Ex-player Ian Ormondroyd's 25 years as Bantams community head

This month marks 25 years of service behind the scenes for “big Stix” with the club’s community arm.

The community foundation has morphed completely from when he first took the job in 1999 – a year after ankle injuries forced him to hang up his boots.

“Gavin Oliver and Ron Futcher had been asked to do it but they weren’t really enjoying it at the time,” said Ormondroyd. “Gavin had got a hotel in Sheffield and Futch wasn’t keen.

“Shaun Harvey and Geoffrey Richmond asked me if I fancied it on a trial basis for a month or two. The other two disappeared and it was just me until I got a couple of staff in.

“It was alright because you were still in the football business and part of the club.

“The PFA wanted ex-players to be doing the community job so there were quite a lot of lads doing the schemes around the country.

“It was purely football then. We went into a few schools and did some sessions at dinner times and afterwards as well as run some courses during the holidays but that was basically it.”

The current foundation itinerary has branched out to include all social aspects with youngsters, from tackling issues of knife crime and antisocial behaviour to encouraging healthy relationships.

Ormondroyd admitted: “It’s changed so much now. There’s still a lot of football and sport in schools but there are so many different programmes that we are involved with.

“Things like Premier League Primary Stars which is teaching PE to the teachers as well as the kids and the Premier League Kicks sessions which are free around poor areas to try and help reduce crime.

“It’s a charity but it’s run as a business. If we go in and do an after-school club, we will invoice them for that.

“We’ve got just over 20 staff and brought in some really good people.

“Lizzie Saunderson-Trowell, my number two, is brilliant. Craig Farrand has been with us for years, he’s really good, and we’ve taken on Chris Henson for our comms and media – he’s a bit of a character!

Ian Ormondroyd celebrates scoring for City at Nottingham Forest (Image: Newsquest)

“We’ve made some good signings in the last two or three years.

“Lizzie is very good at the policies and ensuring everything is legit with safeguarding and all the hoops you have to jump through.

“I do more of the operational stuff, the delegating and making sure everything is organised. I don’t go out and do any coaching anymore.”

When Ormondroyd started in the role, he was based in a Portakabin in the corner of the directors’ car park.

Harvey even tried to charge him for the removal costs when the club had it shifted and put back a few months later while the main stand was being built.

The City Hub, opposite the club shop, is now the foundation home – and an increasingly popular venue for fans and different groups throughout the week. The weekly food truck run outside offers help for those less fortunate.

Ormondroyd reports to a management meeting with the club every Monday morning and the list of activities continues to grow.

The next goal is to find a suitable all-weather facility somewhere in the city to one day accommodate students on the foundation’s BTEC pre-sports diploma, which combines studying with playing football.

An image of Stuart McCall looks down on the City Hub (Image: Newsquest)

Ormondroyd, who turns 60 later in the month, is chuffed with the progress that has been made over time.

“It makes you feel quite proud that you start off in a Portakabin with one or two staff purely doing football. Now we’ve got all these extended programmes doing quite a lot of good in the city.

“The one we’re really proud of is PAC, going into primary schools and teaching kids about healthy relationships.

“That’s a massive concern in Bradford so we go in and do education in years five and six on healthy relationships, social awareness, knife crime. It’s become a broad programme to do good.

“We’re trying to make an impact and a lot of other clubs are doing the same.”

But how long does Ormondroyd intend to stay in the role?

“I’m thinking of retiring in a year or two,” he added. “Not many have been there longer.

“John Halpin at Carlisle retired quite recently and he’d been there for years and years.

“A lot of community foundations have grown and they’ve brought somebody else in. But they’ve not managed to bomb me out yet!

Ian Ormondroyd being interviewed by the T&A's Simon Parker (Image: Chris Henson)

“BD25 is next year and we’re hoping to do some programmes through them.

“Lizzie is going off on maternity leave so I’m going to cover that. Then I’ll get to 26 years and possibly retire, that’s the plan and it might change.

“But the BTEC group always need someone to drive the bus when they go and play games at somewhere like Sheffield United or Newcastle.

“I’ll probably do that and keep my hand in doing bits and bobs. I won’t be completely gone.”

Find out more about the Bradford City Community Foundation by clicking HERE.

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