Yorkshire board backlash puts Colin Graves' return on the backburner

GEORGE DOBELL - EXCLUSIVE: The Cricketer understands two board members raised strong objections. One is understood to have declined to sign the statement, while another board member threatened to resign and release their own statement

Colin Graves' return to Yorkshire has been put on hold after a rebellion by some board members.

Graves was set to be appointed as the club's chair at the AGM later this month. While there was little enthusiasm for his return from many board members, he was seen as a potential solution to the club's debt crisis. 

Yorkshire owes £14.9m to the Graves Trusts. The club is due to make a payment of £500,000 in October with the balance due in October 2024. 

At present, the club is struggling to make either payment. Hopes to refinance the debt have so far proved unsuccessful, leading board members to fear they could be held personally responsible if the club becomes insolvent. 

As a result, a deal was proposed which would see Graves return as chair. A statement, seen by The Cricketer, was prepared which referred to Graves as "viable and credible frontrunner" and suggested "the board has proposed that he should be appointed as a non-executive director by the members at the AGM". 

^{Former Yorkshire chair Colin Graves [Getty Images]}

"The board endorses Colin as a competent candidate and therefore encourages members to vote for his election," it said.

The Cricketer understands two board members raised strong objections, however. One is understood to have declined to sign the statement, while another board member threatened to resign and release their own statement explaining the decision.

As a result the original statement has been shelved and a compromise deal agreed. The club is to allow itself until October to find new financing, while the search for a new chair will go on. There is no mention of appointing Graves in the club's AGM notice. 

That will be some relief to the ECB. Executives were keenly aware of the timing of his return just as the hearings into racism at Yorkshire are progressing. Graves - and his trustees - have held positions of power at Yorkshire for many years and any return to the game has the potential to initiate an investigation from the ECB in connection to those allegations. 

A former Yorkshire chair, Roger Hutton, alleged that Graves retained a strong influence on the club and effectively prevented him from sacking staff ultimately sacked by Patel, while Graves would also be asked to explain what action he took when allegations of racism at Essex were reported to him.

A view of the outside of Headingley Stadium in Leeds [Getty Images]

"The process for the appointment of chair remains ongoing, and we are unable to comment on any individual applications for the position," a statement supplied to The Cricketer by the Yorkshire CCC board said. "The board will make a recommendation at the conclusion of the process but expects to be able to update members at the forthcoming AGM.

"As a board we have a responsibility to ensure that our recruitment policies and procedures are fair as well as a responsibility to oversee the short- and long-term financial wellbeing of the club. A key element of the position of chair will relate to an ability to lead a refinance process.

"The board is committed to the long-term success of the club, and to build on the work we have done collectively to address the many challenges we have faced together to make Yorkshire County Cricket Club a thriving and welcoming place for all.

"We will make any announcements in regard to the appointment of the chair in due course once the process has been completed".