[Cricket] Rob Andrew gets top ECB job

[PeterT]

Hampshire's ground is hardly in Southampton is it?

Do we have an Oxford college to gift us a site next to the motorway/bypass?

 

[PILTDOWN MAN]

Do we have an Oxford college to gift us a site next to the motorway/bypass?

Hove worth what?

 

[PeterT]

Hove worth what?

About what the old county ground in Southampton was I guess.

 

[PILTDOWN MAN]

About what the old county ground in Southampton was I guess.

That I doubt.

Prime site in Hove!

Most counties (not international) survive by offering conference, hotel or business services. At Hove they can't, they have now exhausted their property sell off. What next?

The pavilion is awful, the other side has no room, sea end at a max and temporary stands at the Cromwell end. It has restricted opportunities to increase revenue.

 

[PeterT]

That I doubt.

Prime site in Hove!

Most counties (not international) survive by offering conference, hotel or business services. At Hove they can't, they have now exhausted their property sell off. What next?

The pavilion is awful, the other side has no room, sea end at a max and temporary stands at the Cromwell end. It has restricted opportunities to increase revenue.

Can’t argue with that, but it could still be very serviceable with a 10k capacity and upgrade.

I always thought it a shame that a site by the Amex couldn’t have been found but I suppose that was never going to happen. Although for selfish reasons I would love it to stay in Hove, I wouldn’t object to a move away if several of the boxes could be ticked re building something more sustainable for the future. However I don’t think you can just plonk it anywhere in the middle of nowhere, it needs to be by a big population centre (such as B&H) as seems to be the case with pretty much all the counties. Even if you plonked it in, say, Crawley, would there be a big enough local support for the team when (hopefully) on field fortunes start to improve?

 

[vegster]

A

…according to the Telegraph he’s been chosen as MD of professional cricket at the ECB. The paper describes his time at Sussex as a “mixed bag”. Presumably it means a bag that’s been emptied of all the good stuff, had some food waste put in it, and then mixed.

A paper bag at that...Good riddance if he's off.

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

Can’t argue with that, but it could still be very serviceable with a 10k capacity and upgrade.

I always thought it a shame that a site by the Amex couldn’t have been found but I suppose that was never going to happen. Although for selfish reasons I would love it to stay in Hove, I wouldn’t object to a move away if several of the boxes could be ticked re building something more sustainable for the future. However I don’t think you can just plonk it anywhere in the middle of nowhere, it needs to be by a big population centre (such as B&H) as seems to be the case with pretty much all the counties. Even if you plonked it in, say, Crawley, would there be a big enough local support for the team when (hopefully) on field fortunes start to improve?

If attendance are ropey now, they would be non existent in Crawley or anywhere more than 10 miles from Brighton

And therein lies the problem with moving. There is nowhere to move to. Even if there were an accessible site, with the right footprint, with public transport links somewhere in mid sussex or wherever, which miraculously turned out to have enough cricket fans nearby to better what we can get in the middle of Hove, we would still need to purchase, get planning for and build the facilities

Agree we should be using outgrounds from time to time.

But Hove is our home. The Country Ground is a lovely little place. We're not trying to host tests, so we don't need to expand. Yes the future is uncertain, but that's the case for every non test hosting county.

 

[PILTDOWN MAN]

Can’t argue with that, but it could still be very serviceable with a 10k capacity and upgrade.

I always thought it a shame that a site by the Amex couldn’t have been found but I suppose that was never going to happen. Although for selfish reasons I would love it to stay in Hove, I wouldn’t object to a move away if several of the boxes could be ticked re building something more sustainable for the future. However I don’t think you can just plonk it anywhere in the middle of nowhere, it needs to be by a big population centre (such as B&H) as seems to be the case with pretty much all the counties. Even if you plonked it in, say, Crawley, would there be a big enough local support for the team when (hopefully) on field fortunes start to improve?

I won't bore you but used to really involved knowing the players and the board. The ethos has gone. I could go on all evening.

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

And I forgot to make the main point.

95% of Sussex fans are Albion fans. Most Albion fans in some way follow local sport including the cricket

Selling the central Hove site with a vague promise that we're going to relocate in Sussex somewhere would be reopening some serious wounds. Any chief exec who proposed that would be labelled Bellotti Mk2

The fans would never consent

 

[PILTDOWN MAN]

If attendance are ropey now, they would be non existent in Crawley or anywhere more than 10 miles from Brighton

And therein lies the problem with moving. There is nowhere to move to. Even if there were an accessible site, with the right footprint, with public transport links somewhere in mid sussex or wherever, which miraculously turned out to have enough cricket fans nearby to better what we can get in the middle of Hove, we would still need to purchase, get planning for and build the facilities

Agree we should be using outgrounds from time to time.

But Hove is our home. The Country Ground is a lovely little place. We're not trying to host tests, so we don't need to expand. Yes the future is uncertain, but that's the case for every non test hosting county.

The club needs to appeal to the whole county it doesn't currently, not just in support but in player development. The first post is indicative of many who know a lot more than published.

 

[PILTDOWN MAN]

And I forgot to make the main point.

95% of Sussex fans are Albion fans. Most Albion fans in some way follow local sport including the cricket

Selling the central Hove site with a vague promise that we're going to relocate in Sussex somewhere would be reopening some serious wounds. Any chief exec who proposed that would be labelled Bellotti Mk2

The fans would never consent

Huge difference many many who follow Brighton have never lived near to Brighton but live in Sussex. Sussex CCC is Sussex.

 

[timbha]

If attendance are ropey now, they would be non existent in Crawley or anywhere more than 10 miles from Brighton

And therein lies the problem with moving. There is nowhere to move to. Even if there were an accessible site, with the right footprint, with public transport links somewhere in mid sussex or wherever, which miraculously turned out to have enough cricket fans nearby to better what we can get in the middle of Hove, we would still need to purchase, get planning for and build the facilities

Agree we should be using outgrounds from time to time.

But Hove is our home. The Country Ground is a lovely little place. We're not trying to host tests, so we don't need to expand. Yes the future is uncertain, but that's the case for every non test hosting county.

There are plans to move hospitality, erect permanent stands at the Cromwell Road end, and generally make the Hove HQ more presentable and comfortable for fans. Typically of the Rob Andrew era, there are no timescales.

Hosting cricket at Arundel, Horsham, etc is relatively expensive esp if there’s bad weather and days are cancelled. I believe there are plans to reinstate the Arundel week, but once again no timescales.

Trying to sell the Hove HQ for residential development may, I suspect meet one or two objections (!) and restrictive covenants.

It’s quality bowlers and decent leaders that we need, on and off the pitch.

 

[PILTDOWN MAN]

There are plans to move hospitality, erect permanent stands at the Cromwell Road end, and generally make the Hove HQ more presentable and comfortable for fans. Typically of the Rob Andrew era, there are no timescales.

Hosting cricket at Arundel, Horsham, etc is relatively expensive esp if there’s bad weather and days are cancelled. I believe there are plans to reinstate the Arundel week, but once again no timescales.

Trying to sell the Hove HQ for residential development may, I suspect meet one or two objections (!) and restrictive covenants.

It’s quality bowlers and decent leaders that we need, on and off the pitch.

Yes so expensive to sell out all the sponsor tents and general public. It's tosh I've seen the figures it's tosh. One man and his dog as opposed to full hospitality. Small minded idiots have run the club too long.

 

[timbha]

Yes so expensive to sell out all the sponsor tents and general public. It's tosh I've seen the figures it's tosh. One man and his dog as opposed to full hospitality. Small minded idiots have run the club too long.

Not sure how taking Sussex cricket to the “out grounds” would work under current ECB arrangements when CC, Blast and 50 over matches are played in different months.

Not sure hospitality would be that popular at say Horsham, in April, versus Glamorgan, with no floodlights, and the 4th day looking unlikely!

You could say the same about Hove but the floodlights are a permanent fixture and there is always a crowd of 300+ STHs, even when it’s raining.

I don’t disagree with your final sentence

 

[PILTDOWN MAN]

Not sure how taking Sussex cricket to the “out grounds” would work under current ECB arrangements when CC, Blast and 50 over matches are played in different months.

Not sure hospitality would be that popular at say Horsham, in April, versus Glamorgan, with no floodlights, and the 4th day looking unlikely!

You could say the same about Hove but the floodlights are a permanent fixture and there is always a crowd of 300+ STHs, even when it’s raining.

I don’t disagree with your final sentence

I agree the formats are crap currently. Lights aren't a problem, Sussex had temporary for years, indeed the first country to do so!

 

[timbha]

I wonder how long it will be before the Argus picks up on this Rob Andrew news. Or have I missed it?

 

[Munchkin]

I wonder how long it will be before the Argus picks up on this Rob Andrew news. Or have I missed it?

Telegraph jumped the gun. Journalist in question has previous beef with RA. ECB yet to make a decision on the appointment.

RA is one of the front runners but the appointment isn’t nailed on.

He would also have to give 6 months notice to Sussex .

 

[The Clown of Pevensey Bay]

He's gone: https://sussexcricket.co.uk/news/rob-andrew-appointed-ecb-managing-director-professional-game

Bye Rob.

 

[timbha]

Good

 

[Scappa]

Fuckity-bye