As a senior executive designer at Liverpool Football Club (LFC), 34-year-old Darol, originally from Northern Ireland and now based in Liverpool, has also been studying for a Masters in marketing, communications and branding part-time, learning new skills which have directly contributed to the club’s recent rebrand.
Darol was sponsored to complete the degree by LFC to widen his team’s skillset and Edge Hill University’s program proved to be the perfect fit.
“I would say to anyone starting a course like this, have a clear direction of what you want at the end and make sure all the work you do is driving towards that.
“I knew from the start that my dissertation was going to be about football in some sense and the delicate nature of brand and marketing within the industry
“I geared all my modules to that final piece, meaning that anything I was reading over the course of the two years would have some sort of benefit for the dissertation.”
With the support of LFC, Darol pursued his part-time studies, navigating numerous busy football seasons. The backing of his managers and family proved crucial in helping him succeed.
During his first year, Darol experienced imposter syndrome, particularly when it came to essay writing. Given his 12-year break since his undergraduate degree, and as a designer being more accustomed to working with illustrations and drawings, he doubted how well he would complete written assignments.
However, receiving 75% on his first assignment gave him the confidence to succeed.
The dedication and passion of his teachers and tutors also inspired him to continue.
“What I loved most about my experience was the lecturers, they were brilliant. They were all very helpful and you could tell they really cared about how everybody in the class did.
“I think they really took an interest in everyone in the class and wanted to see them succeed.”
Darol’s master’s dissertation, of which he scored 85%, explored how football fans perceive their clubs not as brands, but as deeply personal and cultural institutions. One of the key findings was that any change to a club’s identity – no matter how subtle, is often met with resistance and it absolutely must retain meaning and respect heritage.
This insight became a guiding principle during his involvement in Liverpool FC’s 2025 brand refresh. Darol’s academic work gave senior leadership the confidence to include him in the working group, recognising the unique perspective he brought as a designer, a strategist, and a lifelong fan.
While there was never an intention to alter the club’s crest, they knew that building a visual identity around the Liver Bird, an enduring symbol in the club’s history, would resonate with supporters. Using the wings as inspiration to create bespoke fonts and graphic patterns added depth without disruption, and ultimately helped Darol and the team achieve fan buy-in by honouring the legacy that makes Liverpool FC so special.
Darol is open minded about the future and doesn’t want to set a fixed goal, but after his time at Edge Hill he is now more ambitious and would love to explore becoming a creative director.
Find out more about studying an MSc in Marketing, Communications and Branding at Edge Hill University.
July 24, 2025
