David Rhodes = Notts County Chairman?

David Rhodes

David said "We are very close to finalising the deal"

So who is David Rhodes? In March 2000 he was interviewed for the home match programme v Stoke City.....

"I keep being asked why I've accepted Derek Pavis' invitation to become a director of Notts County and if I'm honest about it, no one has asked that question more than me.

The simple fact is, though, that I care very deeply about this football club and if I can do something in my new role to help Notts County through a difficult period of its history, I'm more than happy to do so.

Knowing that the chairman is anxious to sell his controlling interest and that we are losing money at a heavy rate every week, I could have picked a better time to get involved.

" I care about this Club! "

But I think it has reached the stage where everyone who really cares about Notts County needs to do a little extra to give the Magpies a much-needed helping hand and that's why I agreed to join the Board.

I was born in Nottingham and my family have farmed in the north of the county for many generations. Although I had trials with Lincoln City, I suppose I was always destined to respond when my father called me to milk the cows and apart from my family, my life has been mainly devoted to farming and football.

I supported Forest for 25 years but saw the light by accident. My daughter went to the same school as the chairman's daughter and when Derek Pavis and I got talking at a function, he invited me to a game at Meadow Lane. I soon became a committed supporter -ever-present at home and travelling to away matches when work commitments allowed -and I've been a Vice-President for many years.

I'm flattered to be asked to move 'upstairs' and my only real fear is that I have always felt that when you become a director you become 'Boardroomised'. I know I'm sticking my neck out by saying this and I hope it's not something which comes back to haunt me but I really don't want to lose my roots. I'm a supporter first and foremost and I don't want people to think of me in any other way.

I can moan with the best of you and my intention is keep moving in circles where I can to listen to your moans. Providing they are constructive, I will work at removing the cause.
My career as a director didn't get off to the best of starts because I got caught in heavy traffic on my way to Meadow lane and arrived 20 minutes late for my first Board meeting. Interestingly though, I realised within minutes that there is a lot more to running a football club than I had thought. Clearly I have much to learn but I'm keen to do that as quickly as possible so that I can make a real contribution.

"I am fully behind anything which creates a healthy future for Notts County."

My main area of responsibility is working at the grassroots end of the club, doing my best to support the excellent team of people we have running our School of Excellence. It's an area that I know little about at this stage but it's perhaps very appropriate that I should be detailed to take over the duties of Maurice Youdell. I see it as a little like farming, dealing with the seed corn for the future, and I am fully behind anything which creates a healthy future for Notts County."