1. STARTING ON A PERSONAL NOTE, WHAT ARE YOUR HOBBIES AND INTERESTS OUTSIDE OF CRICKET?
Might sound a bit sad, but cricket is my main hobby / interest, although ironically I don’t see as much as I used to. In addition, I enjoy writing and I’m currently working on a couple of scripts which will hopefully make it to air in the foreseeable future.
2. DID YOU PLAY CRICKET AT SCHOOL? DO YOU PLAY CRICKET NOW?
I did play at school and after I left I played for a local club in Lincolnshire, which is where I grew up. I was also captain of my work team for about 6 years. I was a fairly average all-rounder – biggest moment was taking 7-24 in a local league match with my medium pace away swing.
3. WHEN DID YOU ATTEND YOUR FIRST YCCC MATCH? WHO WAS PLAYING?
My great uncle was responsible for my love of cricket. My mum’s side of the family come from Kent and I used to go down every year with my Grandma, from the age of 7, to watch the Canterbury festival. The first match I ever saw was a John Player league match between Kent and Yorkshire in 1977 (I think). My family were worried I’d fidget all day but I was quiet as a mouse and sat still all of the game and have loved it ever since. The only thing I can remember of the game was watching Geoff Boycott walk out to bat – everyone reacted differently when he came out – I now know why!
My dad often took me up to Scarborough as living in Lincolnshire it wasn’t that far. When I was young, Headingley was only visited for test matches.
4. PRIOR TO MOVING TO THE YCCC, YOU OPERATED A MEMORABILIA BUSINESS. HOW DID YOU GET INVOLVED IN SPORTS MEMORABILIA? DO YOU STILL OPERATE THE BUSINESS OR HAVE YOU GIVEN IT OVER TO A PARTNER OR ASSOCIATE?
My memorabilia business was established in 2000 and basically started after I sold some of my collection of cricket autographs and realised the extent of the market for signed memorabilia. I deal in music, movie and sports memorabilia and I still run the business (www.memorabiliamania.com for anyone interested) albeit of a much reduced level as work at the Club takes up a large proportion of my time. Cricket autographs are not a lucrative market, but I did used to collect at Headingley Carnegie. Since I took the job here it hasn’t felt right to ask the players to sign anything – other than the items I’ve sourced for the www.ycccauctions.com website.
5. WHOM DO YOU RATE AS THE GREATEST YORKSHIRE PLAYER IN HISTORY? WHY?
My favourite player is Darren Lehmann for obvious reasons. He seemed to have so much time to play the ball and also time for supporters. I was disappointed that I missed his 339. Before Darren’s time at the Club I was a great admirer of Geoffrey Boycott as a player – I think that was partly because he was the first player I saw play (see answer 3).
6. THE PR AND COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER SEEMS AN EXPANSIVE AND ALL-ENCOMPASSING JOB DESCRIPTION: WHAT EXACTLY DOES IT INVOLVE?
It is a wide role and includes the Public Relations for the Club as well as communications – the YCM, website, WRTV, match day programmes from 2008 season. I am also the first point of contact for the media and write the press releases, arrange interviews and queue up the players when possible. We are running a media training session for the youngsters next week as they need to be ready if things go really well for them. No day is the same.
7. YOU OBVIOUSLY HAVE A SUBSTANTIAL SET OF RESPONSIBILITIES: WHICH PART OF YOUR JOB IS MOST SATISFYING OR MOST REWARDING?
I like the job because it is so varied. There isn’t really one part of the job I enjoy more than others, but I must admit that seeing the YCM when it arrives is pretty satisfying. I’m also very excited about WRTV – that could be something exceptionally good for supporters.
8. WHAT PROPORTION OF YOUR JOB IS TAKEN UP WITH MANAGING THE YCCC WEBSITE?
Realistically I’d say 40%, but at times it can be more. When Stewart Regan used to tell me the club was run by a small number of staff I always used to take that with a pinch of salt, but it really is. It makes me laugh when people phone up and ask to speak to the press office or the communications team because both are me. When you moan when something hasn’t appeared on the website within hours of an event happening spare a thought to me behind the scenes – I have a few days holiday and get back to find the forums in uproar. Seriously though, it can be tough to respond to things immediately, particularly when there are a few things happening at the same time.
9. WHAT IS YOUR UNBIASED PREDICTION FOR YORKSHIRE IN THIS YEAR’S COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP? WILL THE TYKES WIN A ONE-DAY TROPHY THIS YEAR?
It is impossible for me to be unbiased. It’s a tough Division 1 and we have every chance. All we need is a good start and the sky is the limit – the Pro ARCH Trophy success augurs well. Martyn Moxon and Darren Gough have been great and they know what they are doing – I think the Club is in safe hands.
10. WHAT CONTRIBUTION OR INITIATIVE ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF SINCE YOU SIGNED ON WITH THE YCCC?
The YCM. It will continue to improve, but I’m happy with the start it has made and the goal is to make it self funding, which we are well on the way to achieving. As with everything we do your comments are always welcome – the YCM, website and everything we do is for you the supporter so your input is important.
11. HOW IS THE YORKSHIRE PRIDE FUNDRAISING APPEAL GOING? HAS THE LOTTERY ACTUALLY MADE A PROFIT WHEN ASSOCIATED COSTS ARE INCLUDED?
That’s not really my area. As I understand it the progress made has been slower than hoped. A lot of people have worked on the lottery and the staff turnover hasn’t helped the progress.
12. WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE TYPE OF CRICKET (TWENTY-20, 50-OVER or COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP) AND WHY?
I’m a traditionalist – I prefer the Championship. I enjoy the other forms of the game, but for me the 4-day matches are what cricket is all about. On the international stage I prefer Test Matches and for me the 4-day Championship supports the 5-day Tests.
13. IF YOU COULD ADD ONE PLAYER FROM ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD TO THIS YEAR’S YORKSHIRE SIDE, WHO WOULD IT BE AND WHY?
Jason Gillespie as he was great to work with last year, a really lovely guy. You may think that is a cop out kind of answer and you’d probably be right!
14. ARE CENTRAL CONTRACTS GOOD OR BAD FOR ENGLISH CRICKET?
Blimey, there’s a question! I guess the answer depends where you are sat. I can see that the ECB and the national coaching staff like to have the main players under their control, but equally it can cause the counties problems – when are your internationals going to be available, wouldn’t county supporters like to see more of them and how frustrating it must be for the player who has to stand down when the international returns for county action? Equally the counties get a lot of their income as a result of the England team so there is a trade off there. Personally I used to like the old set up where as a supporter you knew that when a Test Match was on you wouldn’t see there stars, but when there were no internationals being played you’d see the Test players playing for their counties.
15. WE ARE TOLD THAT MEMBERSHIP IS GOING UP. CAN YOU GIVE PROVIDE ACTUAL FIGURES?
It’s very nearly 6,000 at the moment which is an increase at the same time last year. We ended the season at 8,000+ and if things carry on as they are doing I’d expect to see us pushing 10,000 by September. The reason the figure is lower at the moment is because a lot of people leave it to the last minute to renew their memberships. It’s a great Club to be a member of so get your renewals in quickly.
16, HAVE YOU HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET GEOFFREY BOYCOTT SINCE YOU JOINED THE YCCC? IF SO WHAT DID YOU TALK ABOUT?
Geoffrey was in our office a lot last year, mainly because he was sorting out the finer details of the dinner we held to mark his 100th hundred. He’s obviously on the board and is passionate about the club. He talks to staff here on the phone very frequently.
17. WHITE ROSE FORUM POSTERS CAN SOMETIMES BE CRITICAL OF OR IMPATIENT WITH THE YCCC. WHAT ADVISE WOULD YOU LIKE TO GIVE WRF MEMBERS?
I know what it is like to be waiting for news and wanting to know what’s happening. Obviously, on the other side there is often little point in fuelling rumour and speculation. When we get news out to you it is when we have something to say that is fact. The recent Rana Naved situation is a good example where behind the scenes there was often nothing new to tell you and with the legalities and complications involved it is a tough call when to say anything at all. Often the press write about speculation as if it is fact, whereas the Club cannot do that. We are getting better as a Club with our communications, but there is a way to go before we are perfect – if perfection is possible in this kind of environment.
18. DO YOU GET TO SOCIALIZE WITH THE PLAYERS, OR IS YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THEM “STRICTLY BUSINESS?”
I’ve written elsewhere that joining the club was strange - players I supported as a member were suddenly work colleagues and it took me a few weeks to see them as people rather than players. We do socialise at club events such as the end of season night out. When i was in Abu Dhabi we were all there as the team. The players are all good guys – we’re lucky as a Club in that regard.
19. SEVERAL WHITE ROSE FORUM MEMBERS ARE WRITERS OR JOURNALISTS AND MANY OTHERS WRITE VERY INTELLIGENTLY AND PASSIONATELY ABOUT CRICKET AND YORKSHIRE. HAVE YOU GIVEN FURTHER THOUGHT TO UTILIZING SOME OF THEIR EXPERTISE OR INCLUDING SOME OF THEIR WRITING IN THE CLUB MAGAZINE OR WEBSITE?
Yes. The YCM is still expanding – I hope to be able to add pages soon and they will need filling. Similarly match day programmes need lots of copy, so watch this space – the call will come very soon.
20. AS YOU KNOW THERE ARE LITERALLY MILLIONS OF EX-PAT YORKSHIRE CRICKET FANS LIVING IN ALL PARTS OF THE WORLD. HAS ANY THOUGHT BEEN GIVEN TO OFFERING AN ATTRACTIVE REDUCED-RATE “SUPPORTERS-TYPE MEMBERSHIP” TO ATTRACT THIS VAST POOL OF OVERSEAS FANS, WHO WHILE THEY HAVE NO OPPORTUNITY OR INTEREST IN ATTENDING MATCHES, WOULD NEVERTHELESS LIKE TO SUPPORT THE TEAM?
That is what the £60 affiliate membership is for. I have seen the discussions and all I would say – if you don’t think the rewards in exchange for the money are appropriate then write in with suggestions on what you think would be more appropriate for your £60. I cannot promise anything, but will certainly look at any suggestions.
BONUS QUESTION
WHAT YCCC INITIATIVES AND PROJECTS ARE YOU CURRENTLY WORKING ON?
Continuing to sort the website out – the transfer of data didn’t go as well as planned, but I am very happy with the overall look and feel of the new site – it will get better as we progress and I want to build WRTV into something better than other clubs have. We are producing our own match day programmes this year and I want to fill them with Yorkshire content. It’s not an overnight fix, but this is the best cricket club in the world and the PR and Communications should be the best in cricket too.
A lot of what we do behind the scenes is driven by what happens on the pitch. It is so much easier to sell tickets and put a positive message out there if the team are winning. If the team win then we are all happy.
