Lancashire are facing an internal revolt on the eve of the new County Championship season, with a rebel group fronted by club legends David Lloyd and Paul Allott expressing grave concerns with the board’s running of the club.
Lloyd – popularly known as Bumble – and Allott, both ex-England internationals who have played for Lancashire and held positions on the coaching staff at Emirates Old Trafford, say they have been seeking face-to-face discussions on the direction in which their club is heading since last November, but have been ignored.
Their concerns have led to a second Special General Meeting in the space of 48 hours being called for Wednesday.
One of the major gripes of a collective that includes more than two-thirds of Lancashire’s 29 vice-presidents is that it has lost its identity as a cricket club. And they are concerned that it will soon lose its status as a members’ club too.
Club legend David Lloyd has spoken out about his concerns with the running of Lancashire
The objective of their SGM is to put on-field matters back at the centre of a business led by interim chair Dame Sarah Storey and chief executive Daniel Gidney, with a resolution to increase the number of former employees on the club’s board to four, believing the current cap of two severely restricts its cricket expertise.
Lancashire’s only current ex-employee on the board is John Abrahams, although the club argue that president-elect Clive Lloyd – whose nomination needs ratifying at the AGM in May – represents a second.
However, in what is a tangled off-field mess just 10 days before the start of the 2026 season, Daily Mail Sport understands that West Indies great Lloyd has thrown his support behind Lloyd and Allott.
Monday’s SGM, which saw the membership of around 6,000 contacted by email, included seven resolutions that included further empowering the current board and therefore circumventing some of the current democratic rights of members including the ability of existing board members to seek re-election unchallenged.
One also seeks to increase the minimum number of member signatures to secure an SGM from its current level of 100 to 250.
England and Lancashire legend Jimmy Anderson is now captain at Emirates Old Trafford
Lancashire insiders say that the calling of SGMs has been a costly and time-consuming business. Indeed, discontent amongst the membership resulted in two being called last year.
Last season, following relegation in 2024, was tumultuous, with coach Dale Benkenstein removed halfway through and captain Keaton Jennings stepping down.
Stalwarts Steven Croft and Jimmy Anderson have since been appointed in those roles, but a feeling remains that off-field projects over recent years, such as the two on-site hotels in Manchester, the conference and events business and hosting of concerts, have contributed to focus has been elsewhere.
Last year, Lloyd wrote in Daily Mail Sport: ‘There is a feeling, from both within and outside the club, that cricket isn’t the main priority. Rather the balance sheet is. That is a real concern. We must get back to being a cricket club.’
Lancashire were contacted for comment.
