Lewes FC has co-opted ex-England and Chelsea Women’s star Claire Rafferty onto their board as a Non-Executive Director.
Rafferty represented England in World Cups and Team GB at the Olympics, plus twice won both the WSL and the FA Cup in over 100 appearances for Chelsea. She has a degree in economics, worked for a leading European investment bank and has been a consistent proponent and supporter of equality in football.
Lewes FC Chair, Stuart Fuller, said: “Everyone at the club is thrilled that Claire has accepted our invitation to join the board. We rarely make such invitations, and only do so when we are convinced that the new director will make a material positive difference to what we can achieve as a club. With Claire, there’s no doubt of that. She is among the most driven people that I’ve ever met. We share her ambition and look forward to working together to take Lewes FC to the next level.”
Lewes FC General Manager, Maggie Murphy, added: “We are delighted that Claire will join Lewes FC in this key leadership role, and excited that she will be able to apply her football business acumen to a club on the rise. We’re looking forward to taking Lewes FC to the next level alongside Claire in this new role. It’s clear that she has a vision and an ambition that can strengthen our whole club’s future.”
Claire Rafferty commented: “I’m incredibly honoured and excited to be joining the board of a team that is leading by example. Not only is Lewes the first club in the world to allocate resources equally by gender but it is also 100% owned by the community. I hope the experiences I have acquired on and off the pitch can add a diverse voice and help Lewes continue on their journey.”
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