Fresh board blow for red-faced Magpies

COLLINGWOOD has admitted a second of its seven club directors – Victoria Racing Club chairman Neil Wilson – appears to be ineligible to serve on the Magpies’ board.

In another embarrassing blow to embattled Pies president Mark Korda, lawyers for Collingwood have conceded that the club is examining “the issue of his (Wilson’s) eligibility to remain on the board”.

It was discovered that Wilson was not a qualified voting member of the club but rather a Melbourne Cricket Club member who nominates Collingwood as his AFL club of choice.

The issue of Wilson’s status surfaced late last week after the club reluctantly surrendered its register of voting members to long-time former club solicitor Francis Galbally, who is backing businessman Jeff Browne’s push to take control of the board.

It is a requirement under Collingwood’s constitution for all directors to be voting members of the club to be eligible to serve on the board.

Wilson was drafted onto the board in April in place of long-time president Eddie Mcguire, who was forced out in February.

In an update to Pies members last week, Korda noted that directors Peter Murphy, Christine Holgate, Bridie O’donnell – and now Wilson – would all be up for election at the club’s annual general meeting on December 16.

It emerged in May that O’donnell was also ineligible to sit on the Magpies’ board because she had not been a member for 24 months prior to her nomination.