Oxford United can confirm that Club legend, Peter Rhoades-Brown has been appointed as our first-ever Club Ambassador and Engagement Officer.
This newly created role is part of the Club’s ambitions to create and build an even stronger connection within the community in and around Oxfordshire.
The Club Ambassador and Engagement Officer role will be integral in boosting Oxford United Football Club’s name further in the area while developing even greater engagement by ensuring an alignment between Club and community.
It’s a position in which Rosie – as we know him - takes the Oxford United name across Oxfordshire into places such as schools, businesses, and other places by using current and former players along the way.
It’s a continuation of our Club legend’s journey, where Rosie has been part of Oxford United for the last 40 years, after signing as a player from Chelsea in January 1984.
Part of the first division side of the 1980s, and the squad that went on to win the Milk Cup in 1986, Rosie re-joined the Club after retiring to help set up the first community team as a Youth, Schools and Community Officer.
That developed in 2004, as he became a Football and Community Development Officer, and last year he became part of the commercial team as a Business Development Manager.
Building positive relationships with the local community is something that Rosie has continued to do in every position over the last 40 years and now it is a task that he will focus on as Club Ambassador.
Speaking during the first week of his new job, he said: “This means a lot to me. I’ve been here a long time and it’s such an honour to be asked to be Club Ambassador.
“40 years is a long time at the Club and I have always been out doing things with fans anyway, so I am going back into that which is nice. I want to celebrate with the fans and get everyone talking about Oxford United.
“There are lots of different factors which means engaging more with fans and ex-players. We will go to local businesses and schools more often and see people we maybe haven’t engaged with as much.
“The supporters have always stayed with us no matter what, and to be here now in the Championship with a packed-out stadium is fantastic. There is a huge buzz around the Club and I can’t wait to try and drive us forward.”
Tim Williams, Chief Executive Officer, said: “We represent the community with 11,500 people here in the stadium, but we want to make sure we reach further and show we are not just a football club; we are more than that.
“We want to show how we can help in terms of health, wellbeing, strong community feeling, and hopefully really inspire young and old.
“This role reflects the profile we have as a Club and the journey we have been on. It shows what we want to do in the community.
“Rosie is the perfect person for this position as someone with his experience and his passion for this football club. It shows how seriously we take this to exclusively appoint someone for this role, and we are all excited that Rosie is the person to take it on and take the Club forward.”
