Colin Sexstone

[city nut]

[RedZepperin]

I’ve just seen the presentation. I didn’t pick up on the idea that Colin was “behind” the club’s improvement on the financial side but yes he’s clearly a prominent member of the management team so it is a bit odd that so many people naturally respect Steve and naturally disrespect Colin.

Talking of which, I thought Steve’s performance was terrific. However, as redrocks pointed out elsewhere, the slides lacked design. The white background with the crest in the top left hand corner is good for legibility but a nice layout similar to the one we see on the official site would lend increased credibility to the visual message. Steve as a speaker is, nevertheless, Premiership class, so to speak. You have to be really good to get away with slightly corny stuff such as the Concorde bit. Having said that, the Concorde idea has stuck in people’s minds I’m sure and it gets the man’s vision across.

Also, you have to be very professional to talk your way through a 20 minute plus speech while sharing the podium with a step ladder (well, that’s how it appeared to me on “Low Res” anyway).

Fascinating insight into the strategy thang: Football, Communication and Facilties being the watchwords. I would never have guessed that (apart from the football bit). Clever stuff.

Severnside: the penny finally dropped for me, as it were, that this new stadium would not cost us anything if the deal is done right. I have yet to hear Steve say that we would not move if the fans were against the idea. That troubles me. It smacks a bit of Blair and Europe…

Sincere thanks to those who decided to give away this presentation on World. It would have been interesting to see those main slides with the figures: two or three I think but thanks all the same and well done to Steve for such a great presentation. The club is undoubtedly in good hands. But Severnside is a concern.

[Guest BTR_FTG]

As I haven't obtained this year's accounts I'll refrain from comment on that aspect of Sexstone's performance , save to say when you state, ".... the club appears to have become a lot more proffesional and prudent since CS arrived (after doing a similar good job at Gloucestershire)...." one assumes you never saw the accounts at GCCC. Strange how the most successful period in their history, with umpteen, sold out finals, semi-finals, quarter-finals & corporates galore coincided with them losing vast sums of money, such that they nearly went under. The prudence of offering to match prize money with extravagant bonuses & then failing to insure against such eventuality. At City, the 'professionalism' of making defematory statements knowing them to be untrue & of not having the common decency to apologise when publicly proven wrong. Of not having the courtesy of requesting the permission of a rights owner to use what was theirs & to then criticise them when they doth protest. Of overseeing the shambolic allocation & distribution of tickets for City's day out in the sun. Of allowing the club to make public statement criticising the actions of an ex-employee when, it transpires, the employee had done nothing wrong, the club having failed to provide him an offer of a new contract of employment. The club, potentially, losing a fortune in the process.

Are you sure we're talking about the same Chief Executive ?

BTR

FTG

[Guest BTR_FTG]

I think the success at GCCC had far more to do with a number of key appointments on the coaching staff, which Sexstone may well have been involved with, though I hear he himself did not instigate. As for the 'structure' of the club, well GCCC have never been amonsgt the richest of the counties & when Sexstone left they were about as badly off as they had been in many a year & YES, he should have done better given the amount of on-field success they attracted.

I really don't follow your spending above our means argument, for the short term budgets show that is exactly what we will be doing. Then again, City have always done so & if it wasn't for the patronage of Dolman & like there would be no club.

I reiterate, I haven't received the accounts for this year & will comment when I see them. I did see them last year, reflective of Sextone's first year in charge & noted non-footballing income (an area where one might anticipate the CE could make immediate effect) DECREASED 14%. Presumably, last year's LDV will show vast improvement on this figure, though it would be interesting to note how much the core business has improved.

Would I prefer to see Scally in charge ? Well, put it this way. For the vast majority of my life Gillingham were a non-league, small time outfit, with sub-Twerton facilities. They didn't have the proverbial pot. Strange things have happened since the arrival of Scally. He's generated great interest in a footballing wilderness, constructed a decent stadium that betters anything we've on offer, has a core business in leisure & conferencing that rivals anything outside the very top of the Premiership. They've consistently competed at a higher level than us since his arrival. They've arguably enjoyed more big days out in the last dozen years than most City fans have ever experienced. The quality of their playing staff since his arrival has been far superior to that we've enjoyed at The Gate. The vast majority of youths in the Medway towns sport their shirts. Scally's attracted very healthy levels of commercial sponsorship. Would I prefer to have him in charge ? You bet your bottom dollar I would, if only for the fact that, unlike some, he isn't a liar.

BTR

FTG

[Guest MKESN]

Having read the rather misguided ramblings about Colin Sexstone and his financial management of Glos CCC I felt I HAD to reply and clear up a few issues.

I have worked in professional cricket at three clubs and have seen how both the ECB and English Counties operate for many years, and I can confirm that in Colin's time at Gloucestershire the County became the envy of English cricket, not just on the field but off it!

Gloucestershire were once regarded as a back water Club side by the larger clubs, but during the successful years of 2000 and 2001 Gloucestershire led the way of the field. Clubs such as Warwickshire were actually envious of the routes that Gloucestershire were taking commercially, and the vision that Colin had as Chief Executive. The acquisition of the Eng v Aus ODI was a key feature in this, who would have thought this possible only 2 or 3 years previously?

As far as the financial position of the Club is concerned I have never heard such rubbbish as has been spoken on this site. Success in Cricket DOES NOT bring financial rewards!! Its quite simple really. The facts are as follows:

Gloucestershire played each of their cup quarter finals and semi finals at home in the double and triple winning seasons. In English cricket the sides in these matches only recieve 10% of the gate income, but if you are unfortunate enough to be at home, you also have to pay 50% of the costs.

When you reach the final you only recieve 6% of the gate money, gate money obviously reduced by the overpricing of tickets by the ECB and the reduced Lords capacity due to large percentage of MCC members that do not attend.

Of course Gloucester won four consecutive finals, experienced four home qrter and semi finals, and all the costs that were associated with this. When winning the finals Gloucestershire also had to pay all of the pitiful £52,000 of winnings to the players bonus pool and had to find additional bonus payments for the players (exactly the same system as all other clubs had in place.)

The ONLY way to make money from successful cup runs is to play away in every round, reach the final and lose! All the other 17 counties in the cup competitions get there allocation of cup incomes, regardless of success, but Gloucestershire had all the cost.

As anyone with any inside knowledge of the game is concerned Cricket has to change this policy to move forward. Clubs like Gloucestershire need incentivising to do well if growth in the game is to continue.

What Gloucestershire achieved during Colin's reign was incredible, and it is the game of cricket itself that holds clubs back!

[Guest BTR_FTG]

Hello ? You've worked extensively within a system whereby, "The ONLY way to make money from successful cup runs is to play away in every round, reach the final and lose!" Ever wondered what was going wrong? If one were the CE of an organisation facing such restrictions why offer to match the prize money pool pound for pound with bonuses? Did GCCC take out an insurance policy against paying out such bonuses? What of corporate sponsorship & entertainment? Who keeps the revenue from those activities? Is it the case that a club could play a quarter or semi final at home, fill the place with as many corporate punters & beer tents as possible, flog ever conceivable piece of merchandising known to man & still lose money? Is it? Is that what you are suggesting happened at GCCC? Is that why their accounts were so bad & they were forced to offload people left, right & centre?

If there's no serious money to be made from commercial activity why did GCCC want the one dayer? Moreover, why shouldn't I have expected an international to come West two or three years previously?

BTR

FTG

[cheshire_red]

Having read the rather misguided ramblings about Colin Sexstone and his financial management of Glos CCC I felt I HAD to reply and clear up a few issues. 

I have worked in professional cricket at three clubs and have seen how both the ECB and English Counties operate for many years, and I can confirm that in Colin's time at Gloucestershire the County became the envy of English cricket, not just on the field but off it!

Gloucestershire were once regarded as a back water Club side by the larger clubs, but during the successful years of 2000 and 2001 Gloucestershire led the way of the field.  Clubs such as Warwickshire were actually envious of the routes that Gloucestershire were taking commercially, and the vision that Colin had as Chief Executive.  The acquisition of the Eng v Aus ODI was a key feature in this, who would have thought this possible only 2 or 3 years previously? 

As far as the financial position of the Club is concerned I have never heard such rubbbish as has been spoken on this site.  Success in Cricket DOES NOT bring financial rewards!! Its quite simple really.  The facts are as follows:

Gloucestershire played each of their cup quarter finals and semi finals at home in the double and triple winning seasons.  In English cricket the sides in these matches only recieve 10% of the gate income, but if you are unfortunate enough to be at home, you also have to pay 50% of the costs. 

When you reach the final you only recieve 6% of the gate money, gate money obviously reduced by the overpricing of tickets by the ECB and the reduced Lords capacity due to large percentage of MCC members that do not attend. 

Of course Gloucester won four consecutive finals, experienced four home qrter and semi finals, and all the costs that were associated with this.  When winning the finals Gloucestershire also had to pay all of the pitiful £52,000 of winnings to the players bonus pool and had to find additional bonus payments for the players (exactly the same system as all other clubs had in place.)

The ONLY way to make money from successful cup runs is to play away in every round, reach the final and lose!  All the other 17 counties in the cup competitions get there allocation of cup incomes, regardless of success, but Gloucestershire had all the cost. 

As anyone with any inside knowledge of the game is concerned Cricket has to change this policy to move forward.  Clubs like Gloucestershire need incentivising to do well if growth in the game is to continue. 

What Gloucestershire achieved during Colin's reign was incredible, and it is the game of cricket itself that holds clubs back!

I would be interested to know what position you had at GCCC and as your membership commenced today, what pompted you to visit the site today and respond to this thread only?

[Guest BTR_FTG]

"When winning the finals Gloucestershire also had to pay all of the pitiful £52,000 of winnings to the players bonus pool and had to find additional bonus payments for the players .."

Am I to understand that of all the prize money accumulated by Gloucestershire throughout the period 1998-2000, which is several factors bigger than the sum quoted, that the only bonus paid into the players fund was equal to the sum received upon winning the Nat West Trophy in 1999? Why did GCCC pay such a bonus for that competition yet not the B&H SC the very same year, where the winners, I believe, picked up a cheque for £50K. Did they not pay a bonus for either competition win the following year, or for those smaller sums accumulated when winning through competition stages?

Would City offer players a bonus for FA cup games, yet not Carling Cup matches ?

BTR

FTG

[Guest MKESN]

Unfortunately English Cricket hasnt made much sense for many years.

Colin is by now way the only person to have incentivised the players in this way. Who wouldnt want their players to perform to the best of their abilities. Gloucestershire would have been insured for some element of the bonuses, but of course you have to pay the insurance premiums, and in a game where the income is not huge paying large insurance premiums against something that has not happened before is a diffiuclt decision. I can imagine what the Members would say at the end of the financial year when £20,000 had been spent on insurance premiums.

After the double year the insurance companies wouldnt offer the same odds so the club would have lost out due to their success.

If I recall Gloucestershires sponsorship and commercial income increased significantly over the successful period, with new sponsorships and overall commercial income rising in a time when Clubs like lancashire couldnt find sponsors. As far as hospitality is concerned Gloucestershire dont have the facilities to turn over big sums of money, and with all Qrter and Semi Finals played at short notice at funny times. selling hospitality is almost impossible. Even Warwickshire with one of the biggest corporate support bases couldnt sell such events. They only survice financially because of International hospitality. Warickshire could turn around a profit of nearly £1m on a big Australian Ashes summer. The test match grounds get get to keep the rewards of international hospitality, the smaller clubs do not.

As far as merchandising is concerned Gloucestershire didnt have the support to see massive rises in merchandise income. Cricket is quite simply not like football, and not even Clubs like Surrey, Lancashire and Warwickshire would expect to see big rises in sales following success.

As far as the Eng v Aus ODI is concerned the reason for bringing it to Bristol was surely part of a long term vision. The costs for the one-off match did offset most of the new incomes, temporary stands and the like, but the benefits were in the raising of the Clubs profile. If Gloucestershire could continue in securing big games, and maybe even one day a Test match then the rewards would come financially. The fact that Gloucestershire secured what was probably the most prestigous game of that summer was down to the executives at the Club. Gloucestershire would never had got that match if it was not for the ECB having complete trust in the Glos personnel. They did not give out internatioal matches for fun back then. This move by Gloucestershire to bid for Internationals has since led to a change in policy, with more smaller clubs now getting the chance to share in the success of International cricket.

Changes in cricket take time, and Gloucestershire led the way in developing change amongst the hard set at the ECB. I wouldnt say people were laid off here and there, and I'm not denying the Club may have been over-burdened Administatively but you dont have to look much further than the committee structure to find the root of this problem.

For many years ALL clubs sat in their comfortable little boxes reaping the rewards of nice sponsorships nationally, and the large ECB handout each year. Cricket forgot that long term success is down the people on the terraces, not the commercial suporters. Crowds reduced year on year across the country. When business started to base its sponsorship on genuiine business principles, not just the whim of individual fans, the big deals started to disappear. Warwickshire earned nearly £500,000 a year from peugeot for 18/19 years, and when eventually they pulled out for no reason of theirs they were left with a huge hole they could not fill.

The ECB have not recovered from the days of Cornhill, Britannic Assurance, etc etc... and now after the crowds have reduced through lack of attention to marketing, they are struggling to make the game valuable enough to future sponsors, albeit with lower budgets.

Cricket has to address the issue of supporters levels, and has at least begun this process wityh 20:20. Maybe one day the crowds and sponsors will return together. Who knows....

[city nut]

I've been legless at 4am on the hoe, its great really Pete - just wait for the May ball (I'll be there by the way!)

Tom its been great down here so far. The Nightlife has been quality and have met some good mates.

[RedZepperin]

Colin Sexstone: villain or hero? Neither. He will retain his job as long as he performs well in it: same as all of us. I would hate my own professional performance to be placed under such cruel scrutiny as that which BTR FTG exercises on this perfectly good chap who is not earning a king's ransom like some pro footballers, but a good salary for what appears to be a job well done.

So Colin appears to be doing a good job and BTR FTG appears to have a few hang ups. He might be picking on Colin because of one of them.

I would leave it at that.

[Guest BTR_FTG]

20 grand premium against 52 grand pay out ? Been better off going to the bookies I'd have thought.

The point I make isn't that Sexstone failed at GCCC, I recall they actually made a small operating profit during teh period of their success. It's simply that Sexstone didn't leave GCCC in the all singing & dancing financial wonderland many believe he did, or that some us us think he should have.

BTR

FTG

[Guest MKESN]

Just a quick clarification of the bonus situation. I only mentioned the natwest but meant ALL the competitions.

ALL winnings from ALL competitions went directly to the players. To this end players recieved bonuses of up to £30k each depending on their seniority in the triple winning season.

[Guest MKESN]

More clarification. Bets were placed with bookies but when Gloucestershire are odds on to win after the double year the odds are not great.

Gloucestershire were mid way through a longer term plan when Colin left the Club, and the new adminsitration ensured the hard work ( and investment ) wasnt continued. Committee's!!!!!

Anyway this is a Bristol City site, and we should concentrating on BCFC's future success, and ive far too much work to do as well!

[cheshire_red]

More clarification.  Bets were placed with bookies but when Gloucestershire are odds on to win after the double year the odds are not great.

Gloucestershire were mid way through a longer term plan when Colin left the Club, and the new adminsitration ensured the hard work ( and investment ) wasnt continued.  Committee's!!!!!

Anyway this is a Bristol City site, and we should concentrating on BCFC's future success, and ive far too much work to do as well!

Would you mind answering my question above?

[fRed]

Colin Sexstone is a villian in my opinion (and in the opinion of quite a few who I know).

This revolves around the staffing at BCFC following Colin's appointment.

[Guest BTR_FTG]

My, oh my, appear to have ruffled a few feathers here & as it's a City board I'll not ask MKESN to fully explain his apparent fluctuating position re GCCC player bonuses.

I'll say this & no more. Sexstone, in his capacity as CE at Bristol City made a series of allegations against Mr. Scally & Gillingham FC in which he categorically denied City as having spoken to Mr. Pulis whilst still in Gillingham's employ, effectively branding Mr. Scally & Gillingham liars. Post the hearings & appeal threat what did we hear from Messers Sexstone & Lansdown. Silence, that's what. And of the Cardiff beamback affair? Lots of accusatations of a personal witchhunt against Mr. Sexstone by a certain Cardiff official & what of Mr. Lansdown's reconcilliatory statement? Remember the small print? The bit where, oh yes, we didn't actually get around to asking Cardiff's permission. One might expect a CE who's big enough to 'put up' might also be big enough to stand up & defend himself. Obviously I was wrong.

Hang Ups, sure as hell have none over Mr. Sexstone. I simply wish that if a CE passes comment in a public capacity that he might be decent enough to answer any questions his comments might raise. You, on the other hand, might be happy to settle for less.

BTR

FTG

[redrocks]

Did someone take a dump on your Corn Flakes this mornig BTR FTG? You seem uncharacteristically Meldrewesque today. Relax and take a deep breath.

[Guest Bow_Legged_Chicken]

haven't got time to read through most of these post as they are 1000 word essays most of them and i haven't seen the AGM meeting.

Anyway for what its worth i think Sexstone has done a bloody good job while he has been here.

Hes attracted some big events and made use of our ground for other things rather than just Bristol City playing football there every other Saturday.

The whole Pulis and Gillingham saga was a bit of a mess up, as was the Rosenior affair but no-one is perfect thats 2 mistakes in how many years? Up to about 15 good things. For a div 2 teams chief exec thats bloody good in my eyes.

As for the whole Cardiff beamback situation last year i forgot about that cause personally i think its that idiot Hamann who should have been banned from football a long time ago being a petty idiot. But it all got resolved in the end didn't it?

Since he has been here he has made us a lot of money through various events and other things and thats why hes there so surely that means hes doing a good job?

[Port Said Red]

[richieb]

Having read the rather misguided ramblings about Colin Sexstone and his financial management of Glos CCC I felt I HAD to reply and clear up a few issues. 

I have worked in professional cricket at three clubs and have seen how both the ECB and English Counties operate for many years, and I can confirm that in Colin's time at Gloucestershire the County became the envy of English cricket, not just on the field but off it!

Gloucestershire were once regarded as a back water Club side by the larger clubs, but during the successful years of 2000 and 2001 Gloucestershire led the way of the field.  Clubs such as Warwickshire were actually envious of the routes that Gloucestershire were taking commercially, and the vision that Colin had as Chief Executive.  The acquisition of the Eng v Aus ODI was a key feature in this, who would have thought this possible only 2 or 3 years previously? 

As far as the financial position of the Club is concerned I have never heard such rubbbish as has been spoken on this site.  Success in Cricket DOES NOT bring financial rewards!! Its quite simple really.  The facts are as follows:

Gloucestershire played each of their cup quarter finals and semi finals at home in the double and triple winning seasons.  In English cricket the sides in these matches only recieve 10% of the gate income, but if you are unfortunate enough to be at home, you also have to pay 50% of the costs. 

When you reach the final you only recieve 6% of the gate money, gate money obviously reduced by the overpricing of tickets by the ECB and the reduced Lords capacity due to large percentage of MCC members that do not attend. 

Of course Gloucester won four consecutive finals, experienced four home qrter and semi finals, and all the costs that were associated with this.  When winning the finals Gloucestershire also had to pay all of the pitiful £52,000 of winnings to the players bonus pool and had to find additional bonus payments for the players (exactly the same system as all other clubs had in place.)

The ONLY way to make money from successful cup runs is to play away in every round, reach the final and lose!  All the other 17 counties in the cup competitions get there allocation of cup incomes, regardless of success, but Gloucestershire had all the cost. 

As anyone with any inside knowledge of the game is concerned Cricket has to change this policy to move forward.  Clubs like Gloucestershire need incentivising to do well if growth in the game is to continue. 

What Gloucestershire achieved during Colin's reign was incredible, and it is the game of cricket itself that holds clubs back!

I think something smacks a little here.

Did you get a call from Mr Sexstone & joined the forum tonight?

But that would be too obvious.

As for the original post. I tend to have a foot in both camps.

CS has made himself approachable & always willing to listen.He has come in on the back of some solid backing from the Board & this has been the real reason for the success of BCFC in recent years.

But I tend to find that there is an arrogance that has reflected in the hard deals with Cardiff & Gillingham. Also the personel issues within the club have been difficult & as for the ticketing fiascos etc - well nuff said!

The issue of generating revenue has reached a good level & this has to be applauded, but I feel his drive is revenue orientated & dosn't have that much passion towards the desires of the paying fan.

He is in control of Commercial activities (merchandising etc) and I think this key area is missing out big style.

In short doing an ok job in light of a good Board support & team performances.

[cheshire_red]

<br /> I think something smacks a little here.

Did you get a call from Mr Sexstone & joined the forum tonight?

But that would be too obvious.

I also sniffed an air of colusion here as my above unanswered questions show. They are unanswered which to me speaks volumes.

[richieb]

Surely Richard Gould 'Commericial Manager' is responsable for these areas?

But is his boss not CS?

Richard Gould's boss ?

Colin Sexstone.

[Guest MKESN]

Just to clarify once and for all who MKESN is. I am Mark Kirton, ex Commercial Manager of Gloucestershire CCC. I now run my own sports events company and one of my staff is a big BCFC fan. When he saw the reference to Glos CCC last week he mentioned it, and given my inside knowledge I felt compelled to put over the FACTS on the matter.

Nothing more sinister than that I'm afraid.

MK

[richieb]

Just to clarify once and for all who MKESN is.  I am Mark Kirton, ex Commercial Manager of Gloucestershire CCC.  I now run my own sports events company and one of my staff is a big BCFC fan.  When he saw the reference to Glos CCC last week he mentioned it, and given my inside knowledge I felt compelled to put over the FACTS on the matter. 

Nothing more sinister than that I'm afraid. 

MK

Som Mark, did one work under CS ? B)

[NATCHER]

.........and Sexstone scores a forty yard screamer, with the Elton John scoop !!

I'm no Sexstone fan, but pick the bones out of that one !