Lancashire Cuts Two Cricket Chiefs After Season Falls Apart

Dr. Annelies De Vos · 2026-09-22

Lancashire County Cricket Club made a bold move on September 21, 2026, parting ways with two of its top cricket leaders. Director of Cricket Performance Mark Chilton and Director of Women's Cricket David Thorley both left their roles at Emirates Old Trafford. The club called it an immediate restructuring of its performance setup. Why now? Because the 2026 season simply didn't go the way anyone at Old Trafford hoped. Both the men's and women's teams struggled in domestic competitions, and club executives felt they couldn't wait any longer to act. ### What the Chief Executive Said Chief Executive Daniel Gidney didn't hide how difficult this decision was. In an official statement, he called removing Chilton and Thorley "incredibly tough" for the leadership team. But he also made it clear the board believed a full performance restructure was the only way forward. Gidney pointed to a shared ambition across the club. Everyone wants to win matches, push deep into tournaments, and bring trophies back to Old Trafford. For the men's side, he said County Championship success sits at the very heart of Lancashire's cricket vision. For Lancashire Women, the expectation is to challenge for major domestic honors year after year. He also took time to thank both men. Gidney praised Chilton for his long commitment to the Red Rose and thanked Thorley for steering the women's team through a huge transition. ### Mark Chilton's Two-Decade Journey Ends Chilton's story with Lancashire runs deep. He played nearly 200 first-class matches for the county between 1997 and 2011, plus 237 white-ball appearances. He captained the senior men's team from 2005 to 2007 and was part of the squad that won the County Championship in 2011. After returning as a coach in 2014, he was appointed Director of Cricket Performance in 2021. Five years later, his time at the club came to an end. ### Men's Team Hits a Historic Low The men's side currently sits seventh in County Championship Division Two with just one game left. If results go against them in the final round, Lancashire could finish at the very bottom of the division. That would be the club's lowest ever finish in County Championship history. It's been a rough slide, and the numbers tell the story better than any excuse could. ### David Thorley Leaves After Women's Team Slump Thorley took charge of Lancashire Women in January 2020. He guided the team through the original regional structure and oversaw its shift into a fully professional county framework before the 2025 season. In 2025, the team won both the Metro Bank One-Day Cup and the Vitality T20 County Cup. But the 2026 campaign didn't follow the same script. The women's team's drop in form, combined with the men's struggles, pushed the club toward a sweeping change. ### What Comes Next Lancashire now faces a serious rebuild. The club has made its expectations clear: trophies, consistency, and progress. Whether this restructure delivers those results won't be known for a while, but the message from Old Trafford is unmistakable. Standing still wasn't an option. For fans, the hope is simple. A fresh setup might be exactly what the Red Rose needs to climb back to where it belongs.