John Boag

Stadium Manager, Tynecastle

John Boag is proud of his key role in ensuring that all matches taking place at Tynecastle stadium run as smoothly as possible, so that supporters can enjoy the game safely.

A building maintenance specialist by background, John has been responsible for looking after the stadium’s facilities for the last 10 years. His role has more recently evolved to include the management of all security arrangements, especially on match days.

John’s typical day is spent either dealing with maintenance issues or planning for future buiding-related requirements. However, a big part of John’s work involves carrying out pre-match planning to ensure that all necessary arrangements are in place for a successful event. This can involve anything from dealing with the police and stewards, arranging First Aid and ambulance cover, down to liaising with visiting clubs and supporters to make sure that all arrangements are suitable for them too. John says: “There is a lot of pre-planning to do in preparation for match days. Since we are in the top football division in Scotland, we have to ensure that all our events match the high profile of the league.” John does not really get to see the matches, as he is usually too busy. The most important thing for him though is that there are no organisational or safety issues that could detract from the game. That’s what he enjoys most about his role at Tynecastle. “Of course,” he says “ it helps that I am a big fan of the Club myself and we have a close affiliation with the team.”

John has worked with St Andrew’s since starting at Tynecastle. They were already in place as the First Aid provider of choice when he joined, and he knows that Hearts have always had a very close relationship with the organisation. John’s dealings with St Andrew’s have always been based on openness and mutual trust. “St Andrew’s are very good at cooperating with us and fulfilling any requests we may have.”, John says, “They are 100% approachable and flexible and the volunteers providing cover on match days are always very friendly and reliable. We never had any issue at all with the service we get from St Andrew’s.” John says that no request has ever been declined , which they really appreciate given that First Aid cover is so vital to the smooth running of a match. “We really value St Andrew’s input on match days and their professionalism is second to none. We expect to continue working with them for years to come.”