Alan Pace is the new name on the lips of Burnley fans after ALK Capital completed their Turf Moor takeover.

The new chairman replaces Mike Garlick, but who exactly is he?

BACKGROUND

Pace is aged 53. With a Wall Street background, he brings 20 years in the financial services industry and over a decade of sports management experience to Burnley.

A dual British American national, he was formally a managing director and global head of sales for securities services at Citi, responsible for overseeing a multibillion-dollar division.

IN FOOTBALL

He is a former partner at SCP Worldwide LLC – owner of sports, entertainment and media properties – and a previous CEO of Major League Soccer franchise Real Salt Lake, where he oversaw the transformation of a consistently last-place team to winning the 2009 MLS Cup.

The acquisition of a majority stake in Burnley builds on ALK Capital’s recent entry into the European sports market after investments in London-based football recruitment technology businesses AiScout and Player LENS.

HOW HE WORKS

Speaking to the website Sport Business in August, Pace offered an insight on how recruitment departments are starting to embrace technology.

"As someone who worked for 20 years on Wall Street before entering the world of sport, the positive impact that technology and data can have on a vertical as big as football’s transfer market comes as no surprise," he said.

"I’ve long believed that talent identification, player development and performance in sport can be aided and enhanced by state-of-the-art technology and predictive analytics used throughout other industries.

"Why, for example, would a club take a chance on signing a big-money player or adopt a specific training method without concrete data that the actions can have a positive impact on performance and development of the team?

"Let me be clear, this isn’t about playing ‘Moneyball’ or using data to identify low-cost, high-return solutions, but being insight-led and using the technology at our disposal to make smarter decisions that will carry long-term benefits.

"We have already seen in recent years the positive role that data can play in areas like injury prevention, and there is much more that can be done within the sports science discipline, as we increase data sources and learn how to further interrogate it.

"Of course, during a global recession there is also a clear cost benefit here, too. At a time when football clubs must get every penny out of their investments, technology can leverage their spending power, help to drive efficiencies and increase ROI.

"As Covid-19 moves football into the ‘Insight Era’, even the staunchest critics of technology within the game are going to need to embrace it.

"It’s time to get comfortable with feeling uncomfortable."

WHAT HE’S SAID

In announcing the takeover, Pace declared: “Today marks a new era for Burnley as we become stewards of this historic football club and build on the impressive work that Mike Garlick, Sean Dyche and everyone at Burnley has done to make it a financially stable, established Premier League club that is a cornerstone of the local community.

“With a rich heritage, a brilliant academy, and a passionate fanbase, this club has solid foundations to build upon.

“This is the start of an exciting journey for the entire Clarets family.”