Becoming club chief was unexpected, says player
Midfielder Michael Clunan is taking on the role temporarily, King's Lynn Town FC says.
Michael Clunan has been appointed interim chief executive of King's Lynn Town FC [Getty Images] A footballer who has taken over as interim chief executive at his club said he had not expected to be appointed. Michael Clunan, a 32-year-old midfielder at King's Lynn Town FC, has taken on the top job as the owners of the sixth-tier Norfolk side implement structural changes this summer. The club said he would "oversee the club's day-to-day operations and strategic direction".
Clunan said: "This is not something that was anticipated, but when the role was proposed to me, I thought it would be good experience and would help hopefully impact next season in a positive way. " Clunan came through the academy system at Norwich City but has played in the upper echelons of non-league football in England for clubs including Scunthorpe United and Lowestoft Town. He has played much of his football for King's Lynn and captained the club as they stayed clear of relegation trouble in National League North last season.
The player, who has experience in accountancy outside of the game, said he still had "full focus on playing for a few years" while taking on the position temporarily. "His football and financial background, along with his knowledge of the local community, give confidence in his suitability for the role ," the club said in its announcement earlier this month. Last month the club was fined £10,000 for turning on its sprinklers and then postponing a game due to a waterlogged pitch.
Clunan first joined the Linnets in 2017 [Getty Images] The King's Lynn-born player said the team's previous season, including two changes of manager , had been "messy", adding: "That is no one's fault in particular". The Linnets faced the prospect of relegation going into the final game against Chester, but a 0-0 draw secured their place at step two of the non-league pyramid next season. "Ultimately, we managed to stay in the division in the last day of the season, but I am looking forward to watching the manager rebuild the team and hopefully that will gain some excitement and trust back from the fans which we probably lost this year," Clunan said.