Swansway Group hopes to have scored a star signing for its digital marketing team with the recruitment of footballer Bradley Carrol.

In a move that highlights the Crewe-based AM100 car retail group’s new flexible working policies, the Lancaster City Football Club semi-professional athlete has joined its Volkswagen Van Centre Lancashire team as a digital marketer.

The former Manchester United Youth Academy player appears to have found his perfect position after seeking out a role that would allow him to continue to play football while progressing his career.

Commenting on the move, Carrol said: “I’ve settled in really well, the team around us have been welcoming and supportive, whenever I have a question, they are there to answer it.

“I’m enjoying the role and it’s brilliant to work for a company that cares about their employees, the flexibility surrounding my football career has made me feel valued.”

Carrol has experience in the automotive sector and was previously employed by another family-run car retailer.

In March, his new role with Swansway could test the allegiance of his new Van Centre Lancashire colleagues, however.

Last year announced that they were the new stadium sponsor of Nantwich Town FC and Lancaster City will go head-to-head with Carrol’s team on March 11.

A comment issued by a Swansway spokesperson quipped: “We’re sure members of the marketing team will be there to cheer Brad on, even if he is playing for the opposite team.”

In the AM100 2022 report Swansway director Peter Smyth revealed how the COVID-19 pandemic had served to change the family-run business’ approach to flexible working.

Smyth said that recruitment and retention had become a “massive, massive challenge” in the post-pandemic period, adding: “We have introduced flexible working into our contact centre in an effort to make those roles appeal to the people we need. If we didn’t acknowledge that shift, then we’d no longer have a business.”