Beth Merry, from a family of Exeter City supporters, started to volunteer on matchdays whilst a teenager. Becoming enthused with the idea of working in football, she studied the business side of football at university before embarking on a career with a Premier League club. 

After eventually discovering the ‘football ‘bug’ herself, Beth soon started to follow other family members in giving her time to Exeter City on a voluntary basis. This opened her eyes to a career in football and, after graduating from the Wembley Stadium campus of the University College for Football Business (UCFB) in 2023 with a degree in football business and marketing, she started working in ticketing with a major football club.    

Describing her progress from volunteer to student to football industry professional, Beth told the Grecian Archive how: 

“Exeter City was always part of my family, but I fell in love with football watching City when I was seventeen and saw us win a play-off semi-final. 

My dad, brother, nephew and brother-in-law were ambassadors for the club at the time, and I took the opportunity to join them. For the entirety of the next season and beyond I volunteered at the home games showing people around, sitting in on meetings and occasionally working the turnstile. 

Even when I was working every Saturday cleaning hotel rooms - I would finish at 2pm, rush to the train station and make it just in time for kick-off. 

Exeter City allowed me to develop skills that have since defined my education and career, studying football and business at university and going on to having a career at a Premier League club. I credit City wherever I can for being a family-focused, community-oriented club that all teams should learn from. 

Although I live far away now, I take a piece of City with me wherever I go and proudly talk about the club, the fans and the club’s ‘spirit’ to whoever will listen.” 

- Beth Merry, July 2026