New National League CEO Phil Alexander is a former Wokingham Town and NFL star

The National League has confirmed the appointment of full-time interim CEO Phil Alexander to lead the top-flight non-league football competition.

A former Reading FC youth player, Alexander is arguably the right person to lead the competition with experience in the Premier League as Chief Executive of Crystal Palace for 26 years and CEO of Bristol City in the Championship.

But the new chairman also has significant experience in non-league football having been part of the great Wokingham Town team in the 1980s and playing for Norwich City and Miramar Rangers in New Zealand. Alexander also briefly served as manager of Bracknell Town.

Regarding his appointment, National League Chairman Jack Pearce MBE said: “We are delighted to have confirmed the appointment of Phil Alexander whose many years of experience at the highest level of English football will be of great benefit to our club and its community.”

Alexander’s top remaining was a 3UP competition campaign aimed at gaining an additional promotion place to the Football League following a previous expansion to one automatic promotion place in 1987, expanding to two in 2003.

Alexander has been vocal online in support of the campaign after becoming interim CEO of the league in the summer: “The push for 3UP to continue and its inclusion within the ambit of the Independent Football Regulator highlights the growth of the game at this level.”

He added: “The ambition to be innovative and utilize new technology will place the League in a unique place in the English football pyramid. I look forward to working with the League Board, staff, member clubs and sponsors to realize this ambition.”

The new National League CEO remains familiar with Berkshire football, having attended Wokingham Town’s 150th celebrations in the summer. In 2020 he gave an interview with Football in Berkshire while he was Chief Executive at Palace. Listen again below.