One of Brents Women directors talks to the erald.... (New director Jo Cubbon on how Plymouth Argyle are leading a way for other clubs to follow)

Jo Cubbon hopes that other football clubs will take notice that she is one of two women to have been appointed to the board at Plymouth Argyle.

Even in this day and age, it is unusual for there to be any female presence around the boardroom table at clubs across the country.

But the Pilgrims have bucked the trend with the appointment of Cubbon and long-time Argyle supporter Jane Chafer as non-executive directors.

Cubbon is a former chief executive officer of Taunton and Somerset NHS Foundation Trust and recently retired after a long career as a health professional.

Like Chafer, she was approached by a specialist executive recruitment firm who acted on Argyle’s behalf to find the two new directors

The two women both attended their first board meeting at Home Park earlier this month.

Cubbon told Herald Sport: “It is unusual and I hope that we were recruited because of what we can bring and not because of our gender.

“Although, all the evidence says boards perform if they have got a mixed gender.

“I hope by doing this it’s something that really benefits the club, and I hope other clubs will actually take a little bit of a look.

“They are going to take more of a look if we are successful.

“I hope that they see if they have got opportunities on their boards that the good women out there get as much chance as the good men.

“I’m not one for tokenism and ‘we have got a woman on the board’. But if you have and it adds extra value, great.”

Football has made a considerable move towards attracting more women to games but that has not been reflected in the boardrooms at clubs.

Cubbon said: “Jane and I won’t change it, but I think what will change it is actually what has happened to sport itself.

“It is lovely to hear people drop the ‘women’s football’ and just talk about football. I notice that is happening more and more.

“You don’t talk about men’s football, so why do we talk about women’s football?

“It’s great to see the coverage that females playing football is getting and the talent that is there.

“I just think that as the actual sport with women playing it becomes more watched, more followed and more covered that in itself will start to change the way clubs are run.

“I think there are going to be a number of things, a little tiny bit here at Plymouth with Jane and I being on the board and somebody else is going to look at and may replicate.

“But the big change is going to come from people playing sport and people following it.

“We are seeing it really start to happen in cricket. There are some amazing talents out there.”


A prime example of that is Plymouth’s Heather Knight, the captain of the England cricket team and winner of The Herald’s Sports Personality of the Year prize.

Cubbon said: “We have got a lot of good local female sports examples that were all born and bred around here so we must be doing something right in the south west.”

the big thing coming is men becoming transgendered women and dominating women's sports.

What a load of wank. Some things appeal to women some to men. I want to see more men involved in the WI for too long it's been a sexist organisation, my jam is as good as anybodies.

Does no-one on the PAFC board actually realise that the success of a football club is defined as what happens on the pitch?

This sentence speaks volumes....

"I hope that we were recruited because of what we can bring and not because of our gender."

Can she cook pasty’s??

And what about this little gem ?

Quote :

It is lovely to hear people drop the ‘women’s football’ and just talk about football. I notice that is happening more and more.  You don’t talk about men’s football, so why do we talk about women’s football?

Is she for real ? Am I on the same planet ? That's just not true.
Great start, a bit like being sent off in your first game, and getting caught drunk driving afterward.

May I be the first of the un- PC lot to say that "womens" so called Professional football is crap , especially the goalies.

Too much exuberance on a sunny Friday here, Puff puff, slurp slurp.

Bring on the gender fluid ballthingys, ffs.

How does the Cornish King of Janners fit into the Directors box equality wotsit ? Equality for dickheads maybe.

Sentry men qualify as diversity in action. I'm expecting Harve to get the call soon, ex-pats are human too.

What a load of bollacks

Can anyone join the angels? Asking for a friend

More waffle from the Brent club.

What a load of shit

Former NHS Form filler joins Akky Aces to do what excactly?

Hugh Watt wrote:

This sentence speaks volumes....

"I hope that we were recruited because of what we can bring and not because of our gender."

yeah ! Get your tits out!! Get your tits out!! Get your tits out for the lads

Jethro wrote:

Jo Cubbon hopes that other football clubs will take notice that she is one of two women to have been appointed to the board at Plymouth Argyle.

Even in this day and age, it is unusual for there to be any female presence around the boardroom table at clubs across the country.

But the Pilgrims have bucked the trend with the appointment of Cubbon and long-time Argyle supporter Jane Chafer as non-executive directors.

Cubbon is a former chief executive officer of Taunton and Somerset NHS Foundation Trust and recently retired after a long career as a health professional.

Like Chafer, she was approached by a specialist executive recruitment firm who acted on Argyle’s behalf to find the two new directors

The two women both attended their first board meeting at Home Park earlier this month.

Cubbon told Herald Sport: “It is unusual and I hope that we were recruited because of what we can bring and not because of our gender.

“Although, all the evidence says boards perform if they have got a mixed gender.

“I hope by doing this it’s something that really benefits the club, and I hope other clubs will actually take a little bit of a look.

“They are going to take more of a look if we are successful.

“I hope that they see if they have got opportunities on their boards that the good women out there get as much chance as the good men.

“I’m not one for tokenism and ‘we have got a woman on the board’. But if you have and it adds extra value, great.”

Football has made a considerable move towards attracting more women to games but that has not been reflected in the boardrooms at clubs.

Cubbon said: “Jane and I won’t change it, but I think what will change it is actually what has happened to sport itself.

“It is lovely to hear people drop the ‘women’s football’ and just talk about football. I notice that is happening more and more.

“You don’t talk about men’s football, so why do we talk about women’s football?

“It’s great to see the coverage that females playing football is getting and the talent that is there.

“I just think that as the actual sport with women playing it becomes more watched, more followed and more covered that in itself will start to change the way clubs are run.

“I think there are going to be a number of things, a little tiny bit here at Plymouth with Jane and I being on the board and somebody else is going to look at and may replicate.

“But the big change is going to come from people playing sport and people following it.

“We are seeing it really start to happen in cricket. There are some amazing talents out there.”


A prime example of that is Plymouth’s Heather Knight, the captain of the England cricket team and winner of The Herald’s Sports Personality of the Year prize.

Cubbon said: “We have got a lot of good local female sports examples that were all born and bred around here so we must be doing something right in the south west.”

Yeah ok, love.

Hugh Watt wrote:

This sentence speaks volumes....

"I hope that we were recruited because of what we can bring and not because of our gender."

Priceless innit?

She still appears hopelessly oblivious to the whole point, insomuch that regardless of what she may ‘bring’, if she had a Wanger instead of a Foo Foo she’d be nowhere near the Boardroom.

Not only do the serfs have to listen to the regular witterings of the self styled squire on his theory of austerity for everyone but himself, but now they are subjected to the dartboard views on world affairs from his lady guests who are fresh from finishing school and down for the Summer season.

beesrus wrote:

Not only do the serfs have to listen to the regular witterings of the self styled squire on his theory of austerity for everyone but himself, but now they are subjected to the dartboard views on world affairs from his lady guests who are fresh from finishing school and down for the Summer season.

Ahh but they be "long standing" praaaaaaaaaper fanz.
Viva aviva

We need investment on the pitch not equality box ticking off it.

BRENT AND HIS USELESS 'BOARD' OUT NOW!!!!!!

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The inevitable follow up article from the Brent rag, I wonder if Jo asked Brent and the board during the meeting - where are the
monies going?

Can her and her mate do the washing up?

Jesus. Just as well Newell and Webb got me shunted out.