News

Codrington quits as Middlesex chief exec

Middlesex have announced that chief executive Vinny Codrington has resigned from the position with immediate effect

Middlesex chief executive Vinny Codrington has resigned after 18 years at Lord's  •  Getty Images

Middlesex chief executive Vinny Codrington has resigned after 18 years at Lord's  •  Getty Images

Middlesex have announced that chief executive Vinny Codrington has resigned from the position with immediate effect. Codrington has been the club's chief executive since 1997, making him one of the longest-serving administrators in the game.
Recent weeks have seen Middlesex caught up in a scheme to sell on Ashes tickets for Lord's set up by former players Chris Rogers and Tom Scollay. Rogers, the Australia opener, had planned to use tickets granted to him by Middlesex as part of hospitality packages for the second Ashes Test, contrary to the regulations.
Codrington denied that the episode was a motivation in him stepping down halfway through the season, however. The MCC, with whom Middlesex have a tenancy agreement at Lord's, are understood to still be investigating the matter.
"Over the past few years, I have become increasingly aware of my desire to seek a new challenge and now is a good time for me to make that move," Codrington said. "Once I had made that decision, I felt it was in the best interests of both parties for me to move on immediately, so I requested a release from my contract. I am grateful to Middlesex for agreeing to that request."
"Being the chief executive of a sporting organisation is emotionally draining in every sense. After 18 years, this does catch up with you and that is why I have been considering my position. People may assume that the Chris Rogers ticket affair was a factor in this. I cannot deny that we, as a club, made mistakes on the issue. However, it is not a factor in my resignation, nor was I asked to resign by the club."
Codrington leaves Middlesex with them re-established in Division One of the Championship. They won the Twenty20 Cup in 2008, as well as the Division Two title in 2011, but silverware was otherwise in short supply.
"It is with regret that we have accepted Vinny's resignation," Middlesex's chairman, Ian Lovett, said. "In the modern era, it is almost unheard of for a chief executive to spend 18 years at the same sports club. That achievement is testament itself of Vinny's great talents and his endless commitment to the club; he has made a quite remarkable contribution to the development of Middlesex cricket, both the professional game and, in many ways more importantly, at recreational level."