Exeter City Women is delighted to announce the appointment of Julen Beer Ayo as its new Chair.
Julen is a long-standing member of the Supporters’ Trust board, having first been elected in 2021, and has served as a Director on the Club Board since 2023. Identified as a future leader in the sports industry as part of Kick It Out’s 'The Next 25' scholarship, he completed an MSc in International Sports Management at UCFB and Universidad Europea’s Real Madrid Graduate School. A long-time supporter of women’s sport, Julen is the Head of Communications at the Devon Cricket Foundation, where he has worked closely with Devon Women’s cricket club for a number of seasons.
Julen said: “I feel immensely privileged to take on this role for a team I have supported for such a long time. Seeing how far this club has come from when I first started going to watch, when it was just me, my dad and a handful of others, to what is now a real community of fans who are deeply passionate about this team, has been a real joy.”
Following a number of departures at the beginning of the season, the Club Board had made the decision to temporarily incorporate Exeter City Women into its agenda, but the Women’s Board has now been re-established with the appointments of Julen and Debbie Marrable as the Supporters’ Trust representatives.
“The women’s game is growing and evolving at a rapid rate, driven domestically in large part by the continued success of the Lionesses and the increased commercialisation of the WSL.
“We need a clear vision for how we are going to approach the next few years to give Exeter City Women the best foundation from which to capitalise on this growth. For me, that’s building a team of local role models, playing in Exeter, inspiring the next generation and playing at the highest sustainable level.”
Julen is joined on the Exeter City Women’s board by Debbie, Exeter City Community Trust CEO and former Women’s team manager, Jamie Vittles, and Jane Attwood, whilst John Street serves as Company Secretary.
Julen added: “I am very fortunate to have Debbie, Jamie, Jane and John alongside me; their experiences and insight will be invaluable as we re-establish the Women’s board at the tail end of this season.
“We are still short on some areas of expertise, and this is something we will be looking to address in the coming months.”
The Exeter City Supporters’ Trust has also agreed to increase its ongoing financial support for Exeter City Women and to make a significant contribution towards the development of dedicated changing facilities at the Cliff Hill Training Ground, helping to further improve the environment in which the team trains and prepares.
Julen added: “The Trust’s ongoing commitment to supporting the growth and development of the women’s game is hugely valued by Abbie and the team. I am very grateful to my Trust colleagues for their eagerness in showing their support for the women’s team.”
Women’s Team Manager Abbie Britton said: "The changes to the facilities will make a real difference for the players, giving them a proper space to shower after sessions and helping CHTG become a genuine home venue for the women’s team. Small things like this go a long way in improving the overall environment and experience for the squad."
Exeter City Women currently sit seventh in the FA Women’s National League Southern Premier Division, with one game left to play. Tickets are on sale for the final game of the season at St James Park against Gwalia on 26 April and can be found here!