Marine Travel chief becomes second Non-Exec Director appointment of the summer.
Marine FC is delighted to announce that Dave Thompson, CEO Europe & Asia of Marine Travel, has joined the club’s Board as Non-Executive Director.
Dave grew up in Coronation Drive just streets away from Marine Football Club and first came to Marine as a boy, watching games with his father, including the club’s famous FA Cup win over Barnsley in 1975. He moved into the travel industry in 1977 and, in 2002, set up what is now Marine Travel, building the business up from its Canterbury base into a global operation.
His formal involvement with the club began in 2012, when he learned Marine was struggling to fund the new floodlights it needed to keep its league status. Dave got in touch, ended up on the phone to the Chairman within the hour, and came up to tour the ground before agreeing to help top up the floodlight appeal. That same year, Marine Travel also became front-of-shirt sponsor, and by 2014 that had grown into a landmark 10-year sponsorship agreement, a rare commitment in the world of sport that gave the club long-term security. The relationship deepened from there: Dave was made a Vice President in 2014 and Marine Travel took on the stadium naming rights in 2015, with the ground becoming the Marine Travel Arena. Dave went on to serve as Club President from 2018 through to 2023, and in April last year, Marine Travel extended its shirt and stadium sponsorship all the way through to 2034.
Dave has been critical to the progress the club has made in recent years, backing Marine both financially and strategically through some hugely important periods. This includes the time prior to the Spurs FA Cup run when the club was struggling on the pitch, throughout the FA Cup run itself, and in the development of the club ever since. Without his unwavering support in the years before Spurs, Marine simply wouldn’t have got to where it is today. Dave’s support continues to this day—Marine Travel’s front-of-shirt sponsorship and the stadium naming rights remain a massive part of the club’s income, and having Dave on the Board means the club can now draw on his experience and backing directly as we look to the future, including our plans to continue this progress and build a new stadium.
Dave becomes the second Non-Executive Director to join the Board this summer, following the appointment of Alf Mangor Johannessen last month, as the club continues to build out its boardroom experience off the pitch.
Marine Chairman Paul Leary said: “This is great news and I am delighted that Dave has agreed to join us as a Non-Exec Director. His support and experience will be a huge benefit as we move forward to another exciting era for our football club. The commitment he has given via his company Marine Travel since 2012 and through to 2034 clearly demonstrates the bond and dedication he has to Marine and I welcome him to the board working alongside us to make Marine a bigger and better club.”
Marine CEO James Leary continued: “Dave has been part of the fabric of this football club for so long now and we are delighted that he has agreed to join the board. He has been a brilliant support personally and is really driven to helping Marine progress on and off the field and so this move is a huge benefit to us. He has been a great sounding board and really knows what it takes to develop and grow a football club. The sponsorship he continues to give today through the shirt and stadium is huge for this club, and having him on the Board gives us the benefit of his experience as we push forward with our growth plans, including the new stadium.”
Dave Thompson said: “I’ve said this before but Marine is in my heart. It’s nearly 60 years since I first walked through the gates on College Road and every time I do, I still get goosebumps, like it’s the first time. I’ve been involved financially with the club for quite a while, but the job’s not finished, and I will be there to support the club as much as I possibly can. Come on Marine!”