Neil Hart departs for new Huddersfield role

Neil Hart, current chief executive officer of Burnley FC in the Community, has been appointed the new chief executive officer of Huddersfield Town.

Neil, who joined the Clarets in January 2014, has overseen the astonishing growth of the club’s charity during this six-year tenure.

Arriving in Burnley following eight years at Watford FC’s Community Trust, Burnley’s community arm had just two members of staff delivering a small number of community programmes in 2014.

In the commencing years, Neil has gone on to steer the charity to its current standing as an internationally recognised, multi-award winning organisation employing over 120 staff members.

During his time in post, Burnley FC in the Community has invested over £10 million in the communities surrounding Turf Moor, touching the lives of tens of thousands of people.

The charity now operates UCFB Burnley, Whitehough Outdoor Education Centre, the Burnley Community Kitchen, the £4.2m Leisure Box community leisure facility in Brierfield and employs practitioners working in the fields of mental health, employability, refugee integration, disability sport, education, women’s football and overseas football development amongst others.

Awarded Community Club of the Year at the Northwest Football Awards four successive times, the charity is viewed as a leader in the field of community development.

Neil Hart said: “It is with sadness that I leave Burnley FC in the Community for a new challenge at Huddersfield Town. I’ve had six of the most enjoyable and rewarding years of my career in Burnley and I have met and worked with some exceptional people.

“However, I simply could not turn down this exciting opportunity and I look forward to getting started in March.

“I extend my thanks to every partner who has helped us create something so special at Burnley FC in the Community, to Brian Nelson and the entire Board of Trustees who have been great champions of our vision for the organisation and to all the staff who work so hard every day to create positive change in our community.”

Brian Nelson, Burnley FC director and chair of trustees for Burnley FC in the Community, said: “Our loss is certainly Huddersfield Town’s gain. Neil has been a focused, effective and committed leader who has placed Burnley FC’s charitable work on a regional, national and international platform.

“I speak on behalf of the all the Trustees when I say it’s been great to work with him and I thank him for all he’s done for our community. We wish him the very best of luck in his new challenge.”

Neil will depart Burnley FC in the Community in late February to take up his new post at Huddersfield Town in early March.

Burnley FC in the Community will begin the process of recruiting to the position of chief executive officer for Burnley FC in the Community in the coming days.