Dursley Sport

Column by former Gloucestershire CCC chairman John Light on the local sports scene

11:00am Friday 27th January 2012

THE cricket news is of frenzied off-the-field activity.

The Gloucestershire CCC Executive Board met twice last week in the wake of failing to get planning permission at the Nevil Road ground.

On Monday, they set a budget for the year and looked at all future options.

There were meetings with the bank and the ECB during the week. These were followed by another board meeting on Friday.

No panic decisions will be made but considerable research is being done regarding all possibilities. Watch this space.

There will be a chance for all of us to find out what is happening on February 19, Chairman Rex Body and Director of Cricket Jon Bracewell are attending the AGM of the Cheltenham region. They will be honest and open in their answers. The meeting, at 6pm at The New Club, Montpellier Parade, is open to all county supporters - wherever they may live.

All members have now received information about election to the County Club's Executive Board. This is now open to all members. The restrictive constitution that kept me waiting for 12 years has been abolished and any member can stand.

Gloucestershire CCC should be run by Gloucestershire people. I have total confidence in the present board, but look forward to the two vacancies being properly filled. I was thrilled to hold office in the club but it should have been when I was 58, not 68.

There are many people in the circulation area of this newspaper who could successfully fill the two posts. I hope the opportunity is taken. It will not be easy, but it will be fun.

I listened to Thursday's edition of the Locker Room on Stroud FM and was surprised at what I heard.

I respect Colin Peake and his FGR contribution, as I am sure we all do, and for most of the hour he was excellent value, but I disagree with his view on our manager not being a people person.

However, Colin is certainly behind DH in where he wants to take the club.

Our manager is both forthcoming and polite. He is unfailingly both at press conferences, whatever the result.

My view on Dave Hockaday is consistent; I value highly his personal qualities, notably integrity and consistency.

I do have one concern however, which is timely to mention again. Can he turn out a team that is better than the sum of its parts? Can he select, organise and motivate a team to play to its potential or even better.

At the fans forum at the season's start both DH and DV said 60 points were the target this season. We shall see. That will be the time for firm judgement. I am sure it will be in evidence.

The match at Newport was a dire goalless draw but the win over Wrexham on Tuesday was thrilling. I now look forward to beating Fleetwood on Saturday. We can do it can't we?

Fleetwood have a stunning striker, James Vardy, who is valued at more than £1m. He will fetch a record fee for a non-league player. Hopefully, before our match. On the other hand, I would love to see him play well and Fleetwood defeated on Saturday.

My appreciation of Forest Green food is matched by none other than the cheerful and charming Katie Jarvis of Cotswold Life. In the February edition of the magazine, she writes of the excitement and joy in visiting the New Lawn. She is, of course, right but remember you read it here first.

I am now reading the racing pages with increased interest. We are a few weeks away from the other Cheltenham Festival - the racing one - and I am determined to pick more winners than Mrs Light.

This should always happen. I study form and make shrewd judgments. Penny's approach is more simple. She backs horses that are either grey or have interesting names. She always shows more profit from her investments, and also relishes her annual trip to O'Neill's in Cheltenham on Gold Cup evening.

It is not just the horses who are in training. Of necessity, I am.

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