Colin B Resignation

Manorlounger

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Sad to receive the update with Colin's resignation attached this morning.
Would like to add my thanks for Colin's brief tenure. I would suspect that this has not been an easy time for OxVox and whilst I have no inside knowledge, perhaps all the recent secrecy on the part of the board at OUFC has brought things to a head. I would hope that this is not a deeper malaise and that all those who have offered to give their time to serve can do so with integrity and the interests of the club as their motivation.
 
Just read the email, not sure what's going on but hopefully it will get sorted out!
 
Sad to receive the update with Colin's resignation attached this morning.
Would like to add my thanks for Colin's brief tenure. I would suspect that this has not been an easy time for OxVox and whilst I have no inside knowledge, perhaps all the recent secrecy on the part of the board at OUFC has brought things to a head. I would hope that this is not a deeper malaise and that all those who have offered to give their time to serve can do so with integrity and the interests of the club as their motivation.
Agree with @Manorlounger manor......thanks @Colin B
 
Thank you Colin, anyone who gives up a large proportion of their spare time for what is often a thankless task certainly gets my appreciation.

I’m just sorry the rift is such that Colin has left the committee as well.

Here’s hoping next year is a lot easier for all involved and that all the fans finally get the answers we need from the board.
 
Very worrying news indeed. Taking Colin’s letter at face value, he has effectively been ousted by the other committee members. And this tallies with the rumours about certain committee members having dialogue with the club hierarchy and not reporting back to the committee. Which may also go some way to explaining the rather limp OxVox response to Thanakarnjanasuth’s programme notes.

I’m not sure it’s right for OxVox to wait for an AGM now; I think there needs to be an EGM held as soon as possible to find out just what the hell has been going on. There has been a whiff of arrogance around the current committee - hissy fits when questioned why certain meetings aren’t minuted as they have been in the past, abusing fans on Twitter, and so on, and I think it’s high time they a) explained what’s been going on; and b) hear some honest feedback.
 
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Just a quick response Myles, but 100% my own decision, so not ousted by the committee. Having said that, I was incredibly frustrated by certain things that I felt made it impossible to lead the trust in the way I felt it needed to be led.

I've got a busy day today, travelling to the game and visiting family, so probably won't post again today, but one thing I'm looking forward to is speaking freely again on here without the restrictions that come with being Chair of the trust!
 
Really feel for Colin. Having spoken to him recently I know he shares the concerns many of us have about the lack of answers from the club.

I suspect others don’t share his view that this needs firm action. The last oxvox statement was pretty limp as Tiger failed to answer an questions again. We can only hope the committee will keep demanding answers and if they don’t get them be prepared to accept that this is not an acceptable situation.

It is a real shame that Colin has gone he certainly understood the need to not be too close to the club and to be independent and critical when needed. A line that others did not always tow. Oxvox has been very positive about this ownership and we now find ourselves facing winding up orders, no idea what the plan is or who owns our club. Questions are ignored from fans and OxVox it’s a very worrrying time.

Colin is a man of principal and for him to quit is not a decision he’d take lightly and is worrying in itself. But thank you Colin for all the time you put in at OxVox.
 
Just a quick response Myles, but 100% my own decision, so not ousted by the committee. Having said that, I was incredibly frustrated by certain things that I felt made it impossible to lead the trust in the way I felt it needed to be led.

I've got a busy day today, travelling to the game and visiting family, so probably won't post again today, but one thing I'm looking forward to is speaking freely again on here without the restrictions that come with being Chair of the trust!
Fair enough Colin, and I appreciate the response. In employment terms, that sounds like a constructive dismissal, i.e. it’s your choice to leave, but you’re leaving a situation where your position has been made untenable.

I’d also like to echo the thanks for the work you have done for OxVox. Regardless of any differences we may have had, I understand that thankless task being involved with the trust can be.
 
Very worrying news indeed. Taking Colin’s letter at face value, he has effectively been ousted by the other committee members. And this tallies with the rumours about certain committee members having dialogue with the club hierarchy and not reporting back to the committee. Which may also go some way to explaining the rather limp OxVox response to Thanakarnjanasuth’s programme notes.

I’m not sure it’s right for OxVox to wait for an AGM now; I think there needs to be an EGM held as soon as possible to find out just what the hell has been going on. There has been a whiff of arrogance around the current committee - hissy fits when questioned why certain meetings aren’t minuted as they have been in the past, abusing fans on Twitter, and so on, and I think it’s high time they a) explained what’s been going on; and b) hear some honest feedback.

If there was ever a time for an EGM it’s now. Chairman quitting for huge difference of opinion and the club refusing to answer any key questions and having seen two battles with HMRC in the same year.

I think questions need to be raised about the ownership in general and why the trust chair has decided to quit over this especially when the committee was very positive about this group before and during the takeover process.
 
It is a real shame that Colin has gone he certainly understood the need to not be too close to the club and to be independent and critical when needed. A line that others did not always tow. Oxvox has been very positive about this ownership and we now find ourselves facing winding up orders, no idea what the plan is or who owns our club. Questions are ignored from fans and OxVox it’s a very worrrying time.
Spot on. This takeover went through with nary a word of questioning, and it seems there are committee members keen to ensure that remains.
 
I’m not sure terms like ‘ousted’ and ‘constructive dismissal’ are accurate. Looking at it from the outside it appears to be a case of Colin wanting to be a lot tougher on the club over recent events than other committee members? The fact that Oxvox appear to have ‘backed off’ of the club again recently seems to tie in with the timing of the resignation.

As I say, purely conjecture on my part.
 
It might be time for an internal OxVox meeting (aka EGM) to understand the relationship with the club and enable the members to direct the committee on how to conduct itself with the club.

There is a clear need to sort this out.
Agreed. If OxVox don’t intend to hold an EGM, they need to let members know what the procedure is for one to be called by the membership.
 
My initial thought was similar to Myles', particularly as there have been murmurings of differences of opinion within the OxVox committee. My second thought was you were unlikely to allow yourself to be ousted without one helluva noisy fight, probably part played out on here, so a resignation based on frustration was more likely.

Without denigrating the abilities of your successor at all, this seems indicative of a club in turmoil off the pitch. OxVox are a key interface between fans and board and they need to sing with one voice in dealing with Tiger et al.

Tiger's big player signing announcement was a damp squib and won't have settled the nerves of anyone concerned for the club's future direction. Where's the money, where's the plan, where's the basic meaningful communication? Thank goodness KR has turned performances around to give us something to cheer.
Are you referring to the Jordan Graham signing Pete? If so, I’m glad I’m not the only person to feel uneasy and slightly confused with the clubs actions over this. I felt yesterday like I’d shot Rudolph when I voiced my feelings. I’ve nothing against the player at all, I’m as big a fan as anyone in fact, but to have a big Christmas Day ‘tease’ about exciting news, only for it to turn out to be a relatively short term loan signing, only adds to the weight of questions hanging over Tiger and his aspirations for the club. Parading him on the pitch today also seems slightly ott and should be left for big permanent signings - at any club. We now have KR talking in the OM about hoping to add one or two signings but adding - quite cryptically- that players will need to leave. Again we’ll have to wait to see what exactly that means. The situation off the field seems to be getting murkier and murkier. A strong independent supporters voice keeping the pressure on has never been more important
 
I don’t personally know anyone on the Oxvox committee or members of the OUFC board. However I am a member of OxVox.

From the outside looking in, my impression is of an OUFC ownership & board that claims to be ‘open’ and ‘approachable’ but in reality are evasive and secretive.

In my view all committee members need to be fiercely independent from the club, and should continually call the owner and board out when the supporters are fed waffle and vague promises.

It may well suit the board to have a disunited trust at this time. The phrase ‘divide and rule’ keeps popping up inside my head. I sincerely hope I’m wide of the mark on that conspiracy theory!

Saying all that, I appreciate being a committee member is very time consuming and a thankless task at times.
 
Are you referring to the Jordan Graham signing Pete? If so, I’m glad I’m not the only person to feel uneasy and slightly confused with the clubs actions over this. I felt yesterday like I’d shot Rudolph when I voiced my feelings. I’ve nothing against the player at all, I’m as big a fan as anyone in fact, but to have a big Christmas Day ‘tease’ about exciting news, only for it to turn out to be a relatively short term loan signing, only adds to the weight of questions hanging over Tiger and his aspirations for the club. Parading him on the pitch today also seems slightly ott and should be left for big permanent signings - at any club. We now have KR talking in the OM about hoping to add one or two signings but adding - quite cryptically- that players will need to leave. Again we’ll have to wait to see what exactly that means. The situation off the field seems to be getting murkier and murkier. A strong independent supporters voice keeping the pressure on has never been more important

Just to pick up the JG comment. His history with OUFC and the unusual adulation he received during such a short tenure must surely be the only reason he was announced in that fashion. His 5 games have been afforded almost mythical status and I think it’s wrong the criticise the club for taking advantage of it.

Damned if they do, damned if they don’t. It was ever thus.
 
Just to pick up the JG comment. His history with OUFC and the unusual adulation he received during such a short tenure must surely be the only reason he was announced in that fashion. His 5 games have been afforded almost mythical status and I think it’s wrong the criticise the club for taking advantage of it.

Damned if they do, damned if they don’t. It was ever thus.
Think it was the game against the scum when he tore them to pieces helped make him a bit of an hero.
 
This is very interesting indeed. I have huge respect for Colin and also have him down as a pretty tough nut that won’t take no jibber jabber from nobody. He’s certainly no cotton headed ninny muggins. Clearly that style and intent has been thwarted on the Oxvox committee and he has been feeling what many of us have on the forum that questions need better answers from the club.

At a guess he is now free to speak but there’s a high likelihood that he’ll not be able to share too much more about tigers intent as Oxvox have been unable to penetrate the mysterious facade.

Let’s hope that his falling upon his yellow and blue tinted sword will swell the remainder of the committee to greater action and challenge than we have seen to date. The response from Tiger to all matters so far has been pitiful.

From the unfortunate first impression of rocking in late unprepared to his opening press conference (slightly forgivable) to the subsequent air of mystery, and the big chat surrounded by little moves (wow signings indeed) he’s got much to do in recovering his PR. He may well go on to do great things for the club but right now it doesn’t feel that way.

When T Guerrero was at City stating his intent for the club was to make it a global brand we called him a fraudster....or at least a guy lacking a real plan.
 
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