FA Cup 2021-22: Hastings United chief executive Billy Wood on working with N-Dubz, Run-DMC and Blue

3 years ago 37

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Hastings United chairman and CEO Billy Wood (left) and N-Dubz pictured in 2007 (right)

Billy Wood has gone from having meetings in luxurious Los Angeles hotels with hip-hop pioneers Run-DMC to washing non-league Hastings United's kit. He could not be happier.

As a music agent, Wood also worked with popular acts N-Dubz and So Solid Crew, while he's been namechecked at the Brit Awards by Tinie Tempah.

As the 35-year-old unpaid chairman and chief executive of Hastings, who play in the eighth tier of English football, he mucks in with the mundane tasks that need doing around the club, like sweeping the dressing room floor and sticking the kit in the wash.

"Hastings midweek away at Burgess Hill in front of 325 is a bit different to Run-DMC at the Isle of Wight festival in front of 60,000," says Wood.

"In some ways music and football are similar. Both are cut-throat industries- even at non-league level."

Wood has taken a step back from working with world-renowned musicians to focus on his new ambition - propelling Isthmian League South East Division Hastings into the Football League.

As the U's prepare for Saturday's FA Cup fourth qualifying round tie at Maidenhead United, Wood tells BBC Sport: "I'm happy for people to think I'm crazy."

Hastings United chairman and CEO Billy Wood pictured at a concert in his role as a music agent

From £35 paper round to £150 a day

There are no clues to Wood's fast-paced career in the music industry on the walls inside the Pilot Field, Hastings United's 4,000-capacity home.

Raised in New Addington, Croydon, he moved to the East Sussex seaside town aged nine with his mum and sister.

"We didn't have much money," adds Wood. "My mum couldn't afford new school uniforms. I ended up at a school where everyone was wearing green tops. I wore a blue jumper from my previous school because that is all I had."

In the space of around 10 years Wood went from a £35-a-week paper round to earning £150 a day - via a business studies and marketing course at university - scheduling appearances for an up-and-coming British hip-hop act from Camden Town.

Having booked live bands as part of the entertainments team at Canterbury Christ Church University, he was trying to forge a career for himself as a music agent in his early 20s.

He thought the trio sounded good and messaged them on a social networking site offering his services. Within a few weeks he was the agent of N-Dubz, who would go on to have eight top-40 hits in the UK singles chart.

"I booked 280 shows in one year for N-Dubz when they were gaining momentum," says Wood. "They were earning £1,500 a night and I was on 10% commission. It was a dream."

With Wood still relatively new to the music industry, his "dream" ended when N-Dubz switched to a more experienced agent as they became more popular.

"It felt like I was giving up my baby," he says. "In my heart I was thinking 'I'm going to make it anyway'."

He did. Soon Wood would be working with British rapper Tempah before he "really blew up".

In 2011, aged 25, Wood was namechecked by the singer on stage at the Brit awards as Tempah walked away with two prizes.

In 2017, he was was international agent for Run-DMC, one of the most innovative and influential hip-hop bands of all time, when they co-headlined the Isle of Wight festival.

"My role was simple - make them money, make them happy and make sure we could put on a great show," says Wood.

"We wanted to do something special so I flew to LA to get 'DMC' [Darryl McDaniels] to sign off on it. I'm sitting in a hotel and DMC is telling me his thoughts. I'm thinking 'this guy is a legend'. It was surreal."

Watch: Rock Box, by Run-DMC - The Songs That Shook America

'It was stressful - I thought I had bowel cancer'

Wood has not worked in the music industry since June 2020. He does not miss the anxiety the job brings.

"I would go to bed and wake up three or four times in the night to check my phone," says the father-of-two.

"At one stage I thought I had bowel cancer. My doctor told me it was because I was so stressed."

He is proud of his achievements, which opened doors for him to work at some of the most prestigious agencies in the world of entertainment.

Part of his role was to give good advice to his clients.

In 2013, Wood represented boy band Blue and recalls being approached by band member Lee Ryan back stage after a concert at the Brighton Centre.

"He said 'you're never going to believe this, Billy, I've been asked to go into Celebrity Big Brother," says Wood.

"I said 'Lee, I love you to bits and you have a heart of gold, but that show is not good for you'. He said 'no, Billy, I'll be fine'.

"He came out of the Big Brother house to loads of negative headlines in the tabloid newspapers."

Hastings United chairman and CEO Billy Wood watches the team in action

'Non-league can be cool'

Since Wood took over the day-to-day running of Hastings in September 2019 after a brief stint as chairman of Eastbourne United, attendances have grown from an average of around 400 to 1,000.

Plans have been drawn up for a new 1,950-seater stadium, while Wood, who has other business interests including one in fantasy football, is a vocal supporter of Hastings United Women, who sit top of the London & South East Regional Women's League Division One South.

The men, under boss Chris Agutter, are enjoying their best FA Cup run since reaching the third round proper in 2012-13, when they lost 4-1 at Championship team Middlesbrough.

When they won at Chippenham Town, from two levels above, in the third qualifying round on 2 October, the team stayed overnight in a hotel - a luxury for a club sitting ninth in the eighth tier of English football.

Saturday's opponents Maidenhead play three levels above Hastings in the National League.

Non-league football is a world away from rubbing shoulders with well-known bands and networking at award ceremonies.

Wood, however, says he is a lot happier.

"For a long time I chased money. It was a mistake," he adds.

"While I am still chasing success, I'm doing it a different way. Sometimes you are travelling to a ground with just 200 people watching and the football isn't the greatest.

"I want to be part of something the people of Hastings can really get behind and shout about. Non-league football can be cool."

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