Sunderland appoint ex-Chelsea staff member to interesting behind-the-scenes role

Sunderland have announced the appointment of former Chelsea staff member Paul Kingsmore as the club’s new chief operating officer.

The Black Cats say that Kingsmore will lead the club’s safety and security, events, and facilities operations, whilst also overseeing Sunderland’s HR and IT functions.

Kingsmore has experience with Premier League club Chelsea, where he oversaw Premier League and Champions League matchdays and was also responsible for leading capital programmes, facilities, health and safety, IT and security.

After taking the job, Kingsmore said: “I’m incredibly excited to have been given the opportunity to join Sunderland AFC as Chief Operating Officer. The role comes with immense responsibility, and I look forward to engaging with our fantastic supporters to ensure the experience of attending games is as good as it can be. One of the attractions of joining such a historic and prestigious club is the vision, passion and commitment shown by the ownership group in relation to fan engagement. I hope I can bring my experience from previous roles to play a part in delivering that vision.”

David Bruce added: “We are thrilled that Paul is joining Sunderland AFC and look forward to supporting him in his new role. He is a seasoned football operator with vast experience from other industries, who will immediately impact our business and help to shape our exciting future. Paul is a great collaborator and pragmatic leader. He will be central to building a culture where supporters are at the heart of our operation and enable us to deliver excellent fan experiences.”