Date-stamped : 09 Dec95 - 06:28

Surrey are hit by resignation of chief executive

By Charles Randall

GLYN Woodman has resigned as Surrey`s chief executive with effect
from  the end of this month after three years at the Oval, saying
his position had become "untenable".

His departure, a surprise to the cricket world  yesterday,  seems
to  have   been  prompted  by  exasperation after his attempts to
weave strong  management into the county club structure were  un-
ravelled at committee  level.

Woodman, given a three-year contract in February 1993, made a few
unpopular  decisions  at the head of a hard-nosed regime, winning
admirers and making enemies during a term most notable for   lack
of success on the pitch and ambitious long-term planning off it.

Geoff Arnold was sacked as coach at the end  of  Woodman`s  first
season  of  restructuring  and  Grahame  Clinton,  a replacement,
resigned after this  summer.

There were occasional membership rumbles, and perhaps  the  chief
executive`s problem was more to do with style than content.

Woodman said in a letter, announcing his decision: "I was brought
in  three years ago by [the then chairman] Derek Newton business-
like  basis, while recognising  that  it  was  still  a  members`
club.

"This was a difficult and  not  always  popular  task,  not  made
easier by  having to serve under three separate chairmen in three
years. I worked  well with all three, but their views on the club
were different."

Paul Sheldon, who has been running the club`s  150th  anniversary
this  year, is favourite to succeed Woodman.

Ian Caller is to stand down as  Durham`s  president  after  seven
years.  He  will be succeeded by Bill Midgley, chief executive of
the Newcastle  Building Society.

Source :: Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk)

<END> Contributed by Dave L (dgl@zeppo.geosurv.gov.nf.ca)