As the cricket season draws to a close, Warwickshire County
Cricket Club's chairman, Neil Houghton, is retiring and will be
replaced by Norman Gascoigne.
Mr Gascoigne, aged 60, was a career banker until retiring in
2001 since when he has acted as a Business Consultant. A native of
Newark, Nottinghamshire; Mr Gascoigne has had a lifelong passion
for the game.
Having moved to the West Midlands in 1994 he joined the
Warwickshire General Committee in 2004. He was subsequently
appointed as one of the first nominees to sit on the Club's
Management Committee at its inception in 2006 and he was elected
Club Vice Chairman in 2008. He is an active supporter of the Lord's
Taverners, cricket charity, serving as the West Midlands Regional
Chairman from 2001 to 2004.
Mr Gascoigne commented: "Since moving to Birmingham with my work
I have been an avid 'Bear' and it is an enormous honour and
privilege to be asked to be the Club Chairman. Neil Houghton was
able to end his term of office with a tremendous win at Lord's in
the CB40 Final earlier this month and I look forward to working
with Ashley Giles, the rest of the cricket management team and our
Cricket Committee to ensure that the Club continues to improve its
performance in all forms of the game.
"I am also taking over at a time when a major ground
redevelopment is well on the way to completion, which by July next
year, will make Edgbaston the country's premier international
cricket venue outside London. Under the leadership of Colin Povey,
Chief Executive, we have a team to make sure we take best advantage
of that opportunity for the benefit of the Club and the City.
"As the new Chairman I look forward to the challenges ahead with
great excitement and I hope the Club can deliver more success both
on and off the field in the years ahead."
Retiring Chairman Neil Houghton added: "It has been a great
privilege to have held the Chairmanship of this great Club for the
last eight years and I would like to thank all those involved at
Edgbaston for their tremendous support and loyalty during my term
of office.
"I am confident that I am handing over to a very capable
successor and I wish the Club and the new Chairman, Norman
Gascoigne, every success for the future."