A new committee is preparing to take the reins at Tavistock Football Club following a stormy meeting in the wake of the sudden departure of its chairman.

Volunteers at Tavistock AFC gave a passionate defence of the club at an extraordinary general meeting at its social club, the Red and Black Club, on Monday night, August 10.

The meeting saw the resignation of the secretary Leah Hardaker – who said she was being bullied – and followed the resignation of chairman Glenn Collis on Friday, August 7.

The only remaining board member, Lisa Fletcher, was elected as treasurer by all those in the room. In the hope of taking the club forward, volunteers Matt Miller, Jon Ascot, Karl Gatcum, Pete Crockford and Tony Dwelly were all voted to join her on the committee.

Volunteers were “promised change” when Glenn Collis was brought in in an advisory role by former Tavistock AFC manager Stuart Henderson last autumn.

A new manager, Steve Tully, joined the club in February and the club’s footballing fortunes are improving – but as the meeting revealed, there is concern about its management.

Louis Ormston, among those who spoke at Monday’s meeting, said: “For someone who loves the club, I think the thing now is the club has suffered at the hands of higher management. We have been desperate and vulnerable and allowed terrible things to affect this club.”

He said the time had come to elect a committee of people “who have no hidden agendas, who want the best for Tavistock AFC. It’s time to take on a football club that is sustainable and above board. I propose that a board of bright, trustworthy and capable people is brought on board with immediate effect”.

Anger was expressed by numerous people that management are not communicating with the volunteers who keep the club going, running the teams and organising events.

One question mark is money, as no accounts have been kept recently, it has emerged. A ‘cash reconciliation’ are ongoing, including identifying £10,000 given by one volunteer “in good faith” to establish a shop selling club merchandise within the grounds.

At the meeting, Lisa distributed a list of all known payments made with cash between January 2026 and July 2026, drawn up in the absence of accounts. The meeting heard that cash had not been banked from match days since the previous treasurer stepped down in April, nor from the Red & Black Club since the former bar manager and previous club secretary stepped away this January.

Welfare officer Martin Williams has recently stepped down from the committee, for more of a work-life balance after 27 years supporting the club, but continues to coach the women’s team on Sundays.

Speaking after the meeting, he said: “We have got a new manager Steve Tully, we have got a team capable of winning games and clearly things are all right on the pitch but things are not so good off it.

“Things have got to improve. The club needs to be run by trusted local people who have an emotional attachment to the club, so we would appeal to people to get involved as we look to deliver the improvement. The potential is there for the community to support us on match day and with events like christenings and weddings. That can only make us stronger.”

Following an initial phone consultation by the club with a Devon & Cornwall police officer, it is understood that CCTV footage and till records are being passed over to the police and efforts are now being made to reconcile the club’s finances and discover the extent of unaccounted for cash.