Long-serving former Leicester players John Allen, Bob Beason and David Matthews are to retire as directors, with Sir Clive Woodward, Rory Underwood MBE and Terry Gateley coming in to join the club’s Board.
In announcing the changes, Tigers chairman Peter Tom CBE said: “John Allen and Bob Beason have been associated with the club for more than 40 years, and David Matthews for more than 50 years. They were all players for Leicester and members of the general committee before becoming members of the Board.
“They have made an invaluable contribution in both the amateur era and since the game went professional and Leicester Football Club became a public company in 1997.
“Their retirement provides us with an opportunity to revitalise and strengthen the Board to meet the new challenges that lie ahead, not least the major plans we have for the redevelopment of Welford Road.
“I am delighted to be able to welcome Sir Clive, Rory and Terry to the Board and I am certain that their individual and collective contribution will prove vital to helping us achieve our vision of making Tigers the best club in world rugby.”
The architect of England’s Rugby World Cup victory in 2003 and a former Tigers player, Sir Clive is Director of Elite Performance for the British Olympic Association.
Sir Clive said: “I consider it an honour to be appointed to the Board of Directors at Leicester Tigers, a club that has set benchmarks for others to follow throughout its history.”
Rory Underwood MBE is also a former Tigers player and also England’s record try-scorer. He works in management consultancy.
He said: “Leicester Tigers is a special club right at the top of the game both in England and in Europe. I look forward to being able to play my part in the club’s continued successes on and off the pitch.”
The third appointment is Terry Gateley, a Tigers supporter who gained his financial expertise as a senior partner at KPMG in the Midlands.
“As a supporter, I have seen Tigers grow into the successful club we all know,” he said. “I am delighted to be able to join the Board at an exciting time for club rugby in this country.”
BIOGRAPHICAL DETAILS
SIR CLIVE WOODWARD
Clive Woodward made 148 appearances as a player for Leicester Tigers between 1979 and 1985, including three John Player Cup Finals. He scored 43 tries as an elusive and inventive centre. He gained the first of his 21 England caps in the Grand Slam season of 1980 and also represented the British & Irish Lions in 1980 and 1983. His coaching career took him to Henley, London Irish and Bath before becoming England’s head coach in 1997. His squad won Five/Six Nations Championships in 2000, 2001 and 2003, and the ultimate honour as Rugby World Cup winners in 2003 when Martin Johnson lifted the trophy in Australia. Knighted in the 2004 New Year Honour’s List, Sir Clive was named head coach of the British & Irish Lions a year later before leaving rugby to become Performance Director and then Director of Football at Southampton FC. In September 2006 he was appointed Director of Elite Performance for the British Olympic Association.
RORY UNDERWOOD MBE
Rory Underwood made his Leicester Tigers debut in 1983 and went on to score 134 tries in 236 games for the club. He is England’s record try-scorer, with 49 in 85 internationals. He made his England debut in 1984 and played in Grand Slam teams in 1991, 1992 and 1995, as well as at three World Cups, including an appearance in the Final at Twickenham in 1991. He was the first England player to reach 50 caps and his total number of appearances is exceeded only by Jason Leonard. He toured with the British & Irish Lions in 1989 and 1993. Another notable rugby achievement is that Rory completed the clean-sweep of domestic honours, playing in sides that won league, cup, county and divisional honours, as well as representing the RAF. A pilot in the RAF during his playing career, he now works in management consultancy.
TERRY GATELEY
Terry Gateley, aged 53, is a chartered accountant and worked with KPMG until 1999. By the end of his 20 years there, he was on the six-man Executive Team, running the regional offices and special services, and was a Main Board member. Since leaving KPMG, Terry has had involvement in a variety of industries including house builders and private equity funds and has chaired private equity-funded companies in the finance, printing and aerospace industries. He is on Alchemy’s Advisory Board and chairs two of their investee companies in the finance sector. He is the senior non-executive director of IMI plc and is also involved in event management and land development.
