Cochrane hits out over Ks president appointment (From Wandsworth Guardian)

Cochrane hits out over Ks president appointment

12:00pm Friday 18th January 2013 in Sport By Stuart Amos

Former Kingstonian owner Jimmy Cochrane has labelled the replacement of life president Lawrence Cooley as a disgrace.
 

Cooley, appointed to the role 12 years ago, was asked to step down before Christmas by current chairman John Fenwick.
 

The former director, who served on the board during the club’s glory years under Geoff Chapple’s management, had offered to leave at the end of the campaign.
 

But Fenwick and the board – keen to begin honouring playing legends of the club’s past – replaced him with 1960s goal hero John McCormack last week.
 

“The current chairman refused my offer to step down at the end of the season,” said Cooley in a statement this week.
 

“Therefore, I remain a properly appointed life president of the club. It was an honour that was granted to me for my services as a director during the Geoff Chapple era – the most successful period the club has ever known.”
 

Cochrane rescued the club from the clutches of Rajesh Khosla with his pension fund in 2005.
 

The former flower seller added: “It is disgraceful this has happened.

“Lawrence is a great asset to the club and I think they are getting rid of him as the last of my lot. I knew John McCormack years ago and he hasn’t been down to the club for 40 years.”

Fenwick thanked Cooley for his 12 years as life president when appointing his replacement earlier this month.
 

“It was a board decision. We felt the time was right for a change,” he said,
 

“It is an honourary role and Lawrence has not lost his privileges as a life member of the club.
 

“The president is an ambassadorial role and there is not a better person to fill that position than John McCormack.
 

“We will be announcing new vice presidents soon to honour the playing legends of the past – which we haven’t done before – and this paves the way for that.”