Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire — In an unprecedented and highly charged
Extraordinary General Meeting, members of Rickmansworth Cricket Club have delivered
an overwhelming vote of no confidence in the trustees of Rickmansworth Sports Club
(RSC), calling for the immediate resignation of Terence Horner, Simon Martin and Paul
Blackwell.

The meeting carried particular emotional weight, coming just months after the death of
popular player and committee member Andrew Dalgliesh (“Doug”), whose passion and
commitment to improving the club helped inspire the changes now being pursued.
Members said the vote represented not only growing frustration but also a
determination to protect the future of a club that has served the community for
generations.

Rickmansworth Cricket Club — a Community Amateur Sports Club (CASC) with
Clubmark Status from the England and Wales Cricket Board — has recently secured
nearly £200,000 in local council funding to improve facilities at the Park Road ground,
which is held in trust by RSC. Planned improvements include new practice nets,
improved drainage and a new changing facility on the second cricket pitch, investments
designed to secure the long-term future of cricket in the town.

Club Chairman Stef Maggi said:
“Doug worked tirelessly to secure funding for the things we as a Cricket Club can
control — particularly the outfields. The pavilion, however, is a different story, and the
decline of this historic facility lands firmly at the door of the Trustees of Rickmansworth
Sports Club.”

Maggi added:
“During Doug’s treatment for cancer, he somehow found the energy to keep pushing for
improvements across the club and wider community. His dedication has brought us to a
point where we feel we have no choice but to make a stand in order to drive meaningful
change.”

When asked why members had voted so strongly, Maggi said the decision followed
years of growing concern.

“Members have become increasingly frustrated by what they see as a lack of
transparency, weak governance and missed financial opportunities that have
contributed to the decline of the pavilion and wider facilities at Park Road.”

He continued:
“Rickmansworth Sports Club remains an unincorporated entity, which members believe
is no longer acceptable. Advice given by Three Rivers Council as far back as 2016
suggested restructuring as a CASC or charity, but that was not acted upon. As a result,
significant funds — estimated at around £70,000 in business rates — could not be
reinvested into improving facilities for the community.”

Maggi also highlighted ongoing concerns about governance and accountability.
“Mr Horner and Mr Martin appear to have been Trustees since around 1989 following a
meeting for which no minutes or legal documentation can be found. Paul Blackwell
joined around a decade ago, again with no minutes available. Successive cricket club
committees have repeatedly requested key governance documents — including the
Trust constitution, meeting minutes, accounts and long-term building plans — without
success. Our solicitors have now requested the same information, but we have received
nothing back.”

He concluded:
“This is about protecting the future of the whole club and ensuring that assets gifted to
the community in 1923 are properly managed.

The cricket club is flourishing. We now have 15 junior teams (including five girls’ teams),
a new women’s team, and six adult men’s teams, with more than 200 local players
representing the club. Members have shown patience for many years, but the time has
now come for meaningful change.”

ENDS
About Rickmansworth Cricket Club:
Founded in 1787, the same year as the Marylebone Cricket Club, Rickmansworth
Cricket Club is one of the oldest cricket clubs in the world. Its rich heritage includes
hosting a first-class match in 1803, defeating an England XI in 1881, and playing during
the era of the original Ashes. After the First World War, the club’s ground was secured
for community sport in perpetuity, and in 1924 it expanded to become the
Rickmansworth Cricket and Sports Club. Following a period of post-war decline, the
club rebuilt from the 1990s onward, achieving multiple league promotions, growing to
five senior teams, and developing a thriving youth and girls’ section. Today, more than
235 years on, Rickmansworth remains a vibrant, community-focused club committed to
developing local talent and competing strongly in Hertfordshire cricket.