042 - The First Head of AI in English Football | Reading FC

Stuart Fenton holds arguably the most unique job in UK data and AI — Head of AI at Reading FC, and the first person to hold that title in English football. His path here wasn't exactly conventional. Telecoms. Applied research at the University of Surrey's 5G Innovation Centre. Government AI advisory. And then — a completely faceless tweet to the club's owner. In this episode, we get into: • Why most AI vendors in sport are selling buzzwords, not results • How to build genuine AI capability on a League One/Two budget • The blueprint Stuart is creating that smaller clubs could actually replicate • Computer vision, recruitment AI, and injury prevention — what's real, what's hype • Why commercial acumen is harder to teach than any technical skill • How to build trust and culture in an environment that's wary of change This isn't a conversation about futurism. It's about doing things properly — with limited resources, in a traditional industry — and making it actually work. 00:00 Strategic AI Deployment in Sports 01:21 Introducing Stuart Fenton and His Vision 02:32 AI's Role in Sports and Commerce 04:49 Stuart Fenton's Journey to Reading FC 07:08 Challenges in Implementing AI in Football 10:51 Data Strategy at Reading FC 17:22 Empowering People with AI 24:20 Partnerships and Innovation in Football AI 29:43 Enhancing Fan Engagement with AI 33:24 What's the biggest ambition for AI at Reading FC over the next few years? 38:13 Defining Success for AI at Reading FC