Wolves appoint brand new general manager to lead them to National Second Tier

Upton - who has spent the past six years as GM of The Sage Wollongong - will take up the same title at the Wolves, with the club set to return to the national stage in 2025 in the inaugural NST competition run by Football Australia.

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Upton comes into the role following the recent departure of former chief executive Strebre Delovski, who was employed in that position on a part-time basis since 2022.

Upton said he was looking forward to exciting times ahead with the Wolves.

"I am excited and honoured to be given the opportunity to join the Wollongong Wolves, a club which has a proud and strong history of representing the Illawarra region," Upton said.

"The club is passionate about the Illawarra footballing community and the future of the game in our region. I look forward to continuing the great work that has already been done and leading the club into exciting times ahead."

Meanwhile, Wolves chairman Tory Lavalle welcomed the appointment of the new GM.

"Mark comes from a strong and extensive background across all aspects in business, tourism, and major events nationally and abroad, and we are excited to welcome Mark to the club and look forward to working with him," Lavalle said.

Upton currently serves as a director of Destination Wollongong and is a committee member of Healthier Illawarra Men. He has held leadership positions across national hospitality groups over the past decade.

He will begin in the role from May 13, 2024.

The Wolves are one of eight foundation clubs for the upcoming NST, set to commence in either March or April 2025.

The NST is set to act as the league directly below the professional football competition in Australia, the A-League. The idea is to introduce promotion and relegation between the two competitions in years to come, further strengthening the game nationally.