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The chief executive of a major sports organisation is rarely the person required to tackle rowdy supporters who have flooded onto the playing area.

Yet as anyone who attended Surrey’s T20 Blast match against Middlesex at The Oval in 2015 will attest, Richard Gould is a man who confronts problems head on.

With Surrey having swept to an easy win, many in the capacity crowd decided it was time to have their own fun on the outfield. Yet before the situation could escalate, on marched Gould to assist the stewards and send supporters back to their seats.

Former chief executive of Surrey CCC Richard Gould is now in the same role at Bristol City

‘I do tend to be hands-on,’ smiles Gould, the son of Bobby, who led Wimbledon to FA Cup glory by beating Liverpool at Wembley in 1988. ‘If there’s a particularly difficult or nasty job to be done I’d rather get on and do it myself.

‘On that occasion I was I was helping out with the stewarding and just making sure it didn’t get out of hand – which I’m happy to say it didn’t.’

Gould does not expect to be doing the same in his new role as chief executive of Bristol City, where he has returned after 16 years in charge at Somerset (2005-11) and Surrey (2011-21). Yet the 51-year-old – a former tank commander in the British Army – has a unique insight into the challenges facing England’s two main national sports.

For much of his time at Surrey, Gould was a thorn in the side of the England and Wales Cricket Board, particularly regarding The Hundred. He opposed the new competition from the start and still has grave doubts about its long-term implications for the game. ‘As a television event, it was successful,’ he reflects. ‘The issue we always had was about the shape it left cricket in.

‘Where does this leave the counties? There are eight new teams, and four formats. The big issue is what happens next and I’m not quite sure how the game is sustainable in its current form.’

Perhaps surprisingly, however, Gould believes the 18 county cricket clubs are better-placed to survive the impact of the pandemic than the 72 in the Football League. Though he is optimistic about what Bristol City can achieve, he has twin concerns for the future of the game – how to repair finances wrecked by coronavirus, and the competitive imbalance created by Premier League parachute payments.

‘The Championship is the competition most affected by the pandemic, across all sports,’ argues Gould. ‘Football clubs will remain in a precarious position and we will be plugging holes left by the pandemic for perhaps the next four years.

‘When I compare it with cricket, a number of counties – excluding the bigger clubs like Surrey and Lancashire – survive on central funding from the ECB and aren’t used to having big crowds in. Many of them have made it through the pandemic largely unaffected.

Gould was a thorn in the side of the ECB, particularly regarding The Hundred's implications 

‘At Surrey we relied on having the crowds in and that is even more important for clubs in the EFL. ‘The gate income is so vital for clubs relative to their other sources of income, and then there is the money made through selling players. The transfer market in the Championship shrank by about 90 per cent – think of the damage to clubs who balance their books by selling players.

‘Yes, the Premier League have had a hit but their broadcast revenue has protected them. Our share of broadcast revenue is six or seven per cent of what a Premier League club can expect. It’s been a really tough time, owners and funders of Champ clubs have done really good job getting them through.’

When Gould arrived at Ashton Gate in May, 12 players were released as he and manager Nigel Pearson found ways to keep both squad and balance sheet competitive.

Barely a fortnight earlier, English football was left in danger by the proposed European Super League, which threatened to change the sport forever.

Coach Nigel Pearson and Gould found ways to keep the squad and balance sheet competitive

Those behind that idea were forced to abandon it because of widespread public opposition, yet the dream for every club outside the top flight remains the same: win promotion and bank the £135million for doing so, plus at least £75m in parachute payments that follow if you return to the Championship.

This aid provides a soft landing for relegated clubs yet Gould fears it leaves the remainder stuck on the runway – and he warns time is running out to improve the situation.

‘The parachute payments are so significant that they are making the Championship an unfair competition,’ he said. ‘Three years’ parachute payments ruin the ability to compete of the other clubs.

‘It is really difficult for the EFL and I know they want to try to grip it. It’s in the Premier League’s best interests to ensure the gulf financially is closed otherwise they risk having a relatively boring competition where it all becomes a bit too predictable.

‘The longer it goes on with these parachute payments that are out of kilter with the commercial reality of the Championship, the Premier League will just become a closed shop. The door is almost shut now. It’s probably three or four inches ajar and we’ve got our foot wedged in to try to make sure it doesn’t get shut permanently.

Gould fears parachute payments leaves the other Championships clubs stuck on the runway

‘Of the three clubs promoted, at least two have usually been relegated from the top flight relatively recently. That leaves everyone else effectively fighting for one spot.

‘I hope the Premier League will recognise this is not a desirable position, as you’ll have fewer stories like Bournemouth or Huddersfield being promoted. They may cut off the pyramid over time and people will lose interest.

‘This is a proper club, with great following, great potential. I hope I can be part of the team that gets us to the Premier League. So my message to (Premier League chief executive) Richard Masters is to have a look at your parachute payments and make it a fairer deck for everyone.’

It is worth remembering that Gould could have been Masters’ opposite number at the ECB. He was one of the contenders to succeed David Collier as chief executive in 2014 but lost out to Tom Harrison, the main architect of The Hundred along with former chairman Colin Graves.

He was one of the contenders to succeed David Collier as chief executive in 2014 but lost out

Gould’s record at Surrey, who welcomed full houses to The Oval for T20 Blast matches while competing for trophies and producing players for England, would have persuaded many to give him the keys to English cricket. He insists, however, that he has no regrets.

‘My pitch was to focus on county cricket by creating a Premier League for the four-day game and having the Blast on free-to-air TV,’ he recalled. ‘The hierarchy at the time had a different idea – new teams and a new competition – so it’s probably a good thing I didn’t get the role as I’d have been the wrong candidate for what they wanted to do.

‘The success of football is that in essence, little has changed. We still have four professional leagues and promotion and relegation. We play at times when supporters can watch and we encourages player development. Cricket can learn a great deal from that.’ Bristol City fans hope cricket’s loss is football’s gain.