FERDINAND FRANCHISES – FFG MALDON,
FLYING THE FERDINAND FLAG

by Sean Curran, owner & director of Ferdinand Football Maldon.

 

Approaching Ferdinand Football Maldon’s first year anniversary, I wanted to share some insights into running a franchise, the highs/lows and representing the family name.

We launched FFG Maldon in March 2023 with the help and support of FFG HQ. Like a sponge I took on advice from our COO, Academy Manager, Head of Development and Anton Ferdinand to really get an understanding of the business and what Ferdinand Football means to them.

I ran our very first session (Tiny Ballers) which was enjoyable. I knew that in order to grow, I needed to recruit smart and quickly. With 10+ years in recruitment, I successfully hired 9 coaches across multiple venues who lead and supported sessions from 18M-15 years of age. By Q3 we successfully launched our Pre-Academy for the next JPL Season playing matches against Ipswich, Norwich and other top academy sides.

A big passion of mine along with Anton Ferdinand is to give back to the community. We arranged Assembly’s in local schools across the Maldon district where Anton Ferdinand spoke about not just football but life skills. A key takeaway from these talks which I will pass onto my kids and others is “resilience”, a key skill that can be implemented in everyday life as well as on the football pitch. We believe here at Ferdinand Football that if we create the person, the player will follow.

FFG Maldon work with local charities including Rainbow Trust and Kids Inspire to help those who need some extra support. Our team are on hand for those that want to talk or simply want to blow off some steam on the football pitch. We’re not just football coaches but mentors, role models and people you can rely on.

Working in the Football industry is tough, alot of opinions on and off the pitch. As a business owner it’s important to me to be transparent with the members and parents, be approachable and be available when needed. I visit all my centres on a regular basis to get real time feedback and build relationships with the members and parents. This has helped us to be better at what we do, retain our members and to support them on their journey.

Nearing to the end of Q4 the business has grown from 0-200+ members. We have created an organization that people want to work for, a safe and fun environment that players and parents want to be part of.

As we approach March 2024 I can look back on the past 12 months as a huge success for me personally and for the family name. We have a lot more to give here at FFG Maldon and with the support of our members, community, HQ and the Ferdinand Family, we will have another successful 12 months.

 

Sean Curran

Director – FFG Maldon