Yorkshire members against Geoffrey Boycott returning to board

08 March 2016 10:54

Geoffrey Boycott's hopes of rejoining the Yorkshire board appear to have suffered a setback after members' committee chairman Stephen Mann ruled out support for his nomination.

F ormer Yorkshire and England opener Boycott, who is one of four candidates standing for election, described the club's current financial position as a "recipe for disaster" in a broadcast interview on Monday night.

Within hours, however, Mann spelled out to the Yorkshire Post that there is no appetite among members to back 75-year-old Boycott's bid to be voted on to the board at the county champions' annual general meeting on March 26.

Mann reported, after a members' committee meeting, that club chairman Steve Denison's stance - that ex-Yorkshire president Boycott's nomination is 'not recommended by the board' - had been unanimously endorsed.

"The position that Steve Denison has taken regarding Boycs' candidacy was supported by every committee member without exception," said Mann.

"The committee members are speaking with club members all the time, and the feedback we've been getting is that members aren't in favour of Geoffrey.

"People are saying . that it's all about one man and deja vu all over again. The general view is that what's happening isn't constructive, and that the club is doing well and needs support.

"There is a general view that Boycs is out of touch with what's happening, partly because he's away with his media commitments, and partly because he spends a lot of time in South Africa."

Boycott restated his position - one which has not found favour with former Yorkshire and England captain Michael Vaughan among others - to BBC Radio 5 Live.

"I'm not trying to cause any problems, create any trouble," he said.

"I want to help the club. I've been with it 60 years. I think somebody has to speak up for the members.

"The debt has gone from £5million in 2002 to £24million in 12 years. So the businessmen on the board haven't done a very good job, have they?

"We can't go on borrowing money - £24million is huge. that's a recipe for disaster."

Vaughan, meanwhile, continues to publicly dissuade Boycott from standing again.

"I like it when he says he's not trying to cause any trouble," said Vaughan on Monday night.

"Well, he is. He's certainly done that.

"He's passionate, I love him to bits, but he's 75 years of age. Come on Geoffrey, go and have a game of golf!"

Source: PA