Falkirk Football Club is pleased to welcome Salman Tahir as its new Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) Associate.
Salman will lead the club’s 25-month Knowledge Transfer Partnership with Heriot-Watt University. This landmark project is the first KTP involving a professional football club in the UK and is designed to support Falkirk FC’s growth and long-term sustainability.
Based full-time at The Falkirk Stadium, the project links the club’s commercial and supporter engagement activities with academic expertise from Heriot-Watt University.
Introducing himself, Salman said:
“I’m delighted to join Falkirk FC at this exciting stage in the club’s development. My background combines experience in data analysis, entrepreneurship, commercial development, and community sport, as well as International Sport Management expertise from Heriot-Watt University.
“I have always been interested in how organisations use research and technology to better understand those they serve. This role offers a unique opportunity to apply my experience within a progressive, supporter-owned football club with strong ambitions on and off the pitch.”
The project will enhance the club’s capabilities in supporter research, data analysis, and digital engagement. It aims to provide a clearer understanding of Falkirk’s supporters, their interactions with the club, and ways to strengthen these relationships.
The project will also identify ways for Falkirk FC to reach and engage new audiences locally, nationally, and internationally. Insights from supporter research and data analysis will guide the club’s communications, commercial activities, and the development of relevant experiences, services, and opportunities for supporters.
Salman added:
“We’re not collecting data as an end in itself. Our goal is to provide the club with reliable evidence to support better decisions.
“By understanding different groups of supporters, their interests, motivations, and any barriers they face, we can communicate more effectively, enhance their experience, and identify responsible growth opportunities.
“This work is valuable because sustainable commercial growth strengthens the club’s resilience and supports its ambitions on the pitch. Just as importantly, it must be achieved in a way that respects Falkirk FC’s identity, community roots, and supporter-owned model.
“A key part of the project is ensuring that the knowledge, systems, and practices developed through the partnership are embedded within the club. The goal is to create capabilities that will continue to deliver value after the KTP concludes.”
Supporters can learn more about the project in an upcoming explainer video, which will be released soon on Falkirk FC’s official channels.
