proudly watching my wife, Kirsty, go on the pitch to collect her volunteer of the year award from the Community Sports Trust; and, of course, memorable wins in both Griffin Park, our amazing new stadium and, finally, in Wembley.I became a member of Bees United early on and have always admired the way it acted on behalf of the community, making the whole club feel safe, accessible and in some way, partly ‘mine’. The golden share and the position on the main football club board is, I believe, just what Brentford needs. We have in many ways a model club for the modern age and Bees United is an essential part of this. I want to actively support this going forward.How can I do this? Well, I’ve worked and led communications teams in consumer and business services my entire career. Most recently as an Executive Board Director at TeamViewer, a software company listed on the German stock exchange and before this at Experian PLC, Orange, Freeserve, Dixons Stores Group and others. I’ve worked with football clubs including Fulham (… sorry) and Manchester United in my career and have some understanding of how they operate. More importantly I bring leadership, passion and communication skills in a digital age. From emails, website management and social media management to large event management at football stadia and Formula 1 grand prix, I’ve managed and successfully driven change in Marketing departments around the world.
There are, I think, 4 areas impacting Bees United in the future – potential increased regulation following on from the introduction of Fan Advisory Boards; the growth of women’s football at Brentford and the need for proper safeguarding around this and young people; the continued on field success of the football club, its international growth and how to stay grounded in the local community; and, an increase in the type and amount of media both as a tool to communicate and engage and to stay connected with fans locally and wherever they are in the world, and whoever they are.
I’ve recently retired from full time work and believe I can help with all of this, as a fan and as a professional and would welcome the chance to contribute on the board of Bees United.
4. Steve Hammond
Having grown up in the Hounslow area, I have been a devoted Bees fan since the late 1970s. Work and family commitments have meant my season ticket has been on and off over the years, attending as many home games as I could in the off years. That said, my support for the Bees has never wavered and travelling the length and breadth of the country to away games became a regular thing, particularly in my younger days.Like many, I am thoroughly enjoying this exciting chapter of the club’s history in the Premier League. I listened to many stories from the older supporters around me in the New Road at Griffin Park about Brentford’s previous time in the top tier which whet my appetite for something better at some point. I believe it’s vital that we preserve and share these stories to maintain our heritage and inspire younger fans.As for me, I’m an engineer currently working in the nuclear industry, with a broad range of experience across various roles. I bring strong project management skills, a structured approach to problem-solving, and a commitment to collaboration. If selected, I’m confident that my contribution will grow as I gain a deeper understanding of the board’s work and how I can best support its goals.One of the key challenges I foresee for BU over the next three to five years is the ongoing review and improvement of ticket allocation and sales. The presence of away fans in home areas is a concern, and it’s crucial to understand how these tickets are being accessed. By identifying and closing these routes, we can ensure that more Bees fans—especially newer supporters—have the opportunity to attend home games. Accessibility and fairness in ticketing will be essential to maintaining and growing our fan base.There will be other challenges which are not immediately apparent but will be identified by the BU Board as time progresses, all of which would be embraced and worked through using the skills available to the board as a team.I’m passionate about Brentford FC and committed to helping BU continue to thrive and evolve. Joining the board would be a privilege, and I’m ready to contribute my skills, energy, and experience to support our community of fans and ensure the club’s legacy is celebrated and protected for generations to come.
Having grown up in the Hounslow area, I have been a devoted Bees fan since the late 1970s. Work and family commitments have meant my season ticket has been on and off over the years, attending as many home games as I could in the off years. That said, my support for the Bees has never wavered and travelling the length and breadth of the country to away games became a regular thing, particularly in my younger days.Like many, I am thoroughly enjoying this exciting chapter of the club’s history in the Premier League. I listened to many stories from the older supporters around me in the New Road at Griffin Park about Brentford’s previous time in the top tier which whet my appetite for something better at some point. I believe it’s vital that we preserve and share these stories to maintain our heritage and inspire younger fans.As for me, I’m an engineer currently working in the nuclear industry, with a broad range of experience across various roles. I bring strong project management skills, a structured approach to problem-solving, and a commitment to collaboration. If selected, I’m confident that my contribution will grow as I gain a deeper understanding of the board’s work and how I can best support its goals.One of the key challenges I foresee for BU over the next three to five years is the ongoing review and improvement of ticket allocation and sales. The presence of away fans in home areas is a concern, and it’s crucial to understand how these tickets are being accessed. By identifying and closing these routes, we can ensure that more Bees fans—especially newer supporters—have the opportunity to attend home games. Accessibility and fairness in ticketing will be essential to maintaining and growing our fan base.There will be other challenges which are not immediately apparent but will be identified by the BU Board as time progresses, all of which would be embraced and worked through using the skills available to the board as a team.I’m passionate about Brentford FC and committed to helping BU continue to thrive and evolve. Joining the board would be a privilege, and I’m ready to contribute my skills, energy, and experience to support our community of fans and ensure the club’s legacy is celebrated and protected for generations to come.
5. Stuart Fowler
I would like to join the Bees United board as I believe it would enable me to make a more significant contribution to BU. To date I have assisted with the sorting out of BU’S collection of old programmes but there is so much other work undertaken by BU I would like to get involved with. Having been impressed by the encyclopedic knowledge of the Directors cataloguing the programmes, I fear I would have little to contribute to the History and Heritage Committee, but I would hope to add value to the Events, Membership and Communications Committee, as well as other areas of BU’s work.I am unlikely to be the longest standing BFC supporter applying for the BU board, as my wife and I only attended our first match in February 2020 at Griffin Park, but we are now regular attendees in the Orchard. Having said this, it could be that my somewhat short length of Brentford support could bring a different perspective to board discussions. I have lived in Acton, Northfields, Chiswick, Richmond and now Kew since 1983 but cannot explain how I didn’t find my way to Brentford FC until somewhat recently.Following my retirement earlier this year I now have the time to go to away matches as well as taking on responsibilities for BU, potentially including BFC Working Groups. Prior to retirement I had spent over 40 years in investment management in the City; attributes needed in my job which I could bring to BU, include not being afraid to ask questions, diligence, humility and a strong work ethic. I have served as a Director of a listed company in the past, and having worked in FCA regulated companies would be comfortable working within the existing governance framework, as well as anything the Independent Football Regulator (IFR) may introduce.The IFR may or may not lead to an increased workload for Bees United – given the admirable current structure of relations with BFC – but it could well be one of a number of areas of activity for BU in the years ahead. I have been struck by the outstanding quality of work, dedication and skill of BU’s team so far but don’t underestimate the challenges involved in maintaining these high standards and work-rate while relying solely on volunteers. As BFC continues to flourish and the Women’s teams and academy develop the work for BU is only likely to increase and in due course I hope to have the opportunity to contribute further to its ongoing success.
I would like to join the Bees United board as I believe it would enable me to make a more significant contribution to BU. To date I have assisted with the sorting out of BU’S collection of old programmes but there is so much other work undertaken by BU I would like to get involved with. Having been impressed by the encyclopedic knowledge of the Directors cataloguing the programmes, I fear I would have little to contribute to the History and Heritage Committee, but I would hope to add value to the Events, Membership and Communications Committee, as well as other areas of BU’s work.I am unlikely to be the longest standing BFC supporter applying for the BU board, as my wife and I only attended our first match in February 2020 at Griffin Park, but we are now regular attendees in the Orchard. Having said this, it could be that my somewhat short length of Brentford support could bring a different perspective to board discussions. I have lived in Acton, Northfields, Chiswick, Richmond and now Kew since 1983 but cannot explain how I didn’t find my way to Brentford FC until somewhat recently.Following my retirement earlier this year I now have the time to go to away matches as well as taking on responsibilities for BU, potentially including BFC Working Groups. Prior to retirement I had spent over 40 years in investment management in the City; attributes needed in my job which I could bring to BU, include not being afraid to ask questions, diligence, humility and a strong work ethic. I have served as a Director of a listed company in the past, and having worked in FCA regulated companies would be comfortable working within the existing governance framework, as well as anything the Independent Football Regulator (IFR) may introduce.The IFR may or may not lead to an increased workload for Bees United – given the admirable current structure of relations with BFC – but it could well be one of a number of areas of activity for BU in the years ahead. I have been struck by the outstanding quality of work, dedication and skill of BU’s team so far but don’t underestimate the challenges involved in maintaining these high standards and work-rate while relying solely on volunteers. As BFC continues to flourish and the Women’s teams and academy develop the work for BU is only likely to increase and in due course I hope to have the opportunity to contribute further to its ongoing success.
The candidates have been listed in alphabetical order by Christian name
* We have some members who do not have email so we ask them to vote by post.