Mansfield Town Football Club are delighted to announce former goalkeeper Ian Deakin as our new commercial executive.
Ian played for Mansfield from July 2013 to August 2014 and was a popular member of the first team squad.
Since retiring as a goalkeeper, the 34-year-old has enjoyed an extensive career within sales and business development.
Ian spent ten years working as a technical sales manager in the industrial, commercial and automotive industries.
On joining the Stags in his new role, he said: “I want to work with local businesses in and around Mansfield.
“It's a great town and it has good people in it. People work hard in this town and we appreciate all the sponsorship that comes in and the support the fans give us.
“I want to help elevate the club as high as possible and I am working hard to do that."
Ian has already begun work in his new role. The former Mansfield 'keeper has helped get sponsorship for the club's new scoreboard.
“We have brought in some new sponsorship for the scoreboard this week and the signs will be going up before the Carlisle game.
“The new scoreboard is brilliant – it looks impressive and is a tool I can utilise. I know the fans have been wanting it for a long time.
“The chairman continues to back the club by installing that. It's part of the jigsaw.
“You would love everything at a club to be all-singing, all-dancing and new, but it has to come as part of a jigsaw puzzle and we continue to develop on and off the field.
“It's my role to make sure that [development] happens [and] to make sure we build those links."
Ian is already the club's head of academy recruitment. His knowledge of the game, along with his sales career, make him a natural fit for his new position at the club.
“In between playing football for a living I had a day job in sales management – technical sales for an automotive company.
“When this job became available I believe David Sharpe looked at my CV – I had recently left my day job – and he asked me if I would come in and have an interview [because of] my skill set and it went from there.
“I have been in the academy role for nearly two years now. Coops (Richard Cooper) and myself were at Forest together, so I have known him for a long time.
"I am really pleased to be here. It is a club that is close to my heart and I'm excited to get started."
The club’s chief executive, David Sharpe, said: “I’m delighted Ian has joined us. Having someone in the role who knows the club inside out will be a huge positive for us moving forwards.
“I am confident that Ian will build upon the great relationships with our current partners and explore further opportunities for the club on a local, regional and national level.”
