Stephen Vaughan said he “kissed a lot of frogs”. to raise new investment in Yorkshire Credit: Lorne Campbell/TELEGRAPH
Yorkshire says they have received investment from a mysterious investor who will usher in a “new chapter” for the club, while denying it ever negotiated with the Saudi National Investment Fund .
General manager Stephen Vaughan, who joined Yorkshire after the collapse of his former employers Wasps, says the club has 'kissed a lot of frogs' in pursuit of the investment required by the £15m debt to the club. The Colin Graves Foundation.
“When I arrived, it became clear what my role was,” said Vaughan. “Usually in the first 100 days [at work], you want to look at the HR strategy, but that was overlooked. There was nothing more important than refinancing a business.”
Vaughn added that criticism of the club's lack of due process due to the racism scandal haunted them.
“That we could potentially criticize the club for not following process in the past, so we kind of overloaded the process. We have hired financial restructuring firms in the UK, the Middle East and South Asia – breeding grounds for cricket.
“We've talked to a lot of people and in situations like this, you have to kiss a lot of frogs, and I actually kissed a lot of frogs. I carry Lipsil with me. I've kissed so many frogs.”
Asked if they had finally found a prince, he replied, “I hope…but not the Saudi prince we were reported to have met. . [Cricket director] Darren Gough and I, we don't remember it.”
Mike Ashley and the Delhi Capitals IPL franchise are other groups that have been linked to the investment in the club, but Vaughan has been tight-lipped about who is the preferred group.
“Now we are in a place where we have a neighbor that we work with. It's not a takeover, it's not a buyout, it's an investor who comes in to make sure we can move on and continue our journey. Hopefully in weeks, not months, we will be able to announce that we are doing something.
“These things are always full of legal talk, lawyers with lawyers. You are only as fast as your slowest runner in the race. Hopefully this will be done soon and this will be a new chapter for Yorkshire, this could be a springboard for a new progressive Yorkshire. We want to be uncompromisingly modern and progressive. We must start a new chapter.”
Earlier this month, the ECB Cricket Discipline Commission recommended that Yorkshire score 48 to 72 points in the 2023 County Championship, four to six points in the first championship. Day Cup and four to six points in T20 Blast. In addition, it is recommended that they be fined a total of £500,000 for their handling of the racism scandal.
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