Notes of meeting held on 19th March 2008

 

1          Welcome - Chairman, Michael Covill welcomed everyone to the first meeting of 2008 especially Stuart Reeve, Keith Greensides, Tony Scales and Daniel Wright from the Great Yarmouth Referees Association.

 

2          Absent - Great Yarmouth Peelers, Sunningdale, Shrublands, Prince Consort, Great Yarmouth Peggottys, Prostar Windows, Martham and Albert Tavern

 

3          Apologies – Great Yarmouth Peelers, Sunningdale, Shrublands and Albert Tavern

 

4          Notes of Meeting of 16th August 2007 – Circulated and agreed.

 

5          Matters Arising - None

 

6          Correspondence

 

6.1       Great Yarmouth Borough Council Liaison Meeting – The Secretary attended a meeting in        December 2007 when the main item discussed was the application from two Youth clubs to have sole use of the Magdalen Playing field. The Sunday and this League did not have any objections in principal given that we have not use the site for 4 or 5 years. The question of the Great Yarmouth High School taking over the Beaco in exchange for Barnard Bridge was also discussed with all parties present being in complete agreement that it provided no benefits to the football community at large.

 

6.2       Norfolk County FA League Meeting – The Chairman and Secretary attended the six-monthly meeting the previous evening.

 

i)          There will not be any increase in County fees or insurance premiums in the 2008/09 season.

 

ii)        There will be a change in competition rules that stipulates three match balls must be presented to the referee prior to kick off.

 

iii)       Referee’s mileage rate increases to 30p per mile in recognition of the increases in fuel charges.

 

iv)       FA Cup Final tickets will be on the same allocation basis as last season.

 

v)         The NCFA will be holding an EGM in April to vote on a proposal for the County Council to be represented by League nominations rather than on a vague Area basis. A 75% majority will be required.

 

vi)       The new FA strategy was briefly discussed having been launched the day of the meeting. Zero tolerance concerning behaviour towards referees was discussed.

 

7          Postponed matches – Two recent games were postponed on the day of the match when Reedham and Lacon Arms were unable to raise a team.

 

            Decision – The proposal to award both the games to the opponents – Catfield and Prostar Windows, respectively, was carried on a vote of  7-5.

 

8          Abandoned Match – The game between Great Yarmouth Peelers and MK United was abandoned at half time when the Peelers players refused to continue following a fractious first half that saw 3 players dismissed. NCFA duly dealt with the matter fining Peelers after they pleaded guilty with mitigation.

 

Decision – The proposal to award the game to MK United was carried without objection.

 

9          Great Yarmouth International – The club inadvertently played a suspended player in September and were duly dealt with by NCFA. The games were declared void in accordance with the rules and a lengthy discussion followed. Clubs wanted points deducted in the same way points were deducted from other teams when players signed-on a match day were found to be ineligible. It was argued that the League had some responsibility in the matter in that the oversight was not picked-up until after the second indiscretion and that it would be unfair to penalise the club for the second occurrence. It was also argued that ultimately it was the clubs responsibility to ensure that players were not suspended and were eligible to play.

 

            Decision – A proposal to deduct three points for each game was proposed and seconded. An amendment to deduct three points was lost and the original proposal carried with 12 clubs in favour.

 

10        Cup Finals – charge to remain the same as last season i.e £2.50 adults and £1.00 concessions.

 

            Dates -           Wiltshire Cup – Monday 24th March – 10.30

                                    Burgess Cup – Wednesday 2nd April – 7.30

                                    HA Holmes Cup – Wednesday 16th April – 7.30

 

11        Registration Secretary – The procedures for signing players and completing signing-on forms were not being followed and that the lenient view being adopted this season would not be followed next season.

 

            Stamped addressed envelopes were not provided when signing-on forms and transfer forms were sent to the Registration Secretary. Clubs ran the risk of playing ineligible players if they did not do so.

 

12        Rule changes – The Secretary reminded clubs that rule changes needed to be submitted by 1st May – clubs might want to review the inconsistencies around postponed matches at different time of the season and also the inconsistencies around ineligible players.

 

13        Dates – Any club intending to resign from the League should do so in writing by 31st March.

 

Application forms for the 2008/09 were issued and clubs reminded these needed to be returned by 31st May.

 

14        Date of next meeting – AGM on Wednesday 11th June at the Burrage Centre starting at 7.15.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Website

 

All fixtures, results, reports, league tables and club notes are on the website at www.gydfl.com

 

There is also a link to the Norfolk County FA Website including the latest suspended players list.

 

When you email your results, include a report for the Mercury and the website – email anne.edwards@archant.co.uk and paul@gydfl.com