Hastings United can confirm that David Nessling, David Ormerod and Tony Cosens have decided to step down as Directors of the football club, with David Nessling and Tony Cosens also stepping down from the position of Chairman and Secretary respectively.
The Club would like to put on record the huge amount of respect it has for all three men, who have put in combined over a century of service to the Club.
Everyone thanks them for their service, and they are welcome to the Pilot Field any time.
All three will officially depart this Thursday.
-- Edited by hastings85 on Tuesday 24th of September 2019 08:06:53 AM
-- Edited by hastings85 on Tuesday 24th of September 2019 08:07:21 AM
-- Edited by hastings85 on Tuesday 24th of September 2019 08:07:58 AM
Sad to hear that they are going but all three have put in massive amounts of work and time over the year. Special thanks to Dave O for buying the club when he did. Presumably Tony Cosens will now have to buy his own biscuits !
strange goings on again afterjust appointing billy woods and saying dave nessling staying on they step down does that mean the club up for sale or they will remain owners and new drectors brought in agree with phil a huge thanks for their work over the years.
Pretty sure Daren Burney owns the controlling shares now so no reason why the club would be up for sale. They may well sell their shares though or maybe retain them for the future whilst just being shareholders.
The two Davids and Tony have many, many years of service to Hastings United. Hope our new CEO is here for the long term and has a similar long term interest in Hastings.
If we want to see the club progress and get to a higher level, we must all support Billy and give him a chance, there is a lot to do, and hopefully in a reasonable time scale. Think we all respect what these 3 men have done and thank them for all their hard work.
I would want to place on record my appreciation of the selfless service that these three gentlemen have given.
Transition is hard.
Those that accept the mantle of leadership must learn to appreciate the value of what is already, and how it was achieved, before moving forward.
It’s about respecting organisational memory
Billy Wood i have the most respect for someone coming in to a big club.. Just make sure you communicate with the supporters as that is what was lacking.. I just want whats best for my home town club and push it on.. I will definitely back you 100% like i am with the management.. As this club has potential and needs someone with a different view to take us as high as possible..and seeing people try and rip in to you is unfair i like how you come across you say it how it is just like me.. People dont like hearing the truth but bring on this new era and lets get the ground bouncing 📣📣📣📣📣📣📣📯📯📯📯📯📢📢📢📢📢📢📢
Dont know how people cant see this as a good thing as for me hes young got alot of potential to get us as high as possible... I will give him a chance.. ..
-- Edited by hastings85 on Wednesday 25th of September 2019 10:29:27 PM
While we shouldn't ever be afraid of bringing in a younger man with some fresh ideas, I can't help feeling this represents a destabilisation of the club. You need the older, wiser heads who have seen it all before to validate and maybe sanity check new proposals.
I have to admit I am confused as to the sequence of events. Surely the three who left were part of the team that appointed Billy ? Surely he was interviewed and they liked what they heard ? To then leave en masse within days of his arrival all seems rather odd to me and it's difficult to believe that their departure wasn't as a direct result of the arrival of Billy.
I was disappointed to read that he had chosen to use the word 'naive'. That seemed an unnecessary slur given the service those three had given the club.
Having said all this, I certainly wish Billy well. Some fresh ideas could well be what the club needs right now. Time will tell whether the events of the last few days were for the best or not.
I just did not like the way he bigged himself up in the observer and basically putting down the other directors. Is he in it for himself or the club. I hope the latter
Tim unfortunately I can’t agree about it not being broke, the stand is a health hazard and potentially dangerous, and the new ground is at least 2 years away. I wonder if we were to win promotion would we get ground grading?
Wasn't Dave Nessling the driving force behind the move to the new ground ?
Where does his departure leave us on that front ?
What about the secretary & treasurer posts ?
Anyone got any answers ?
Yes I agree ground is ageing but there was a plan to move to Tilekiln. Bringing in someone new does not guarantee a new ground or success. The club is in a stable position. Crowds have increased, and club had a good feel as a family club. Just hope what has happened does not affect the team on and off the field. Unless he is bringing in massive investment i cannot see how things will change for the better. hope I am wrong
as he was thought to be the best man for the job bit unfair to say cannot see things changing for the better. and has been said if the driving force for a new ground has departed does that leave the project up in the air.
Well the new ground is no nearer now than it was 4 years ago if the information put out is true (no information to my knowledge) . So perhaps Billy will add new vigour to that as well or he will find someone who can.
Why does everybody seem to think, a new CEO is of the greatest benefit to Hastings United Football Club at board level?
I for one remember only to well the recent past does not bode well for the club in relation to new head people who think they can change the fortunes of the club. Dave Walters came in, upset a huge amount of loyal followers, and looking back, what reflections do I have, none whatsoever, did he do well for the club, not in my humble opinion.
Before him was Mick Maplesdon, again a new broom who wanted to sweep clean, what did he achieve not much.
Before him was Mark Gardner, again another broom who wanted to sweep clean, what did he achieve not much and so on.
What have Dave Ormrod, Dave Nessling and Tony Cosens achieved, a massive amount. Nestles has been working flat for a number of years, looking into the club's relocation to another area in the town, besides bringing a stability which the club needed after Walters, and I could name plenty of things Dave has achieved.
Dave Ormrod again, a loyal servant to the club, bringing in much stability to the present day with some of his decision making.
Tony Cosens, an institution at the club, who despite being admonished in an awful manner by Mr. Walters when he was there, has remained throughout a proper professional in his job, and has given thousands of hours to the club, unpaid at times, to see the admin side of running the club being done correctly.
I could go on and on about why their decision to step down is absolutely a tragedy for the club, and I cannot see why the appointment of the new CEO, is going to be of a great up turn in the clubs fortunes, looking at his CV, does not thrill me with any real hope. I know people will say at least give him a chance, I personally wouldn't have changed anything at this present juncture, considering what the club is trying to achieve, if it is not broken, why try to add a fix to it. I hope I will have to eat my words, at present, I feel very safe that won't happen.
Read with interest, but to us fans we don’t see anything has changed in the past 4 years. If you keep things secret this is the risk you run, and I would say the lack of outrage at what has happened, suggests to me that the majority of us aren’t to concerned and maybe a change is for the best.
miles, not saying it is best for the club to bring in new people and yes we have seen it in the past with no great results and have the greatest respect for the two daves and tony all I was saying was he must have been invited to join,and the club wanted a ceo,i was happy with the set up as it was.
we have had a fantastic start to the season. The directors who have left will be greatly missed. I fear for the next few weeks. Big changes not always good for the team. Certain people think Billy is going to come in and make us a bigger and better club. His past experience is not all that. Chairman of the 4th best side in Eastbourne (Eastbourne United). What is so special about him and what has he done in the past. After saying all this I hope I am proven wrong.
As a lifelong supporter of the club, I am saddened to see the departures of 3 individuals who have put so much into the club, often with resultant personal sacrifice, over many years. You simply can’t put a price on that amount of experience, loyalty, commitment, skill, and desire to do things in the right way. You can’t replace those qualities overnight. Whoever is going to step into Tony’s shoes has a massive job with a steep learning curve. In my view, all 3 deserve better than being apparently marginalised to the point where they feel the need to walk away. There’s a certain irony in the timing, when progress on the field could be impacted by events off it. It also occurs to me that in a week where ‘language’ has come into focus, using words like ‘naive’ in relation to people who have earned the respect of many over numerous years is, at best, misguided. It is not my place to pass comment on the new structure - others on this forum have perhaps noted the lack of credible football-related experience In evidence - all I would say is that if it is the intention to unite the club, supporters and community, it is generally wise not to alienate those who have worked so hard over the years to keep the club afloat during treacherous times. The departure of 3 trusted, experienced and respected people is not a great start.
Oh come on, this should have no bearing on the pitch, and just remember the recent managerial fiasco a few weeks back, it’s obvious that things weren’t right, and the owner decided to be proactive, and it appears some on the board didn’t like it.
The most important thing to the club in the next few years is the ground. We won’t get grading for conference and we might have issues with BV prem, that stand is a disgrace and needs rebuilding or we need a new ground urgently. Neither appear any nearer than 4 years ago, something had to change. If you look at the initial statement around Billy it said DaveN was going to oversee new ground. So why didn’t he want to make the new ground his legacy ? Hopefully he will explain why in time. Or is it he can’t see it happening or quite simply he had had enough of ground issues. We can only guess at this stage but I for one support the actions taken as I know what Billy did for EUFC and if he does the same for us in 3 years time we will be more than grateful.
Chris, obviously you know Billy and the past work he has done. Please could you tell us what he did at Eastbourne United so we get an idea of how good he can be for the club
It’s not just about what you do asa leader but how you do it
The two are inextricably linked. The effective leader has true humility that makes him listen to those he leads, understands the history of what has worked, and what hasn’t, then builds on it going forward
Some new brooms, and we will see, believe that everything before has no value
Tim Eastbourne were on life support when Billy moved in, and was behind their miraculous escape from relegation at the end of last season. He turned the club around of the field as well laying down foundations for the future that will hopefully be carried forward. He was well respected by the Eastbourne United family and they appeared devastated that he has moved on. There are also a couple of other things Billy did that I can’t really say on here but to me they showed he is a decent guy.
Cannot agree with you Chris B I am afraid. Looking at Eastbourne United for years, has been besat with on and off field problems, not only just last season, are you seriously telling me, Billy Woods turned it all round with barely a number of games left, and saved them?
Let's face it, without being unkind to Eastbourne United, hardly the Man United of the County League?
What did Billy Woods do before that, strummed his piano on the bandstand in Eastbourne?
I cannot find anywhere where Billy Woods has had enough experience to take the helm at such a club as Hastings United.
Surely before his ego gets to him to much, he should of listened, and listened hard to real people with a pedigree of experience in running the club, before saying they are naive and unsuited to be involved in such a club. I do hope he has put his money already into the club by buying shares and giving donations, cos without it, as I have already said, I pity what will happen further into the season.
Ignorant comments Miles look at Eastbourne last season before Billy and after Billy, you obviously don’t pay that much attention to them. If you understand Football you only get experience by going into a roll like this. But to go against him already is ridiculous at least we should all give him a chance.
Just dropping a little message in here just to say hello to any of the supporters I didn’t get to meet away at VCD Athletic or at the Velocity Cup game Tuesday night.
I’ve seen positive and a few negatives about me coming in and some of it sits around the fact 3 Directors decided at their own will to resign after having a meeting with me. I won’t be commenting on a regular in this group (maybe a post about how amazing a game is now and then but that’s it!) but it just felt the right thing to do tonight.
I felt it was in the best interests of the supporters to be very clear that I didn’t ask the 3 Directors to leave and in that meeting which was attended by the board. I made it very clear that my intention was to work alongside them, get a feel for what’s is being done at the club, what’s being done great and what we can improve on.
Ignoring the past success or the methods only a fool would do and that is never my intention.
Unfortunately, based on the fact I would be involved in all areas of the business they have decided to resign. Being involved doesn’t mean I would marginalise, I would be there to aid where I can and have a little more collaboration. I respect their decision however my respect has been questioned by that ‘naive’ quote, a quote that I feel has been a little misconstrued.
I said to the Hastings Observer that leaving without seeing how we could work together and at least giving it a chance was a little naive. That word may be being used to say I’m being disrespectful, it wasn’t meant like that but I certainly wish at least all 3 men gave the next few months a chance to see how it would pan out before deciding to go.
I have continued to be in dialogue with some of those gentlemen and it’s been nothing short of helpful. I have nothing but respect and whilst I won’t get the pleasure of working with them I will never forget the work they have done. I am also fortunate to have some amazing Directors on board and will be making sure our team communicates to drive this football club forward.
Some will doubt me, say I’ve not done enough to earn this position or I have not enough experience compared to the previous. All 3 men have 50 or so years at this club which you only get if you are in the job. Anyone who doubts me I do not blame you, but I ask you one thing. Let me prove to you why I am here and do not hesitate to chat at games, home or away.
This week alone I’ve had countless of meetings with some important partners of this football club who are excited for the future and got to know our staff better which has been a delight. This club is fortunate to have an incredible Director of Football in Dean White who is a source of footballing wisdom, we have a manager and coaching staff who literally seem to be buzzing around that stadium everyday and quickly we have all found common ground.
This job isn’t going to be easy, Eastbourne United wasn’t easy either and to make it clear I wouldn’t of left that club for any other club (I had other approaches) except for Hastings United. I debated it a lot whether the timing was bad as it would seem like I was only there for a little amount of time, but then I asked myself ‘would look back in a few years time and regret not coming to my home town club?’ The answer was a resounding ‘YES!’
That might sound selfish but I have to be honest with you. This is an amazing club and I feel personally ready for this challenge. I have the energy and enthusiasm to not be scared of pushing this club into the modern era, the messages I’ve received within the football community have been hugely positive.
Let’s try and progress, allow our football team to do the business. Consulting with our Directors and listening to the volunteers/supporters we will get this right.
Change is feared however I will give 100% to this.
Have a wonderful weekend and I hope to see as many of you at the Pilot Field next Saturday!
Surely he is right to give him a chance but to move on you have and can't ignore what has been in the past. Let's see if the departed 3 director's can or will be at the next game ........ And being ambitious can go in 2 directions..
Can't really see that the club has achieved anything in the last few years so maybe it is the right time for them to move on and let someone else have a go. Proof is in the pudding of course.
