The news that Steve Wellbeloved would be the man tasked with overseeing Town's commercial opportunities at the club was announced this morning.

Steve has been in and around Gay Meadow for the last few weeks getting a feel of the place and looking at the possibilities the new ground will allow. After discussions with the Chairman and Board he's agreed to come and join the Shrewsbury Town backroom staff.

There is huge interest in the New Meadow and many, many questions which need to be answered. Steve has been getting all the information together and is beginning to finalise the commercial plans for the move.

ShrewsWeb took the opportunity to for a very quick Q&A with Steve to find out a little more about his background and ideas.

Q - Why did you take the job?

A - I've spent a long time providing marketing services to clients. Some had products that really interested me, but others didn't. So in some ways I was a bit of a marketing mercenary - doing work that was often very lucrative and engaged my head, but not always my heart. This job is very different. It's about applying skills and experience to a challenge that you really care about on a personal level.

Q - What are you going to be up to?

A - I'm focused on the new stadium as opposed to interfering too much with established activities at Gay Meadow. It's not rocket science and it boils down to three areas: 1) expanding match-related corporate and commercial activities; 2) ensuring we use our new facilities in the most profitable ways on non-match days; and 3) building attendances.

Q - Isn't all this going to change the character of the club?

A - The trick is to get a balance. But yes some change is inevitable - and in lots of areas. For instance, I've always preferred standing on terraces. I did it as a lad at Welling and the Hammers and I'm a Riversider at Gay Meadow. Clearly that's coming to an end.

On the commercial side of things, I think the balance is achieved by focusing on what the club and fans both want - a playing budget that means we can compete and realistic ticket prices so that all fans can afford to attend. Those two things don't always go together and the only way to deliver both is to maximise commercial activities. It can leave a club open to accusations that it is focusing on businesses rather than fans but, at a good club like this, the truth is that it's the way of ensuring fans only have to pay a sensible amount to get in and then get to see exciting football. Everyone who was at the Darlington and Walsall games will know that Gary has made some great signings and got the team playing really well. But if we are serious about competing at least one league higher, then we have to raise the club's income base and by more than what higher attendances alone will deliver.

Q - You mention attendances and this gets lipservice at many clubs. Is it really possible to grow them?

A - Yes. There is a lot of evidence that moving to a new stadium results in higher attendances, notably from families. However, there are clubs who have also proven that it's possible to build attendances above and beyond that. There are no quick fixes, but there are things we can do and I'll be working up some ideas and hopefully discussing them with fan groups.

I think my own experience proves that it's possible to make a difference. Although I love football, I lived in Shrewsbury without having any interaction with the club. One of my children then got a free ticket provided they were accompanied by an adult. I went and have scarcely missed a match since. Both that son and myself ultimately became season ticket holders. And, importantly, that initial match was at a time when we were playing much less attractive football than we are now.

Q - Will we be looking at stadium sponsorship and that sort of thing?

A - It's too early to say whether these things will happen, but they are certainly being examined in a lot of detail. Basically, we can't leave any stone unturned and if I'm going to be lazy or selective then I don't deserve to be doing the job.

Q - The club sometimes gets stick about communication. Do you think that's fair?

A - That's a tough one. I have to put my hands up and say I've been critical at times. Ironically, it's 100% certain that I'm now going to be getting criticised too! The bottom line is that as fans we can ask perfectly straightforward questions and there's no imaginable reason why there isn't a straightforward answer. I can only speak about the area I'm looking after, but already I'm getting those questions and I'm not in a position to provide answers. It doesn't mean I don't want to, it's just a case of needing to sort a lot of interrelated groundwork first. The schedule for achieving that is never as fast as we all assume it should be. What I can say is that having been in the communication industry for 20 of years, I'm very in to it, so when I have got my 'ducks in a row' I'll be trying to communicate so much that some people will moan about it.

Q - Do you really think being a fan will make a difference to how you do the job?

A - Yes I do. I'm still bound to do things that will worry or annoy fans. But being a fan yourself influences your approach. At its most basic, when there's a decision that won't be popular, you have a feel for it and know the importance of outlining the business case behind it.

I'm far from unusual in this though. I've already found there are people throughout the club, from top to bottom, who are here because they are fans first and foremost. That common purpose is one of the big attractions of the job.