James Clark : Thu May 02, 2024 1:15 pm
Are you sitting comfortably then I'll begin!!!!! 
After his length of service I just thought this deserved a a thread of its own
This might not make me very popular, but the news that James Clark is the latest casualty of our restructuring as a Club will please a lot on here because particularly since he has been involved in recruitment he has certainly had his critics. However, I just want to put the record straight about a bloke that I was first involved with when he joined the club in the marketing department. James has always been 100% Hull FC and always acted I believe in the best interest of the Club, at times I hope he won’t mind me saying, at the cost of his own health. But as incrementally money got tighter and tighter more and more was foisted on him as personal left to not be replaced and he had to take up the reigns. Some of his latter duties I think it is fair to say, saw him outside his comfort zone. Back in 2015 we had Adam a head of Marketing a head of retail, a head of community and development and a chief Financial Officer; now we had Clarky.
You see I have worked with him over the years particularly in the first 6 or so on season ticket schemes, running fans forums getting fans involved with the players setting up junior fans involvement scheme and when we had a working fans group (FC Voices) he was always willing to meet with us and discuss the fans issues which he always actioned where he could. He was completely accessible to us whether in or outside working hours. I have wondered how with a young family he was able to spend so much time at the club but I guess he was dedicated to the task.
His protection of his staff during Covid and the way we as a club got through that was in many parts down to him, but his role as far as some fans were concerned was always going to be a thankless task. His comparing forums, player of the year events etc. saved the club thousands over the years and its perhaps little known that as well as the massive workload he had put on him he still took time to sit on Kirk Yeaman’s and several other players benefit Committee’s. Many of the initiatives he launched are now part and parcel of the FC Calendar and will be for many years to come. I don’t keep in contact with him now as we all move on, but I don’t expect he’s changed that much.
All that said I have to say that for me. it is a wise decision by whoever made it, and one that fits into the changing scene, nay renaissance we are seeing at the club. It was his time and it appears too that there is a strain on his family life which he is right to address. Did he leave or was he pushed? Well, who knows new faces new ideas and ego’s to manage no doubt!!! however, the time is right and we move on, but I hope that Adam taking over the CE role is not yet another cost cutting exercise but an indicator of money and changing ‘management’ coming into the clubs as it is restructured at the top as well as everywhere else. Businesses have to evolve to thrive and grow and there are casualties so we the customers who can’t move on have to just watch what happens next.
Some will as I say be dancing in the street with this announcement and as I said above it is the right thing at the right time, for the club we all love but he did a lot of good too, and that deserves at least a few lines on here. (I don’t’ do a few lines do I?) but now we should all be watchful have faith but be careful what we wish for.
Good Luck Clarky in whatever you do in the future and thanks at least from me for all you’ve done to help me over the years.
