Sean Fallon Interview

AN INTERVIEW WITH CAUSEWAY’S TREASURER AND CELTIC FC FOUNDATION’S MAJOR DONORS MANAGER, SEAN FALLON ON HIS CAREER JOURNEY IN FINANCE, TO RETURNING TO HIS ROOTS WITH CELTIC FC FOUNDATION.

Sean Fallon has had a long career in banking and finance and has been involved with Causeway: Scotland Ireland Business Exchange, since it launched at Edinburgh Castle in 2016. Born and bred in Glasgow, like many from the City, Sean is of Irish heritage, with a father who was born in Sligo and immigrated to Glasgow in 1950, through his career as a professional footballer with Celtic FC.

Established in 1887, Celtic FC was formed for the purpose of alleviating poverty among the immigrant community of Glasgow’s East End, and is today a world-renowned Scottish football club, with strong Irish roots. For Sean, growing up in Glasgow with an Irish father who had played for and was Assistant Manager at Celtic FC, the Club became a strong part of his childhood, as Sean reflects:

“My father played for Celtic throughout the 1950s, scoring the winning goal in the 1954 Scottish Cup Final and playing in the League Cup Final in 1957, when Celtic beat Rangers 7-1. I started to attend matches when I was just five-years-of-age and spent a lot of time at Celtic Park. You could say that I was born into Celtic Football Club!”

Although they may share the same name, Sean’s career took a very different path to his father’s, and Sean went down the financial sector route, achieving a 30 year banking career in various senior roles with Allied Irish Bank and Royal Bank of Scotland. It was in his role as Senior Manager with the AIB Business Centre in Edinburgh that he became involved with the other founders of the Causeway and helped organise its launch at Edinburgh Castle in 2016.

Looking back on the early days of the Causeway network and the key role the network has today in linking Irish-Scottish businesses, Sean expounds:

“I was involved with Causeway from the beginning. I have always enjoyed networking and the aim of Causeway is fantastic. When I help deliver on our objectives – helping Irish or Scottish businesses to expand and prosper – it is extremely satisfying. Being Causeway’s Treasurer and a member of the legal board, provides me with the opportunity to give a bit back.

“Since the beginning, Causeway has been about sharing ideas and collaborating and I have found the network provides a great opportunity to learn from other professionals and business people. The learnings may reinforce that you are doing the right things, however, it may lead you to consider and implement adjustments to maximise your business. It also provides a platform to share contacts from the public and private sectors.

“What I enjoy in being part of the Causeway network, is hearing about the successes and challenges of being in business. I get a real kick out of being able to provide help, advice and support – Causeway provides the perfect forum for that.”

In 2019, after a long established career in banking, Sean chose to take the leap and embark on a career change and join the charitable arm of the Club, Celtic FC Foundation, where he is currently Major Donors Manager. Commenting Sean says:

“Unfortunately, I didn’t possess the skills to be a professional footballer, but I always wanted to be involved with the Club in some way, so when the role of Major Donors Manager at Celtic FC Foundation became available, I was delighted to be given the opportunity and I have loved every minute of working at Celtic Park and being part of Celtic FC Foundation.

“I am responsible for legacy giving, seeking investment for the projects we deliver, and our regular giving initiative, the Founders Club, which right now is very much a priority for us. The commercial experience gained in banking, combined with a strong network and a cultural understanding of the Club, led me to believe that I could make an impact and deliver for the Foundation and the communities it supports.”

Since Celtic FC was first founded, it established a commitment to overcoming barriers and achieving change, with the Celtic FC Foundation’s core goal to help the most vulnerable and marginalised groups in society and assist to with the alleviation of poverty on our own doorstep and beyond.

Celtic Foundation’s most recent initiative is their Football for Good Fund, which has been born out of the Covid-19 crisis. Thus far, the Fund has committed a total in the region of £700,000. Commenting on this, Sean says:

“Through this Fund, we are committed to helping those most likely to be affected by the crisis, including low-income families; socially-isolated individuals; the elderly; the unemployed; the homeless; refugees; as well as frontline NHS staff. In terms of geography, the Fund has been allocated to support projects primarily in Scotland and Ireland, and even as far as New York.”

So that the charitable arm of Celtic can continue to deliver initiatives such as the Football for Good Fund and help those most in need in the communities they serve, they have made raising awareness and enhancing the profile of their Founders Club a priority.

The Founders Club is a regular giving initiative that brings together a community of Celtic supporters who share the values of the Club’s Founding Fathers and are invested in building the future of the Club’s charitable arm. Members demonstrate a commitment to the development of the Foundation by donating a minimum of £125 each month, and, in doing so ensure their roots are always at the heart of what they do.

“Increasing the membership numbers of our Founders Club is a priority for myself and the Foundation - strong Founders numbers will ensure the ethos of why the Celtic FC was formed in the first place, will remain as strong as ever. I very much welcome the support of anyone in our extended Causeway network or beyond and I would encourage anyone who is interested in becoming a member of the Founders Club, to get in touch with me so I can explain what is involved and how you can become part of Celtic’s story.”

If you are interested in finding out more about supporting the Founders Club and becoming a member, please get in touch with Sean and he will explain what is involved and how you can make a difference.

Email: SFallon@celticfc.co.uk - Telephone: 07824 838004