At the club’s AGM at the end of February the Board of Directors announced that they would be stepping aside and a process to find new people that could take the club in a different direction would begin.

We are delighted to announce that things have progressed, and Jim McLinden has been appointed to the Board as the first new face.

Jim is a successful businessperson who lives in Cumbria. The 51-year-old was born in Hamilton and educated in the Highlands before he moved south where he currently heads up two companies, Solar Maintenance Services, which deals with 25.000 solar systems around the UK for councils and infrastructure companies, both installing and maintaining solar farms and North Lakes Energy that buys and sells to large industrial scale users.

Prior to setting up and growing his own businesses, he worked in finance and procurement mainly from the Far East. A keen football fan, he grew fond of Queen of the South when his son, Harry became involved with the Under 18s

Jim said “What I have done so far is started businesses from zero and got them to a successful stage and I’m hoping that I can bring that to the club. I will bring new ideas, and look at ways to engage with the fans to try to get them back through the door. I hadn’t considered joining a board but having sat down with Billy, Craig and Mark and they outlined what was needed, I’m happy to be part of that. I fit the bill of someone who can come in with some new ideas and look to take the club in a different direction to see where we can take it”.

“I believe in following your local team and have followed Carlisle United, but I came across Queens when my son left the Carlisle Academy and joined the youth set up about three years ago. I think it’s a fantastic club, its great to see the work they do in the Community, it really is a community asset and I have become really fond of the place so when I was asked to get involved, I was keen to do so”.

Current Chairman Billy Hewitson added “Jim has a great wealth of experience in business and having sat down with him, we feel he is exactly the type of person that we think can take the club in a new direction with fresh ideas. We are delighted that he has agreed to join the Board and look forward to seeing what he can bring. He is the first new Board member and the process to find others continues.”