Board Members

James Silverwood - Chairman

James was an original founder member of the Trust and was Chair for the first three years of its existence until the summer of 2022 when he stepped away from the board after the birth of his son and the sad passing of his mother after her battle with cancer. Since early 2024, James has been Chair of the Emergency Financial Planning Group, a sub-group of the full Trust board conducting research and investigations into the finances at SWFC. His first game was a home 2-2 draw against Oldham in November 1990, a game in which John Sheridan scored two late penalties to rescue a draw. His dad must have been eager to make sure he was a Wednesday fan as he was only three and he fell asleep in the second half! 

Outside of the Trust, James joined Leeds Beckett University as Senior Lecturer in Politics in December 2023. His research specialism in British political economy, publishing work on British economic, environmental and educational policy, as well as the sustainability and governance of English football

Jake Lee - Vice chair

Jake first got involved with the Trust after helping to organise early protests against the club’s recently departed owner. Since then, he’s served on the board through one of the most challenging and emotional chapters in Sheffield Wednesday’s modern history.

Jake has helped lead large-scale fan campaigns, protests, and fundraising efforts. These days, his focus is on bringing supporters together to provide financial backing and practical help as the club works its way through administration.

Jake’s love for Wednesday started early — his first game at Hillsborough was as a four-year-old, hand-in-hand with his family. That day began a lifelong bond rooted in community, belonging, and the belief that supporters are the true heartbeat and guardians of the club. It’s that belief that drives everything he does with the Trust: fighting for transparency, accountability, and a real voice for fans in the club’s future.

Away from football, Jake is a director of a Mechanical & Electrical Services company. His day job in project management and leadership gives him skills he brings into his Trust work — especially when it comes to strategy, organisation, and building partnerships across the community.

He still lives in South Yorkshire with his family, including his young sons, Jack and Harrison, who are already well on their way to becoming proud members of the blue-and-white family.

Steve Chu - Secretary

Steve has been a freelance consultant since April 2023, working mainly with distressed organisations in Interim Chief Executive roles or carrying out rapid reviews, often for mergers/acquisition processes. In one Interim CEO role, he closed down an organisation, working with liquidators to operationally deliver 65 redundancies and the asset disposal process. He is currently completing the operational merger of Cavendish Cancer Care with Weston Park Cancer Charity. Over the past two years, he has carried out 12 merger/acquisition due diligence reviews.

Previously he was Chief Executive of Age UK Sheffield from 2015-23, turning round a loss-making organisation which was close to its minimum reserves into a profitable charity with over £1 million cash in the bank. In this role he delivered the £1 million restoration of a derelict building in Hillsborough Park, supported by National Lottery Heritage Funding.

Steve was Sheffield Wednesday’s Communications Manager from 2000-07.

Treasurer

Tom Scott – Communications Officer

Tom Scott is a Sheffield-based marketing consultant and a founding member of the Sheffield Wednesday Supporters’ Trust. He is the founder of Little Mesters, an outsourced marketing and communications agency, and currently serves as Marketing Director for HomeCo and ComSol Energy, as well as Interim Head of Marketing for ZOO Digital — a London Stock Exchange-listed media localisation company that works with major international studios including Netflix and Disney.

Tom has over 15 years of experience in growth and brand strategy, social media, and wider marketing disciplines. His work spans multiple sectors including technology, renewables, and heritage manufacturing. He has also worked extensively with Sheffield FC, supporting the club’s membership scheme, brand positioning, and marketing strategy.

Within the Trust, Tom leads communications strategy and campaign activity. His work has focused on public messaging, media engagement, and member communications, helping to maintain a clear, professional, and effective voice throughout the Trust’s campaign for change.

Robert Brookes – Research Officer

Robert Brookes holds a PhD in Political Economy from the University of Leeds and brings extensive experience in research, organisational governance, and complex stakeholder collaboration.

He began his career as a Research Associate in the University of Sheffield’s Law Department before progressing to Senior Research Co-ordinator and later Project Manager for multinational digital service initiatives in the intellectual property sector. He subsequently worked as a freelance consultant for the UK Intellectual Property Office, the European Patent Office, and several national offices across Europe — developing strong expertise in cross-border project delivery, stakeholder engagement, and strategic implementation.

Robert has a long-standing commitment to fan ownership and democratic governance in football. A key member of the WTID organisation in 2010, he helped develop a detailed fan-led buyout plan for Sheffield Wednesday FC, an experience that deepened his understanding of supporter ownership models and the challenges of community-led acquisitions.

He returned to active involvement in 2023, helping to establish and coordinate the Sheffield Wednesday Fans’ Umbrella Group. He later joined the Trust’s research sub-committee, where he led investigations into the club’s ownership and governance structures, before being elected to the Trust Board in July 2025.

Now retired from full-time professional practice, Robert continues to apply his research and governance experience in advisory roles, supporting the Trust’s strategic work on fan ownership and sustainable football governance.