Followers of the Lotto NRFL first division will soon miss a familiar face online — that of East Coast Bays president and sideline broadcaster Russell Fisher.
His Saturday updates, live from whichever pitch Bays are playing on, have become part of the weekend ritual for many who track matches on social media.
But Fisher is about to head to the United Kingdom for family reasons and is stepping down as East Coast Bays’ president, a role he’s held for three years.
In a Facebook message, the club posted: “We will miss Russell’s absolute passion for our club, our members and the game of football has seen ECB AFC go from strength to strength.
“We’ll also miss this character’s infamous live Facebook updates from the sideline of our first team games, which have become legendary across Auckland clubs.”
The club says over the past 12 years, Fisher has participated as a player, coached junior and youth teams and has served on the board since 2015.
“More recently, the club has benefited from his strong leadership experience through the disruption of a pandemic – and he’s leaving us in a solid position with the club back to full speed,” the club says.
Fisher’s achievements at Bays
The club said Fisher had played a key role in:
– the development of player pathways models including the Junior Player Development Centres and Youth Talent Development Programmes
– NZF accreditation of football training programmes and a coveted Y-Licence
– the appointment of Operations Manager and Director of Football
– the evolution of Board structure and function
– promoting diversity and female participation in football
– guiding the club through the highly disruptive pandemic to help maintain stakeholder stability and financial stability
– providing an active voice during the formation of the new Northern Regional Federation and use his influence across major external football stakeholders.
A recent major win for our club was securing a shortlist position as one of few host training clubs for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup. This accomplishment alone will create significant investment in our club facilities and fields – providing a legacy for our club’s future.
Farewell opportunity
Fisher will be farewelled after Bay’s first division game against Tauranga City Saturday July 23 at Bay City Park. The game kicks off 3pm and celebrations get underway from 4.30pm.
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