CEO MONTHLY / FEBRUARY 2026 10 Using the reach, trust, and emotional power of professional football in Scotland to directly benefit communities in need, the SPFL Trust drives lasting change by enabling football clubs and trusts to deliver quality-focused, communityFew forces are as powerful as football when it comes to bringing people together, and it is this spirit that the Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL) Trust seeks to capture and deploy across local communities. CEO Nicky Reid is at the helm of this non-profit organisation, and, recognised as the Most Influential CEO 2026 – Charity & Community Development (Scotland), she caught up with us for more about the great work the SPFL Trust does in helping tackle inequality and disadvantage. led programmes designed to reduce the impact of poverty for people in communities across Scotland by improving health, wellbeing, learning, and the opportunities provided at every stage of life. Making this possible is the national network of(all) 42 SPFL associated clubs and trusts the organisation has nurtured, with ten clubs in the Scottish Women’s Premier League having also recently joined the fold. With a national population of 5.5m, the fact that 4.5m people in Scotland live within 10 miles of an SPFL ground demonstrates the potential that exists within football to support communities; particularly when you consider that those 4.5m people are 3 times more likely to experience poverty Turning our attention now to Nicky, her role as CEO of this high-profile charity covers a number of key elements, from finance and governance to strategy, partnerships, and managing all external relations. Across this wide range of responsibilities, Nicky prides herself on creating a space where everyone’s needs are considered and everyone is empowered to thrive. This stems from her belief that, this type of culture, mixed with genuine impact, are the reasons people stay with a company; creating a committed, loyal and values based team. And the impact the SPFL Trust has had is clear, with Nicky and the team managing initiatives that reacin thousands of people across Scotland each year Just some examples of their work include the world leading men’s health intervention in a football setting - Football Fans in Training programme (reaching fans, predominantly men, who may otherwise not attend health interventions), pioneering the 4-4-4-2 Reading Challenge (which inspired more than 20,000 children to read books with match tickets as an incentive), and securing approximately £8 of social value per £1 invested. requires a skillset that Nicky’s management approach has developed as the organisation has grown and evolved;from two members when she first started into the diverse operation spanning multiple activities that it is today.. On this, Nicky commented: “Leading the growth of the business over the last 12 years means there isn’t a task that I haven’t, at some point, done myself – including wearing the Lomond the Lion mascot suit!” Whilst in this case, Nicky donning the suit is an example of her trying her hand at everything the SPFL Trust encompasses, there was a time not long ago when even being a mascot would be seen as out of reach for a woman looking to break into the world of men’s football. In fact, excerpts from the speech Nicky gave upon receiving an honorary doctorate from her old university highlighted the sexism she regularly encountered. This includes being banned from a press conference by a first-team manager because she was ‘distracting’ players and a club director ‘joking’ about her not having to dance on the tables during half time. It would have been easy – and totally understandable – if Nicky had walked away, but the love she has for her job and the recognition that football can transform the lives of people who will not even go the doctor, the Job Centre, or their local food bank , but will go to their local club, continues to and motivate both her and the entirety of the SPFL Trust on a daily basis. This drive is reflected in the organisation’s current Football United Strategy 2025-2030, which will see 20,000 people across Scotland offered support each season by 2030. Aside from this implementation, Nicky explained: “We will also increase investment to help communities thrive, further position Scottish football as a proactive vehicle in the delivery of Scotland’s national outcomes, and also broaden our reach with the SPFL to work with football clubs across Scotland who have the appetite, ability, and capacity to deliver our work.” On the back of this, the SPFL Trust is asking for any businesses interested in its mission and reach to get in touch to discuss any possible future opportunities. Ultimately, the life-changing work that the Scottish Professional Football League Trust does on the back of the close ties it has with the SPFL group – including the SPFL which is the highest-attended league per capita in Europe and therefore deeply embedded in local communities – can be seen across Scotland, and CEO Nicky Reid has played a crucial role in this. As a result, she is more than deserving of both her title and a place in this feature. Contact: Nicky Reid Company: Scottish Professional Football League Trust Web Address: https://spfltrust. org.uk/ Professional Football Charity CEO in Scotland
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