Warwickshire County Cricket Club has announced a new chairman as the cricket season draws to a close.

The club’s current chairman Neil Houghton is retiring and will be replaced by Norman Gascoigne.

Mr Gascoigne, originally from Nottinghamshire, was a banker until retiring in 2001 since when he has acted as a business consultant.

He has had a lifelong passion for the game.

Having moved to the West Midlands in 1994, he joined the Warwickshire General Committee in 2004 and was subsequently appointed as one of the first nominees to sit on the club’s management committee at its inception in 2006.

He was elected club vice-chairman in 2008.

Mr Gascoigne said: “Since moving to Birmingham with my work I have been an avid ‘Bear’ and it is an enormous honour and privilege to be asked to be the club chairman.

“Neil Houghton was able to end his term of office with a tremendous win at Lord’s in the CB40 Final earlier this month and I look forward to working with Ashley Giles, the rest of the cricket management team and our cricket committee to ensure that the club continues to improve its performance in all forms of the game.

“I am also taking over at a time when a major ground redevelopment is well on the way to completion, which by July next year, will make Edgbaston the country’s premier international cricket venue outside London. “Under the leadership of Colin Povey, chief executive, we have a team to make sure we take best advantage of that opportunity for the benefit of the club and the city.

“As the new chairman I look forward to the challenges ahead with great excitement and I hope the club can deliver more success both on and off the field in the years ahead.” 

Retiring chairman Neil Houghton added: “It has been a great privilege to have held the chairmanship of this great club for the last eight years and I would like to thank all those involved at Edgbaston for their tremendous support and loyalty during my term of office. 

“I am confident that I am handing over to a very capable successor and I wish the club and the new chairman, Norman Gascoigne, every success for the future.”