This month we catch up with Scott Houghton, Head of Marketing & Social Media at Lynx F.C.
It’s safe to say that the 2019/20 season has been the most positive start to a season I have ever experienced since joining Lynx in 2016.
I first got involved in 2015, when I was messaging clubs in Gibraltar about buying football shirts, including Lynx. The guy on the Lynx fan page was so helpful and happy to sort me out, it was great to see that kind of fan engagement! It was this attention to detail and customer service that made me want to closely follow the Lynx Football Club. I later learned that it was Albert Parody and Jonathan Costa who I had been speaking to.
We kept in touch, and they could see my passion for football in Gibraltar, and in 2016, Jonathan asked me if I wanted to be more involved. How could I say no? Being located in the UK comes with its challenges, but its great that I can keep in regular contact with not only other members of the committee, but also the players. I receive on a regular basis photos and videos, which I later use across our social media platforms. It is great to be part of such a close-knit team who help one another.
I’m usually in Gibraltar in the summer for a holiday, but I will often try and find a cheap flight to come over and watch some Lynx games; not to mention some Gibraltar International matches as well. Believe it or not, I have never seen an England international match or been to Wembley, but have seen Gibraltar play many times.
It’s been a real highlight the last two years, being able to see the start of the domestic season before flying home. My two sons certainly enjoyed watching the games and every member of the team makes them feel welcome; be it posing for photos, or receiving a high-five as they walk out of the dressing room. This is what I love about the “yellows”.
On the social media side, our aim for 2020 is to further expand the brands’ identity and discover new challenges on a global stage as we make ourselves available on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @Lynxfcgib. It’s great to engage with people who may not necessarily be Lynx fans, but are neutrals. We have encountered those that are interested in collecting memorabilia from teams in different leagues across the world. We have sent shirts, scarves, pendants and badges to many different countries such as Russia, Japan, Poland, Bulgaria as well as the UK.
Whilst in the Netherlands for the UEFA Futsal Champions League Preliminary round, I took a big bag of pin badges with me, and didn’t come home with any. It was great to give them out as gifts to members of the host team who looked after us so well, and other teams from the preliminary group. The whole trip was a fantastic experience and I can’t thank Albert Parody enough for having me there. Once again, the futsal team are doing an amazing job, currently sitting at the top of the Premier Division unbeaten so if you’ve never watched futsal, I highly recommend going to Tercentenary Hall and catching a game. If you didn’t see last month’s issue of Gibraltar Insight, it’s well worth a read as Jonathan Costa spoke more in-depth about futsal.
The dream would be to represent Gibraltar in the UEFA Champions League or the UEFA Europa League. We all understand it will be tough against the top 3 and their financial advantage from previous UEFA campaigns, but if we previously managed to finish 3rd in the Premier Division when there were only two slots for UEFA qualification and finished runners-up in the Rock Cup, you can never say never!
For further information, please contact the club on lynxfc@mail.com or 200 69695.
