Cheltenham League Meetings

Minutes of the Management Committee Meeting at the Victory Club Cheltenham on Wednesday 25th January 2006.

Attendees: G Cook, J Crowther, R Attwood, N Oram, L Fisher, A.Stiley, J Hunt, B Hill, M.Lytheer, P Newcombe, R.Overington, P.Tustain,

Apologies: D Barrett, T Onions

Minutes of the meeting held on Wednesday 4th January 2006 were read and accepted

Matters Arising from the minutes.

An appeal had been received from Bourton Rovers against the fine that they had incurred at the meeting of January 4th. This fine had been imposed for incorrectly reporting the result of a match as a 2-0 defeat when it was, in fact, 3-0. Bourton claimed that their manager was adamant that he reported the score correctly and substantiated this claim with the information that the manager is also the team's goalkeeper and that he would, therefore, have had good cause to know exactly what the score was.

Having considered this matter, the Management Committee upheld Bourton Rovers appeal and agreed that they should have their appeal fee returned..

Correspondence:

Reported for Discussion

Email from Andoversford Nomads admitting to playing one player short in Division Three on Saturday, 17th December, 2005
Letter from Wayne Baker, the manager of Newton Heath Reserves, informing the League of the intention of Newton Heath Reserves to break away from Newton Heath FC and set up as a separate club named Newton FC.
Reply sent including Enrty forms for season 2006-2007
Completed entry forms received 18th January 2006
Email from Gaffers requesting that their Junior Charity Cup Quarter Final with AC Olympia on January 28th be postponed. The reason for this was the fact that, as the club had no game on January 14th, their whole team attended the Cheltenham Town v Bristol Rovers match at Whaddon Road. This left all of them well placed to purchase tickets for the 4th round FA Cup tie with Newcastle United.
Email from Hatherley Rangers requesting that their Senior Cup Quarter Final with Winchcombe Town be postponed because of the Cheltenham Town match v Newcastle United. Both Hatherley's teams played on January 14th and so it is to be assumed that very few of their registered players attended the Cheltenham Town v Bristol Rovers match. Hatherley claim that they have 3 players who will be unavailable that day because they are policemen who will be required to work.
It was confirmed to the meeting that it was the receipt of these two emails that had lead to the decision being taken to permit clubs to postpone any game on Saturday, January 28th, in deference to the Cheltenham Town match with Newcastle United, so long as the request to do so was received by Monday, 23rd January.
Email from Cheltenham Civil Service bringing the League's attention to what they regard as the poor quality of the facilities at Sherborne Harriers home ground.
The Secretary was instructed to write to Sherborne Harriers to request their comments on the observations made by Cheltenham Civil Service.
Email from Warden Hill United informing the league of their decision to withdraw their second team from the League with immediate effect.
The Management Committee noted this letter of resignation and acknowledged that, regrettably, the League was left with little option but to accept it. It was confirmed that, in deference to their excellent disciplinary record, Warden Hill United's deposit would be returned.
Email received from AFC Southside asking if it might be possible for the club to enter another side in the Cheltenham League next season and whether or not the first team could be moved up to accommodate such an entry
Reply sent pointing out that movements between divisions were only ever considered on playing merit and that no club could have two sides in the same division at the same time
Further email received from AFC Southside asking if they could enter another team by another name, possibly Greatfield FC, which was still affiliated to Southside.
It was confirmed by the meeting that any additional side entered into the League, constituting players who currently play for Southside Under 16's, would have to be an entirely separate entity to the existing AFC Southside.
Email from Brockworth Albion indicating that they would be interested in entering their 2nd and 4th teams - currently in Stroud League Divisions 1 and 6 - into the Cheltenham League for season 2006-2007.

Correspondence Notified to the Meeting but not discussed

Email from Belmore Jags confirming that they had sent in the missing result cards that could have seen them suspended by the League on 6th January 2006 and assuring the League that they will ensure that this does not happen again
Email from Falcons giving the details of their new Secretary. This is Simon Hancock and his address is 27 Lime Road, Walton Cardiff, Tewkesbury, Glos GL20 7RJ. His telephone numbers are 01684-295612 (H), 0121 6985753 (W) and 07764 282191 (M)
Email from Finlay Rovers giving details of their new Secretary. This is Yashar Nasser and his address is 15, Coney Hill Road, Gloucester. GL4 4QL. His telephone numbers are 01452 542280 (H) and 07949 032088 (M)
Notification from the GFA that Finlay Rovers were suspended with immediate effect from Friday, 6th January, 2006. Two players registered with Finlay Rovers were also suspended Sine Die
Email from Sherborne Harriers notifying the League of a new mobile number for their Secretary. This is 07810 524472
Email from Cheltenham Civil Service pointing out fixture discrepancies in the month of April and asking the League to rearrange home matches for which they will not have pitches, for a variety of reasons
Email from Cheltenham Civil Service expressing concern that the forthcoming EGM only proposed the ultimate sanction of expulsion from the League and did not have a contingent fall back position.
Email from Tarran Wilson, requesting information with regard to the steps that needed to be taken to enter a team in the League.
Reply sent, detailing the procedures followed by the League and also advising Tarran to contact the GFA to obtain a copy of their booklet relating to the establishment of a club
Email from Smiths Athletic applying for FA Cup Final tickets
Letter from Charlton Kings applying for FA Cup Final tickets
Letter from Rebecca Skinner, newly appointed Football Development Officer with the GFA, introducing herself and expressing a desire to meet with the clubs and the League at the earliest possible opportunity
Email from Star applying for FA Cup Final tickets
Email from Cheltenham Civil Service, informing the League that the debt that the club was owed by Shaun Foley, as reported at the beginning of the season, had now been discharged
Email from Smiths informing the League that their secretary may not be able to attend the Egm on Wednesday, January 25th and asking if the club can register a proxy vote.

Rule Offences:

The following clubs have been fined in accordance with rule 5I: Failure to make payment of invoices within 28 days
i) Late Payment of Invoices: Fine at discretion of Management Committee: Invoices due on 31/12/05: Tewkesbury Town (Invoice 56, £15, paid 06/01/06), Naunton Park (Invoice 42, £10, paid 06/01/06), Finlay Rovers (Invoice 30, £45.00, paid 06/01/06)

The following clubs have been fined in accordance with rule 10b - Late Kick-offs (home team). 14/01/06 - Div 2 St Marks CA (25 minutes late - fine £12). (Away team) 07/01/06 - Div 3 Northway (10 minutes late - fine £5)

The following clubs have been fined in accordance with rule 10e - failure to play a match with 11 players. Fine £3 for each missing player: 17/12/05 - Div 3 Andoversford Nomads ( 1 players missing - Fine £3); 07/01/06 - Div 4 Hatherley Rangers (1 player missing - Fine £3).

The following clubs have been fined in accordance with rule 10f - failure to fulfil a fixture:
Minimum Fine £15 and 3 points deducted: 17/12/2005 - Div 2 Finlay Rovers, 07/01/2006 - Div 5 Finlay Rovers..
Minimum Fine £20 and 4 points deducted: 07/01/2006 - Div 2 Finlay Rovers; 21/01/2006 - Div 1 Warden Hill United

The following clubs have been fined in accordance with rule 11(a) - failure to complete Result cards correctly. Fine £5 for each offence
Incorrect referees Name: 17/12/05 - Div 1 Star Div 1 (stated G.Durk when B.Durie), Div 2 Smiths Ath. ( stated M.Barnes when M.Baldwin), Div 3 Charlton Rvrs (stated M.Murray when C.Dawson), Div 4 Bishops Cleeve (no referee when ref M.Ball), Div 5 Naunton Park Div5 (no referee when N.Bond), Senior Charity Cup Naunton Park (no referee when M.Jones), Junior Charity Cup Cheltenham Civil Service (Stated Ref D. James when D.Jones 07/01/06 Div 5 Northleach Town ( No ref named when K.Iles), Naunton Park (No ref named when J Harding), Churchdown Panthers (No Ref named ); 14/01/06 - Div 5 Churchdown Panthers (stated C. Williams when G.Webber)
No Referees Marks 17/12/05 - Div 4 Bishops Cleeve , Div 5 Naunton Park, Finlay Rovers, Junior Charity Cup High Tech Rangers
No Sportsmanship Marks: 7/1/06 - Div 1 Shipton Oliffe
Incorrect Score: 17/12/05- Div 5 Finlay Rovers (stated 15-1 when 16-1), 07/01/06 - Div 4 Hatherley Rangers (stated 5-2 when 6-2),

The following clubs have been fined in accordance with rule 11(b) - Notification of results or postponements to the Results Secretary: fine £10. 21/01/06 - Div 1 Tewkesbury YMCA (call received 5-55 pm)

The following clubs have been fined in accordance with rule 11c - late result cards. Fine £10: 17/12/2005 - Div 1 Belmore Jags, Div 5 Belmore Jags. 14/01/2006 - Div 2 St Marks

The following clubs have been fined in accordance with rule 11(f) - teamsheets. Fine £10. 07/01/06 - Div 3 FC Electrics (NO 16 not named on teamsheet).

The following clubs have been fined in accordance with rule 13c - no assistant referee. Fine £5: 17/12/05 - Div 3 Andoversford Nomads

The following clubs have been fined in accordance with rule 13(J) - Failure to submit referees cards or teamsheets. Fine £5: 17/12/05 - Div 1 Belmore Jags (No Card or sheets), Warden Hill (Late Card & Sheets), Div 2 Finlay Rovers (No team sheets), Div 4 Gaffers (No Card or Sheets), Div 5 Tewkesbury Town (No sheets), Charlton Rovers (No Card or Sheets); 07/01/2006 Div 1 Northway (No card or Sheets), Duv 5 Cheltenham Saracens (No card or Sheets), Sherborne Harriers (No teamsheets); 14/01/2006 - Div 1 Belmore Jags (No card or sheets), Bishops Cleeve (Late Card and no Sheets), Div 2 Finlay Rovers (No teamsheets), St Marks (No card or sheets),Div 3 Northway (No team sheets), Div 5 Belmore Jags (No card or Sheets), Charlton Rovers (No card or sheets) .

The following clubs have been fined in accordance with rule 14b - withdrawal of a team after the AGM. Fine £50: Warden Hill United

In light of their poor disciplinary record during the course of the season, up to the end of January, a situation that was exacerbated by yet another change in the club's management structure, it was agreed that the General Secretary should write to Finlay Rovers and instruct them to attend a hearing into their administration at the next Management Committee meeting

Following consideration of rule offences, it was unanimously agreed that Standing Orders should be suspended to allow the meeting to continue after 9.00 pm

Fixtures

The League's Assistant Secretary confirmed that he had nothing further to add to that which had been reported during the course of the Clubs meeting.

Proposed Rule Changes

Proposed alterations to the League's rules for season 2006-2007 had been circulated to all committee members in advance of the meeting.
The General Secretary explained that this matter had been brought to the Committee's attention at this juncture to enable him to send proposed changes to the rules to the GFA League Sanction and Rules Revision Committee before it next met, on February 9th. The General Secretary then explained the rationale for some of the rule changes whilst others were agreed with some slight modifications.
It was agreed that the proposed rule changes could be submitted to the GFA for consideration by the League Sanction and Rules Revision Committee

Northleach Town & St Marks Review

The General Secretary reported that both clubs had submitted minutes from their latest respective Committee meeting. In addition, he informed the meeting that St Marks had been reported, by the referee, for a late start to a home match on Saturday, 14th January and that the referee had stated in his report that he suspected that this was for no better reason than the fact that the team was watching television.

The General Secretary was asked to write to St Marks and request their comments on this matter.

Any Other Business:

The meeting was informed that it had come to the attention of the General Secretary that one senior and prominent referee was refusing to complete the Official Match Referees card before handing it back to the home side after each game that he officiated. It was noted that, on occasion, it was obvious from a difference in hand writing and in the pen that had been used, that the home club had completed the details on the card and that the referee had merely signed it. It was confirmed that no club should be entering anything on an Official Referee's Card and that, in future, any club that altered or added details to a referees card would be severely dealt with, under the provisions of rule 13(j). In the meantime, the referee's secretary was asked to speak to the referee concerned and to point out to him the necessity of completing the card and the consequences, both for himself and, possibly, the club concerned, if he continued to refuse

The meeting was informed that a referee had contacted the General Secretary to make him aware of the fact that, whilst refereeing a Hatherley Rangers home match at the Royal Agricultural College in Cirencester, he had used a changing room which, after the match, had been shared by an under 14 boys hockey team. The Referee in question, and a colleague who had been refereeing the Hatherley Rangers reserve team match on the same day, reported their concern at the compromising position that this arrangement could have left them in. The meeting concurred with this concern and instructed the General Secretary to write to Hatherley Rangers to request their comments and observations on this matter.

The meeting was informed that dealings with Cheltenham Borough Council with relation to payment for the pitches was ongoing. An invoice had been received from the Council which had not conformed to the basis agreed during the summer but which did, very nearly, equate to the number of pitches used. The Committee was assured that, this year, the General Secretary and the League's Treasurer were in possession of all the details with regard to the usage of Borough Council pitches and that this should mean that there will not be a repeat of last year's dispute.

The Treasurer informed the meeting that 4 clubs had failed to pay invoices by the due date of January 23rd and that 3 of these clubs had failed to take the opportunity presented to them by their attendance at the clubs meeting to rectify this situation. It was confirmed that these clubs were Smiths Athletic, Northway and Rowanfield United and that if they had not paid by 6.00 pm on Friday, 27th January, each club still in arrears would be suspended from the League.

The meeting was asked to consider the matter of High Tech Rangers Junior Charity Cup Quarter Final, which had been postponed on Saturday, 28th January at the behest of their opponents. Due to ground sharing arrangements of which the League was not previously aware, High Tech Rangers were concerned that they may not have access to their home pitch on February 4th, the date on which the game has been rescheduled. It was agreed that this match should be rescheduled for the next date on which High Tech Rangers have access to their home pitch.

The Assistant Secretary informed the meeting that Belmore Jags had asked if the League was able to help the club identify a suitable home venue that may meet Northern Senior League requirements in the event of the club's first team winning the Cheltenham League. In light of the resignation of Warden Hill United and the disbanding of that club's reserve side, it was agreed that Belmore Jags should be advised to contact the authorities at Dowty Rotol.

There being no further business, the meeting closed at 9.23 pm

NEXT MEETING - WEDNESDAY 22nd FEBRUARY, 2006

AT 7-15 PM