Twelve months ago Ken Kinnersley decided to stand down as Hereford FC chairman and Andrew Graham was installed in his place.
BN looks back firstly to a HUST article which describes how a Club chairman can be choosen and secondly to Andrew Graham's first words as the new chairman at Edgar Street.
What Happens After Kinnersley
HUST have received a number of questions regarding “What happens now?” now that the current Chair, Ken Kinnersley, has announced that he will shortly retire from the Hereford FC Board.
We have put together a guide to the process, as we understand it.
What happens now?
When Mr Kinnersley stands down, a vacancy will be created on the HFC board for a new Director. The HFC board consists of four Directors nominated by the majority of the Ordinary Shareholders and three Directors nominated by HUST. As Mr Kinnersley is one of the four Directors appointed by the Ordinary Shareholders, the new Director will be nominated by the Ordinary Shareholders.
There are currently 289,000 Ordinary Shares in the Football Club. Five major Shareholders hold 50,000 Ordinary Shares each, and the remaining 39,000 are held by a number of smaller Shareholders. HUST hold 190,000 ‘A Ordinary’ Shares. The Club articles state that ‘the holders of the majority of the issued Ordinary Shares may appoint a Director’... this means that, potentially, three Ordinary Shareholders, holding 50,000 Shares each, could agree the nomination for a new Director.
The Shareholders can only nominate the individual they would like to be appointed as a Director. The actual appointment, itself, requires the approval of a majority of the existing Club Directors.
How is the new Chair chosen?
The Club rules currently do not state how the Chair is chosen. The Trust presumes, therefore, that the Chair will be chosen by a vote of the 7 serving Directors once the new individual is appointed. Last time this happened the new individual was Ken Kinnersley, who was also appointed Chair.
Can a HUST Nominated Director be Chairman?
Yes. There is nothing in the Club rules to prevent a HUST Nominated Director from being Chair of HFC.
Has HUST been consulted?
The new Director is an appointment for the Ordinary Shareholders to decide and HUST respects their right to do so. Similarly, when HUST chooses its' Directors, it does not need to consult with the Ordinary Shareholders. The HUST Board is not consulted on who the new Chair should be.
Andrew Graham Is New Chairman Of Hereford FC
Andrew Graham is the new chairman of Hereford FC.
George Webb is the new vice-chairman
Helen Byard has been appointed as a director. She will take on HR and welfare matters. She became club welfare officer last year.
“I am honoured and immensely proud to be appointed Chairman of this football club," said Graham.
"This is a club, city and community I love, and I’m humbled that my fellow board members have chosen me for this role. I’m hugely grateful for their support.
"Looking ahead, I understand the significance of the role I now have, holding responsibility for driving this club forward on and off the pitch. The responsibility extends to our ongoing operational strategy, for the performance of the board, for the staff in the office who make things happen, and for the incredible volunteer army I mentioned earlier.
"I also have a responsibility to the many businesses and organisations that have been there for Hereford FC throughout these formative years. Without all the people involved, we would not be the success we are, and I look forward to demonstrating why we are worthy of continued generosity and confidence.
"I can guarantee that my fellow Directors and me will only ever act in a way that we feel is in the best interests of the club. We accept that our decisions will not always be popular – in football that goes with the territory – but I do not believe anyone deserves to be abused for doing what they think is right.
"I genuinely cannot wait to see what lies ahead for our club. I am incredibly proud to be a Hereford fan and am even more proud to have the honour of taking this role.
"I would ask each and every one of you to get right behind this club from top to bottom. While it is inevitable that not everything will go our way, if we all pull in the same direction, I honestly believe that the possibilities for Hereford FC are endless."