This year, we will begin inviting applications to join our General Committee from the end of September 2024.
Here, Vice Chair and Chair of Cricket Richard Stevenson provides members more information about the tasks undertaken by the committee, the importance of a wide range of skills and experience and how to make an application to join.
I started watching Notts in 1966 as a small boy of eight and joined as a member the following year. I lived in Wollaton and regularly would make a two- bus journey to Trent Bridge to watch county cricket where my heroes were Brian Bolus, Carlton Forbes and Basher Hassan (who is still a good friend today). In my first season as a member we finished second-bottom and never won a First-Class game all season; but thankfully this was all to change the following year when my new hero arrived - Garfield Sobers.
I also played cricket as a boy for school and represented Notts City schools. I was fortunate enough to play at Trent Bridge, before adult weekend cricket followed at Beeston Town and Arnold CC.
This connection with the recreational game has remained, as I am President and Treasurer of Fiskerton & Thurgarton cricket club and have also umpired in the South Notts League. As anyone who has had a connection with the recreational game will tell you, it gives you friendships for life – - whether that is through playing, scoring, or umpiring.
In my professional life I have been the sole proprietor of an accountancy practice since 1986.
Both my knowledge of the recreational game and my understanding of how a small business works have been very useful since I joined the General Committee in 2018.
I sit on the Club’s Finance, Audit and Risk Committee which meets three or four times a year. Two key tasks are to set each year’s budget and to sign off on the final accounts before they are presented to our members at the AGM. My accountancy knowledge has certainly been helpful when it comes to the final accounts, but I have also seen other Committee members without a specific financial background making a valuable contribution to our financial discussions, often by asking sensible questions from a layman’s perspective.
In 2023, I became Chair of our cricket sub- committee. As a life-long lover of the game, and Notts in particular, this is a role I particularly enjoy. I like to feel I offer support and a point of view (sometimes an alternative one!) to our Director of Cricket.
It’s a privilege to invite members of our coaching team to attend that sub-committee to give us updates, and to have the chance to ask them the questions that I know ordinary members might ask. But it’s not all about being a supporter; this committee offers a unique insight into the highs and lows of professional sport (something I am very familiar with as a lifelong Forest fan!). My job as Chair is to ensure that the agenda for the meeting covers all the key cricketing topics affecting our club and to allow everyone to have their say.
Another angle I enjoy is welcoming visitors to our wonderful ground on matchdays. Nothing beats seeing the expression on a visitor’s face as they look around our beautiful home, especially if they are new to our venue.
Being a member of General Committee uses a whole range of skills, such as the ability to understand budgets (or at least ask questions!), the experience of setting agendas for meetings and chairing meetings, and understanding the value of offering a warm Trent Bridge welcome to our guests.
Further information on how to apply for General Committee will be available at trentbridge.co.uk/committee from the end of September.