Should Andrew Paulson resign as ECF President?

[PeterFarr]

The point is that the role Mr Higgins has accepted is "patron" rather than president; its the kind of thing where someone might turn up to present prizes occasionally, and I guess if you can persuade a politician to do it, to exercise influence if possible. Also the name looks good on letterheads etc.

From that point of view Rachel Reeves is indeed a fairly obvious choice, though maybe lacking a bit of stardust. Stephen Fry perhaps?

Minor royals are often patrons, but the current incumbents aren't all noted for intellectual pursuits, preferring more outdoor activities I think?

[John McKenna]

Hi Peter & Justin...

I always have the impression that Irish Presidents are men or women with a title looking for roles.
A bit like Prince Chas. in a way, but can you imagine the publicity if a royal sprog took up the game?
Instead of all the huntin', shootin' & fishin' media reporting The Royal Game would be back in favour.

[Ian Thompson]

Who could the ECF find of similar stature? George Osborne plays chess but.....

Perhaps someone from these lists of chess players given by Agon. There are half a dozen English people in them that I recognise. Perhaps there are others that I don't recognise.

[JustinHorton]

Didn't we do this before, and not so long ago?

[John Upham]

Whoever sticks their neck above the parapet to become President is likely to have their personal and business affairs dissected in detail in this place.

Various investigations will be carried out at companies house.

Maybe someone will carry out a CRB / D&B check on their behalf?

Their gradings and ratings will be mulled over.

Their politics will be examined and chastised whatever their affiliation.

Past games will be scrutinised to see if they play the London System or the Elephant Gambit.

Everything that they have done or do will have an ulterior motive.

They will be hounded out of office until the next victim steps up to the mark.

There is no hiding place from those who can only be negative and titilated by gossip.

The must pass the interviews from our Spanish and Bourne End character judges.

In summary and despair I suspect the best candidate is Commander Data.

[JustinHorton]

Various investigations will be carried out at companies house.

One would certainly hope so.

[Paul Habershon]

At least we could guarantee that a minor royal would be properly attired for opening and closing ceremonies (cf Sheffield 2011). I fear that male politicians increasingly adopt the open-necked shirt on fairly formal occasions in order to appear 'men of the people'. I couldn't care less if Old Etonians fill the cabinet if they can do a good job. What I don't like is when they affectedly modify their natural accent (e,g. by dropping the letter t). Public schoolboy Blair was one of the first to do it. Miliband, Balls and Osborne are also exponents. People should unashamedly be themselves.

[Angus French]

Whoever sticks their neck above the parapet to become President is likely to have their personal and business affairs dissected in detail in this place.

Various investigations will be carried out at companies house.

Maybe someone will carry out a CRB / D&B check on their behalf?

Their gradings and ratings will be mulled over.

Their politics will be examined and chastised whatever their affiliation.

Past games will be scrutinised to see if they play the London System or the Elephant Gambit.

Everything that they have done or do will have an ulterior motive.

They will be hounded out of office until the next victim steps up to the mark.

There is no hiding place from those who can only be negative and titilated by gossip.

The must pass the interviews from our Spanish and Bourne End character judges.

In summary and despair I suspect the best candidate is Commander Data.

I wasn't a supporter of Andrew Paulson (unlike John U I believe) but it seems to me he's had harsh treatment, originating not from this Forum but from a group of Board members.

[John McKenna]

I agree with Angus about the nature of the treatment that Andrew received.
In this thread I have probably contributed more than my fair share of sewage treatment - low humour that is.
At times, recently, I even felt that some, including me, were dancing - a jig - on his grave.
However, I know that Andrew is alive, and I hope well - in body, mind & spirit.
He came to try to deliver something to English chess - from what I made of him and it - he dreamed an impossible dream.
Can't blame him for trying to make a few smaller dreams come to fruition, can you?

[David Sedgwick]

I wasn't a supporter of Andrew Paulson .... but it seems to me he's had harsh treatment, originating not from this Forum but from a group of Board members.

I agree with Angus about the nature of the treatment that Andrew received.

I think I've made it already clear that the Board members had, and still have, my total support.

I'll leave it at that. I don't want to turn this into a Surrey dispute.

[John McKenna]

Hopefully not another dispute in Surrey, David.

Andrew's Big Dream was some kind of a rapprochement with FIDE - one that would involve English-speaking leadership. His smaller dreams for the domestic market can be glimpsed in their embryonic forms here and there - in minutes of meeting and policy statements. Naturally, it soon came down to all or nothing.
Unfortunately, as is often the case, no middle way could be found so the President had to be dropped by the Board. The opposite of the Kaiser dropping his 'pilot' Bismark - in this case the officers dropped their captain. In some quarters that would be called mutiny - unless they did it strictly by the book as in the Caine Mutiny.

[JustinHorton]

he dreamed an impossible dream

I do wish people would distinguish between The X-Factor and reality.

[Jonathan Bryant]

They will be hounded out of office until the next victim steps up to the mark.

Your position is that both of the last two Presidents are victims, John?

[John McKenna]

he dreamed an impossible dream

I do wish people would distinguish between The X-Factor and reality.

That's OK, Justin, just me trying to wax lyrical.
I know that X-Factor is not really real - no more real than anything that appears on TV.
(And, I do include the News & Weather in that.)

[John Upham]

They will be hounded out of office until the next victim steps up to the mark.

Your position is that both of the last two Presidents are victims, John?

There are members of this forum who enjoy controversy, they are only capable of being negative, they get a warm glow feeling of self-satisfaction when things go wrong.

They remind me of these two:

Bring on the next ECF President: we'll soon get rid of him / her!

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