Stoke City have submitted documents to Companies House, confirming significant internal changes.
John Pelling is stepping down from his role at Stoke City after eight years, during which he played a crucial part in guiding the club through the complexities of Financial Fair Play regulations.
Highly respected within the game, Pelling has held senior positions at clubs including Nottingham Forest, Bristol City—where he served as chief executive—Sheffield Wednesday, and Bolton Wanderers. Since joining Stoke as head of finance in early 2017, he has been a key member of the senior management team and contributed to an EFL working group focused on reforming financial rules. That reform process has since been stalled due to Manchester City’s ongoing legal challenge regarding associated party transactions.
David Heath, Stoke’s current financial controller since summer 2020 and a former JCB executive, will take over from Pelling. The transition was formally recorded in documents filed with Companies House.
This role remains vital in both the Premier League and Championship, as financial regulations closely govern clubs’ ambitions. Pelling’s work involved not only budgeting for football operations but also ensuring strict compliance with financial sustainability rules. Stoke, in particular, have faced significant regulatory challenges since their relegation in 2018, especially after rule changes introduced automatic points deductions for breaches.
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