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Post by hawke on May 22, 2024 10:37:14 GMT
Excellent. I was wrong. It was worth appealing. Hope that makes a difference to the squad but not sure it will.
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Post by slowleftarmer on May 22, 2024 11:12:08 GMT
Yes I cannot see someone like Katie Levick sit back and accept tier 2 cricket for a year if she has international aspirations - she will be targeted from north south and west to snap up her talent as one of the better spin bowlers at that level.
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Post by newby on May 22, 2024 12:33:24 GMT
Katie Levick has a bit of side hustle as a commentator on games at Headingley and has been vocal in her discontent with the original decision.
Winfield Hill too perhaps has her England days behind her.
Headingley is still home to the Northern Superchargers in the 100, and despite holding out the prospect of expansion in that to Durham I can't see that happening anytime soon.
It's up to the players themselves and of course what they are offered.
Either way it's not going to help Durham at all if they were contemplating inheriting an almost ready made organisation.
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Post by Capybara on May 22, 2024 12:36:29 GMT
I'm not a member and never have been but the prospect of demutualisation frightens the life out of me.
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Post by karma on May 23, 2024 6:38:44 GMT
For what it's worth Capybara , I am a member but the prospect of demutualisation doesn't worry me, though it will grow in importance and voting members of the club will have to think carefully before casting their vote.
If the club de-mutualises , nobody will die, the earth will continue turning and YCCC will continue playing County Cricket. Same if the club carries on as a member's club. Same if the club in it's present form 'goes bust' and the administrators come in .Cricket will continue.
As most members ( 75% ) do not vote actually getting the required numbers agreeing to a change and voting to put it into effect will be well nigh impossible.
I think a way forward is for the club to stop selling Membership automatically with tickets. They could sell Season Tickets ( without voting rights and say Season Tickets PLUS - in this latter case actually having voting rights. It would take time to sort this out and I'm not convinced the club has that time before the 'need' to vote for de-mutualisation arises.
Whatever happens though life will go on and Yorkshire will still be playing cricket .
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Post by newby on May 23, 2024 7:41:19 GMT
If the club management find it easier to do business then I really don't mind. Just as long as we start winning on the field.
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Post by slowleftarmer on May 23, 2024 7:45:41 GMT
There have been a number of changes over the years which at the time would have had Fred mumbling "he did not know what was going on" and Rhodes and Verity would have made more turns in their grave than they ever did with a ball in their hand.
But when you then look back, was the change really as bad as we thought at the time?
If we never changed - and lets face it Yorkshire folk are more stubborn than most - we would not have allowed overseas players in and therefore missed watching the likes of Boof, Younis Khan, Sachin Tendulkar and Jaques Rudolph, we would not have allowed players born outside the Yorkshire boundaries to play for us so no Vaughan and we would not have moved on from being controlled by one individual (Lord Hawke, Ronnie Burnett etc).
To move forward we have to embrace and accept change - it might mean losing something to gain something else, or to stay competitive or sometimes just to stay in existence. It might mean having to put your trust in someone but in the absence of other options its surely worth the risk. It might mean short term pain for long term gain. But we need to somehow get out of the mess we are in, on and off the pitch and right now I trust Graves more than Hutton (Roger not Len) or Patel and no one else came forward a few months back in our hour of need despite us no doubt spending a fortune on a firm of headhunters to find credible options
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Post by davemorton on May 23, 2024 9:25:56 GMT
I trust Graves more than Patel, certainly, and more than Sunak or the cardboard cut-out Labour leader. but it was Graves who introduced the layer of cricket between International and County.
Unless checked, the Franchises will soon be introduced in all forms of cricket, and the Counties will become third tier. Why should I trust a man to run my County, who apparently dislikes County cricket and has done so much to harm it? The man who pushed through the purchase of Headingley, and all those improvements* to the ground, at huge cost to us, for some other teams to play on? Meanwhile, our team has to play on the edge of the square, like the under 12s at a cricket club.
*Improvements - the replacement of the Winter Shed stand with the Carbuncle; Long Room and East stand; floodlights, drainage and levelling and shrinking of playing area; Howard stand; improved comfort.
I reckon some of these were improvements, and very much needed; perhaps others were not. Overall, Headingley is a cleaner and more comfortable place than it was, but the loss of the Winter Shed was a tragedy, especially as the seats in the Carbuncle are denied to Members.
Historically, YCCC used to play only three or four 3-day games at Headingley, out of perhaps 17 or 18, plus the Test, in Yorkshire. The ground has never been more a part of our 'great heritage' than any of the other grounds in the County, and in my opinion the cost was not worth it, which is why this has all arisen.
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Post by slowleftarmer on May 23, 2024 10:20:50 GMT
ok Graves pushed through the purchase of Headingley.... and if he didn't then we would still be at the whim of Mr Caddick decided he wanted to do and his interests lie over the Emerald Stand with the rugby codes that play there.
Who knows what he might have done with Headingley (other than make a tidy sum from the bar sales etc and deny YCCC that opportunity) - we could be student houses, a car park for rugby, a supermarket or even a Wetherspoons....
The new Pavilion has grown on me over time - its far better than the Lancashire new buildings on Old Trafford. It might not blend in with other parts of the ground and I share with you the loss of the old Winter Shed (even if its just for me to reminisce about me and my Dad sitting on top of it and him telling me about his indoor net trials when he as a kid) but lets face it, the old pavilion was hardly fit for purpose was it?
Yes Graves may have some different views on what the future of cricket looks like but i suspect any new owner/investor would too as they would look at it from a money angle only. Graves is a fan and has been for a long time. he might even respect and honour the history and legacy of the club - well more than Ashley would have, more than a CEO if an Indian cement manufacturer and more than someone from outside the county.
He is trying to take the club forward. Its not easy and its not simple and its not going to please everyone sadly. But I trust him to be trying to do the best he can so we have a club to watch still in the future
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Post by newby on May 23, 2024 11:08:52 GMT
Talking about Lancashire as sla was, I heard there is some disquiet over that way and there is the chance that the Chairman might be voted out by the members at the AGM at the end of the month.
Can you shed any light on this DM and is there any truth in the rumours. I think it was the Cricketer website I picked it up but the rest was behind a pay wall.
Gloucestershire members got rid of their chair a few months ago and now I read the CEO is on his bike too. Perhaps the idea of revolting members is the reason CG is pushing for Demutualisation.
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Post by karma on May 23, 2024 13:46:59 GMT
Colin Graves is the current Yorkshire Chair, that position confirmed by Member's votes
I believe Colin Graves loves cricket and Yorkshire County Cricket Club in particular.
I do not believe he is in his current job of Chair to make money.
When I look at what the previous board failed to achieve in a couple of years in not sorting out the refinancing nor putting the club in a stronger financial position, it puts in perspective the task facing Colin Graves, who has been in the job for 3 months. In that time he will have had a chance to start to see in a little more detail, the task facing him and the club.
Those who are impatient for news of what he has achieved in that time within YCCC should bear in mind a review of staff, functions and expenditure take time to consider and even longer to take effect. That should be compared with action taken by a previous Chair in which very quick action brought about mass sacking and breach of contract (without due process) Result? A slow, dragged out tale across the media, lost careers, tribunals , court cases , lawyers ,compensation and a cost of about £5.5mill.
Colin Graves put in £1mill of his own money as a loan, an unsecured loan at that, which means that if the club folds he will be an ordinary creditor and would probably see very little if anything of that money again. Clearly he is no financial fool though I'm sure he will since having actually taken up the position 3 months ago have been taken aback at the clubs position in detail with very little good or positive news
I don't know about you but when I've received very serious news, I've gone to sleep worrying over it and when I wake up a sudden realisation starts the thinking and worrying again. In the case of Colin Graves, who is I think a very tough and experienced businessman, I don't think he is immune from those thoughts upon going to sleep and waking up. Especially as he loves the club so much. And for good ness sake, he's 76 and stress from this hopefully will for his sake not affect his health .
If anyone doubts his motives , I don't share your doubts .
I believe he will do his best to avoid de-mutualisation for YCCC (based upon his original offer being rejected by the then board) but if it comes to that route I believe he will do his utmost to protect the rights of members. He has stated that in public.
Demutualisation itself is the topic for another thread created by donnylad
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Post by slowleftarmer on May 23, 2024 14:33:17 GMT
yes he is not here to make money thats for sure.
He is here to make sure he does not lose money though!
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Post by karma on May 23, 2024 15:13:40 GMT
yes he is not here to make money thats for sure. He is here to make sure he does not lose money though! I don't regard those two aims as being contradictory ie protecting Yorkshire's financial interests will help protect the family trust monies and of course his recent £1mill unsecured loan to YCCC
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Post by newby on May 24, 2024 18:22:18 GMT
I haven't read it but it appears Michael Atherton has reported in the Times that a deal has been struck between hosting and non hosting counties with regard to the carve up/division of the spoils whatever you want to call it when the Hundred is opened up for private equity.
Lots more detail to come out and first of all they have to find a buyer/buyers to take it on. I have heard figures of up to a £40M share (each) for hosting Counties, £23M (each) has been muted for the have nots.
If it does transpire it will solve one lot of problems but no doubt cause a new lot and will need to be handled very carefully.
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Post by byased on May 27, 2024 10:48:56 GMT
This could be when we maybe appreciate the Hundred. Still not something I think I would watch, but it could go a long way to putting Yorkshire's finances back in shape, and maybe repay a lot of debt owed to Graves. The danger, possibly, being that money would be thrown around at players in terms of wages, depending on what type of competitions evolve over the coming years
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