From Crisis to Comeback: Reviving Yorkshire Cricket Club

When allegations of racism threatened its existence, urgent action was needed to tackle the issues and rebuild trust. Blue Tree Consulting guided them through the storm.

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Paul Hudson, Acting CEO
Paul Hudson, Acting CEO

Darren Gough, Managing Director of Yorkshire Cricket club, is among those who speak positively about Phil’s intervention – particularly about rebuilding the coaching team with transparent good governance recruitment processes, with comments including ‘I couldn’t have done anything without you Phil. Thanks again for your help and support’.


Paul Hudson, Acting CEO, has also said: “I was first introduced to Phil when the Club was left without a HR department in late 2021. It needed to carry out some serious recruitment, in particular on the cricket coaching and support side, and had limited historic procedures.


“Responding at a time of need, he led on the implementation of new, thorough and independent recruitment processes, working closely with Darren Gough.  The processes which followed were new to Yorkshire and I suspect the game of cricket.  The results were exemplary and are standing the test of time.


“Phil also drove through the delivery of HR excellence for all staff, including leading on support for many staff in need.


“At a time of crisis it was an absolute pleasure and relief to meet someone with Phil’s knowledge, experience and calm nature.  He worked exceptionally long hours and was a strong sounding board on all business matters, and specifically picked up the gauntlet on all things HR.


“I want to say a massive thank you to Phil for the shift he put in over that winter.  It was a great help to me, and must be one of the most interesting gigs he’s ever had!”

Existing World

Yorkshire County Cricket Club (YCC), established in 1863, has an enviable reputation as England’s most successful club. It has been a nursery of champions, home to some of the best games in the sport and, consequently, a hugely loyal fan base.

Obstacle

In 2021, however, an existential crisis hit the club, centred around allegations of racism and inequality, and resulting in several key team members leaving. The club itself was temporarily suspended from taking part in international cricket and faced intense demands from the ECB and the Digital Culture Media and Sport Select Committee along with public scrutiny from the media, members, fans and local communities.

Call to Action

Rapid, confident and decisive action was needed to tackle the immediate threat to the club’s existence – through an urgent restructure of its senior team and committing to an extensive programme of change – the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion plan.  Key to this was transforming the approach to recruitment, HR and the way that issues were handled.

The Guide

Blue Tree Consulting, led by Managing Director Phil Marsland, stepped in to offer emergency HR support, steering this process and providing a calm, experienced and pragmatic voice the leadership team could rely on at a time of extreme stress. He also acted as their trusted confidante as they navigated this complex and emotional set of circumstances.

The Challenge

Phil helped fight the immediate fire, handling human resources (HR) priorities including personnel challenges and recruitment efficiently and fairly, in line with best practice and diversity principles, all backed by robust documentation. He then helped reshape the club’s culture through a People and Culture Roadmap including new working contracts, policies, procedures and implementing a new HR System.

The Transformation

Thanks to Blue Tree Consulting’s guidance and practical assistance, YCCC was able to successfully navigate through the crisis, rebuild its team and create a positive new working culture – a transformative journey which helped them cultivate a more resilient, adaptable, modern organisation its fans can feel prouder of than ever.

New World

Following Blue Tree Consulting’s intervention, YCCC is rebuilding its reputation back even better, based on stronger leadership, a revitalised culture and leading HR practices. They it is now ready to weather any storm and look forward to the next chapter in its evolution with optimism and excitement.

Response From Blue Tree Consulting:

Phil Marsland, Managing Director of Blue Tree Consulting, added: “What happened to YCCC can happen to any organisation as it is so easy to become so busy with the ‘day job’, things like that all-important HR and EDI bedrock can get constantly pushed down the priority list, with sometimes disastrous consequences.


“The important thing here is that, having gone through an experience which is about as bad as it gets, the club seized the moment and did everything necessary to tackle the issues it faced. As a result, it is now a much more inclusive, modern environment, from the coaches through to the experience it delivers for fans, and with a robust new EDI plan and better development processes for its managers and leaders. It is a better place run by more capable people and backed by cast iron structures, which now represents a beacon for the rest of the sport.


“We would always urge organisations to commission periodic, expert reviews of their governance, including HR, to spot any risks and exposures they might have before they have chance to evolve into significant problems like those experienced by YCCC.


“For my part it was an honour and a privilege to be trusted to help at such a pivotal time in the Club’s history.  I can talk at length about the procedures and policies put in, but what I am most proud of is that I was there for the people, supporting and listening to them without judgement, and helping them to get to a better place.”

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