The CAST board has elected Heather McKinlay and Sam White to be its representatives on the Charlton Advisory Board.
Heather became a Charlton supporter in the 70s when she first started accompanying her dad on the journey from Belvedere to The Valley to watch players like Keith Peacock, Colin Powell, Derek Hales and her favourite, Bob Curtis. She reluctantly followed the team to Selhurst Park in the 1980s and signed up as both a Valley Investment Plan member and a Valley Gold member upon their launch. Heather is a season ticket holder in the Covered End Upper. She was elected to the CAST board in 2015 and became Chair in 2020. She participated directly in Tracey Crouch's Fan-Led Review of Football Governance by giving presentations on Charlton's situation to the Review panel and, in his role of President of the FA, to Prince William.
She is the founder and director of an award-winning travel business and is a charity trustee. She writes about football, often Charlton-related, for Nutmeg, Blizzard and MODmag.
“In joining the Advisory Board from the outset, I will strive to ensure we offer serious counsel to the football club, reflecting Charlton’s heritage of fan activism,” said Heather. “Charlton is the original community club. Our most successful period in recent memory was built on a foundation of the club’s owners and directors listening to fans and stakeholders and all pulling in the same direction. I’ll do my best to make sure that the Advisory Board focusses on re-establishing that spirit and ambition.”
Sam's first game at The Valley was the 1-1 draw with Newcastle in 2004. Despite the club's decline since those heady days he has remained a loyal supporter and was elected to the CAST board in 2022. He currently sits on the Football Supporters Association & Football Supporters Europe Future of Football committee and has been influential in working with the club to establish the first UK youth-specific supporter section at The Valley. His key focus is getting more fans to The Valley and engaging with younger supporters. He took the lead in setting up the recent CAST merchandise initiative.
Sam holds a degree in Business Management (within sport and football) and currently works for CACT as Inclusion and Transition Officer.
“Charlton needs to be fighting to get younger fans attending games and supporting the Addicks,” said Sam. “I’m looking forward to representing not only CAST but also those of us who only briefly saw the Premier League days (or even missed out altogether). Supporters often focus on out history and past. I’m extremely keen to make sure we look to the future too, succession planning for our fans who are just starting their Addicks’ journey.”
The CAST board has agreed that the CAST Chair plus one other board member (with a minimum of one year's board membership) elected by the board will represent CAST on the Advisory Board. All CAST board members will sign the Advisory Board Code of Conduct and confidentiality agreement so that we can share, discuss and input to the Advisory Board collectively.
Heather and Sam will join the Advisory Board alongside directly-elected fans Lewis Catt and Jon Whitfield as recently announced on Charlton TV plus two representatives from Charlton Athletic Community Trust and a nominee from the Ex-Player Association.
The background to the Charlton Advisory Board can be seen here:
https://www.charltonafc.com/news/charlton-launch-new-advisory-board
the club have announced that Marilyn Toft and Callum Coker will represent CACT on the Advisory Board and that Steve Brown will represent the Former Players Association
https://www.charltonafc.com/news/fan-reps-charlton-advisory-board-announced
If you are not already one of the 2500+ Charlton fans who are members of CAST you can join here for the princely sum of £5 per year: