IT has certainly been an eventful week for past and present board members at Somerset County Cricket Club.
Lee Cooper’s shock decision to step down as CEO at the County Ground follows former Somerset chairman Andy Nash’s resignation from the ECB board last week.
READ MORE: Cooper to step down as Somerset CEO
The timing of Cooper’s decision is far from ideal; Somerset thought they were going into the new season on a more stable footing after the changes which have taken place at the top both on and off the field.
The club were proud to boast a local captain (Tom Abell), chairman (Charles Clark) and CEO (Lee Cooper) but must now find a replacement for the latter, whose changes to membership prices may well prove to be the most impactful act of his brief tenure.
That decision came after he had built up goodwill by standing up to the ECB when Somerset’s status as a Division One side was up in the air last season, with Cooper genuinely seeming to have the county’s best interests at heart and stressing he was not angling for positions further up the cricketing food chain.
In that sense his loss may be keenly felt as, following Taunton’s omission from the major match list until 2024, Somerset need to be robust in defending their interests now more than ever - particularly in light of Nash’s concerns that the ECB are “promoting eight counties as the first among equals.”
One thing is for sure - the appointment of Cooper’s replacement is a crucial one.
TIMELINE:
- JUNE 2017: Somerset announce Lee Cooper is to take over from Guy Lavender as Somerset’s CEO.
Cooper said: “I am absolutely delighted to have been appointed as Somerset’s next CEO. This is a role that I am extremely passionate about and one that I am very excited to be undertaking.”
- AUGUST 2017: Cooper begins his tenure with the following mission statement: “Simply, my vision is to compete for and win trophies.
“It’s enormously important that we challenge in all formats and we will start every season with the objective of winning all three competitions, and no one format will take precedence.”
- OCTOBER 2017: Somerset’s new CEO announces the club are preparing legal action against the ECB should they overturn Middlesex’s points deduction, which would relegate Somerset.
He said: “We have reassurances, but not guarantees, that we have nothing to worry about, but we are not trusting that.
“We either trust that we’ll be ok or we issue legal action against the ECB. If they overturn their decision, we do the latter.”
- OCTOBER 2017: Somerset announce membership prices for the 2018 season, with bands split into ‘Club’ and ‘T20’ causing increases for those who wish to watch all formats.
In a statement explaining the changes, Cooper notes “escalating” running costs and “retaining and attracting players to compete for trophies.”
- FEBRUARY 2018: Cooper pens an open letter expanding on the reasons behind pricing changes and addressing claims of a “conflict of interest” between his roles at Somerset CCC and Cooper Associates.
He went on: “Personally, I’m a Somerset supporter first and an employee second and from my perspective, we’re in this together.”
- FEBRUARY 2018: The ECB release their Major Match List for 2020-2024 - Taunton misses out on hosting England internationals and the new domestic T20 tournament from 2020.
- MARCH 2018: Cooper announces he is to step down “as soon as a suitable replacement is found.”
Reaction flooded in from supporters (and a certain former player) on social media...
You literally couldn't make this up. https://t.co/nv0rinrg7h
— jimallenby (@jimallenby) March 14, 2018
I have to say I didn't see that one coming. I was really looking forward to @SomersetCCC being managed by Lee Cooper for years to come but not to be. I wish Lee well and hope the club makes the right appointment
— The Incider (@The_InCider) March 14, 2018
Wow! I certainly didn't see that coming!! Club need to be very careful as to who they appoint in his place.
— John Blackmore (@SloopJohnB7) March 14, 2018
Shame because whenever Lee spoke he seemed to speak with great knowledge and a clear mindset in what he wanted to achieve. Not a great look for the club again though, especially just before the new season. Hopefully the on field employees can just focus on the cricket.
— Ollie Slack (@ol14__) March 14, 2018
It always should be a full-time job. No matter how clever or successful the person, CEO requires 100% focus.
— Stephen Hubbard (@SH_Berkhamsted) March 14, 2018
See tomorrow's County Gazette for more.
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