As I write this it’s Monday morning and, hopefully, the start of a momentous week in which the government confirm that we are, at last, to be given our lives back, released from the shackles of covid restrictions and a week in which (all fingers and toes crossed) that prodigal son that is called football, finally comes home.
It is also the week in which I take up the reins of my new role as managing partner of Jacksons. I still have in a drawer at home a letter dated 18th February 1986 in which I am offered “articles of clerkship” with Jacksons Monk and Rowe solicitors at the princely annual salary of £4,500 (which was sufficient to secure me a mortgage and enable me to buy my first house, how times have changed !). This year is my 35th with Jacksons, I’m the archetypal one club player who is now moving into to the manager’s chair (although player manager would be a more apt metaphor, as I don’t intend giving up my fee earning work entirely).
I’m stepping into some very capable shoes in succeeding Jane Armitage in the role; Jane has done a fantastic job over the past seven years; but she will not be breaking her ties with Jacksons just yet, as she’ll be staying on with us in a consultancy role (to continue the analogy, she’ll be moving upstairs to become our director of football).
I’m very fortunate to be taking on the role at a time when I’ve never been more optimistic about the prospects of both Jacksons and our local economy. The last year and a half has been a very difficult one for lots of different reasons, but it’s one in which everyone here at Jacksons has truly shown their worth, rising to meet challenges that we could never have anticipated having to face, and emerging stronger and more capable than we’ve ever been. Gareth Southgate extols the privilege of being able to manage what he considers to be the best squad of players that he’s ever worked with. I would echo that self-same sentiment in my new role. We have as good a team of people here at Jacksons as I have ever known and and their willingness, dedication and pure determination to pull us through the past 18 months, enabling us to emerge from it in as good a shape as we now are, has been inspiring. I am really looking forward to throwing myself into my new role and it’s the people that I’ll be work with who give me that enthusiasm. Onwards and upwards.
Tony Wentworth, Managing Partner
