Geoff Boycott 'disappointed - but nothing's changed' after board return fails

26 March 2016 01:53

Geoffrey Boycott was saddened after failing in his bid to rejoin Yorkshire's board, although he insists that will not drive a wedge between him and the county.

The high-profile former White Rose captain and president still divides opinion at Headingley as a close postal vote went against the 75-year-old, whose decision to stand for election at the club's annual general meeting was openly opposed by the hierarchy.

Boycott's fate was the main talking point on Easter Saturday and in stark contrast to the other three candidates - Mark Arthur, Robin Smith and Sir Gary Verity - who were welcomed onto the board, the ex-England batsman received 602 votes in favour of his return and 758 against.

Boycott, who made his Yorkshire debut in 1962, insists he will remain a regular presence around the club and reiterated his desire to stand was motivated solely to help with the finances as their debts exceed £20million.

He said: "I didn't put up to win or lose, I thought I could do some good for the club.

"To all those people who voted for me: thank you, and to those that didn't, I just want everyone to know that I love the club, it's been part of my life for 60 years, I love its history, its traditions and I know many of the members, personally.

"I just wanted to put some points of view, some opinions to help. It's not going to change anything, I'll be watching and supporting the team as I've always done.

"We have a very good set of players, an excellent coach, good management behind the scenes - they're a pleasure to watch.

"I'll be here of the first match of the season. I'm disappointed - but nothing's changed."

Yorkshire chairman Steve Denison was firmly against Boycott's return to the board, saying in a letter to members the club "need specialist skills" in tackling their financial situation.

It was a stance shared by committee chairman Stephen Mann and Ashes 2005-winning captain and former Yorkshire batsman Michael Vaughan, although Denison would be in favour of offering Boycott an ambassadorial role with the county.

Denison said: "Desperately keen, as we've said all along, we want everybody in the club to be playing to their strengths and his strength is in that ambassadorial role, shouting about Yorkshire County Cricket Club around the world and bringing people into the ground at Headingley, particularly on international day."

Denison has now drawn a line under the issue, adding: "Completely, it has from the club's point of view and hopefully it has from Geoffrey's point of view too.

"He's a legend of the club and we want to see him at Headingley at every possible opportunity. He'll always be welcome here so let's hope that's what happens going forward."

Boycott has had a chequered relationship with the club's committee through the years, tensions rising to the fore in 1978 when he heavily criticised the decision to remove him as captain in a BBC interview with Michael Parkinson.

However, his most famous bust-up came five years later after the county were forced to perform a U-turn, having previously refused to offer Boycott a contract for the 1984 season due to overwhelming pressure.

That led to several members, including former Yorkshire great Fred Trueman, resigning, as Boycott was elected while still a player to the committee.

He finished as the county's third highest run-scorer of all-time, behind Herbert Sutcliffe and David Denton after retiring in 1986. He received more than 90 per cent of the vote to become the club's president in 2012, saying at the time: "The only thing that really matters to the membership is that Yorkshire do well in Championship cricket."

Boycott's successor as Yorkshire president, Dickie Bird, was given a round of applause following the end of his two-year tenure, with the famous umpire replaced by ex-Yorkshire captain John Hampshire, who received 1,000 votes in his favour and nine against.

Source: PA