Last week we announced the appointment of Marcus Pound as the new chairman - a role he takes up with deep personal commitment, a long-standing connection to the club, and ambitious plans for its future. For Marcus, this isn’t just a new title, it’s a continuation of a lifetime of dedication.

We sat down with Marcus this week to get his view from where he wants to see things go for the club on and off the pitch.

Firstly on becoming chairman Marcus said: “It’s honestly one of the proudest moments of my life to become chairman of Emley AFC. This is a club I’ve followed for over 40 years, and to go from standing on the terraces as a supporter to leading the club forward is something really special. Football clubs like ours are built on history, tradition, and community, and I feel a huge sense of responsibility to carry that on. It isn’t just about a title for me it’s about giving back to a club that has given me so much over the decades.”

Continuity is at the heart of his approach. Having worked closely with former chairman Andrew Painten for the past five years, Marcus sees his appointment not as a disruption but as a natural progression.

He continued: “People sometimes think taking on a role like chairman is about sweeping change, but for me it’s about continuity. I’ve been working alongside Andrew for the past five years, and together we’ve been at the heart of running the club day-to-day. Stepping into the chairman’s role isn’t a departure from that, it’s the next stage of the journey. My aim is to make sure that all the progress we’ve made doesn’t just continue but accelerates.”

Taking the chairman’s seat brings new accountability, but Marcus relishes the challenge: “I don’t expect my daily duties to look drastically different, at least not at first. I’ve always been heavily involved whether that’s on football matters, managing the ground, and making sure the club runs smoothly off the pitch. The main shift is that the responsibility ultimately rests with me now, and I embrace that. I’ve always said you’re only as strong as the people you surround yourself with, and my priority as chairman is to build a team off the pitch just as strong as the one we’re building on it.

“Of course, there’s an extra level of pressure. You carry the hopes of the players, the staff, the volunteers, the supporters, the whole community. But pressure isn’t something I shy away from. I run my business in the same way with discipline, careful decision making, and always looking ahead. That’s how I’ll continue to run Emley. I treat this football club as if it were my own, because it means that much to me. Every decision matters, every pound has to be justified, and every move has to be with the future in mind.”

On the pitch, Marcus is satisfied with how recruitment has gone, while recognising the constant challenge of squad turnover at non-league level.

He commented: “Recruitment is never easy at this level, but I’m pleased with what we’ve done so far this summer. We’ve lost some long serving and established players and when lads move on for more game time, that’s part of football. You can’t begrudge them that. But the squad is coming together, and every game we’re seeing new partnerships, new understanding, and a greater sense of unity. That’s exactly what you want at this stage of the season.

“We’ve made some really strong signings. Who brings not just ability but character too, and that’s vital. We’re not just signing names, we’re building a squad that can compete together. Recruitment doesn’t stop here either. We’re still in discussions and looking to add another two or three. The reality of non-league football is that players will always come and go, but as long as the quality coming in is right, we’ll be stronger for it.”

Marcus is quick to credit manager Richard Tracey and his staff with much of the club’s success by saying: “The management team is absolutely crucial to what we do here, and we’re incredibly fortunate to have Richard and his staff. They’ve been with us over six years now, and in that time they’ve grown with the club, adapted to every new challenge, and worked tirelessly to improve. That kind of stability is rare at this level of football, and it’s one of the reasons we’ve enjoyed the success we have.

“Richard in particular is relentless. He’s on the phone all the time, watching games, speaking to contacts, finding out about players. His knowledge is incredible, if I get a call about a player, I might never have heard of them, but nine times out of ten Richard already knows exactly who they are, where they’ve played, what position they fit into. That kind of detail and dedication is invaluable. It means when we make recruitment decisions, we do it with real confidence. And that’s why I say our success so far is a huge testament to him and the staff around him.”

Last year saw Emley surpass expectations, and Marcus hopes to build on that momentum: “Last season we went further than a lot of people expected, and I was immensely proud of that. This season our target is to cement ourselves as a top six side. That’s a realistic ambition, but it’s also a tough one given the strength of the league. We’re not at full throttle yet, and that’s the exciting part for me, we’re picking up points and competing without being at our best, and that tells me that when we really click, we’ll be a force to be reckoned with.”

For Marcus, ambition is always tied to sustainability: “Whether you ask me about the short term or the long term, the answer is the same: we want to compete at the top end of the league. That’s where Emley belongs. We’re not here just to make up the numbers, we want to be in the conversation, pushing, challenging, and making our supporters proud.

“But we’ll do it in a sustainable way. That’s the key word for me. I will never gamble with the future of this club by throwing silly money around. Every decision we make has to be financially sensible, because Emley has to be here for the next generation too. This isn’t about one good season, it’s about building something that lasts.”

The development of young players remains a cornerstone of Emley’s philosophy.

Marcus explained: “Our youth setup is hugely important, and it’s something I want to strengthen even further. This season we’ve brought the under 23s back to play at the Fantastic Media Welfare Ground. They also get the opportunity to train alongside the first team. That closeness is vital, it shows the young lads that there is a clear pathway to senior football, and it means they feel part of the club, not separate from it.

“We’re also keeping a close eye on where our academy players go to play on Saturdays. That’s the real test of their development, not just training or academy matches, but proper open age football. We want them playing at Step 7 as a minimum, then moving quickly to Step 6 and Step 5. That way, when the time comes, they’re ready to step into the first team at Step 4. We’ve already had academy lads prove they can do it, and we’ve got good relationships with local clubs who help us give them that opportunity.”

Beyond football, Marcus is determined to professionalise and modernise the club’s operations.

He said: “Being chairman isn’t just about what happens on the pitch. Off the pitch matters just as much, community ties, business relationships, facilities. All of those things underpin the football side of the club. That’s why we’ve restructured the board so people can focus on specific areas and bring their skills to where they’re most effective. It’s about professionalising the way we operate.

“We’re ambitious with our facilities too. We want to build a new changing room block, convert the existing changing rooms into a proper clubhouse, and eventually add a covered stand behind the goal at the Warburton end. These aren’t just vanity projects, they’re essential for our growth. A bigger clubhouse means more community use, more business functions, and more revenue. It all feeds back into making Emley stronger, both on and off the pitch.”

Marcus has a clear vision of where he wants Emley to be in the years to come.

He said: “If you ask me where I want us to be by 2030, the answer is clear: I want Emley to be playing in the Northern Premier Premier Division at Step 3, with new facilities in place: the changing rooms, the clubhouse, the covered stand. That’s a realistic target and one I truly believe we can achieve.

“And if you ask me personally, my dream is to still be chairman when this club reaches Step 2. That would be the pinnacle for me. But I know football doesn’t work in straight lines, you have to plan carefully, time your pushes for promotion, and make sure the off field side of the club is ready as well as the squad. We’ve done it before, when we won promotion as champions, it was because we had planned properly for two to three years. That’s the model we’ll follow again.”

Above all, Marcus wants to keep supporters at the heart of everything: “To our supporters, my message is simple: keep backing us as you always have. The attendances have been brilliant, the atmosphere is always fantastic, and it makes a real difference to the players and everyone at the club. This is a club with history and heritage, and it’s been built on the loyalty of its supporters.

“Trust in me, trust in the board, and trust in the people working behind the scenes. We’re committed to running this club the right way, sustainable, ambitious, and always with the community at heart. Together, we can take Emley AFC forward, on and off the pitch, and make sure the future is every bit as bright as the past.”

Interview by Steve Downes.