WDFL News - Season 2010/11 No.7

07/12/10
By Tim Phillips

Referee and fixtures superstar, Bob Usher with league mascot Bonnie

Secretary of AFC Mazak, Eddie Ruff

Here is the seventh edition of this season's 'Worcester League News'.

Hi everyone,

A reminder that the next Delegates meeting is on Tuesday 14 December - 7.30 p.m. at Archdales.
Any club not represented will incur a £25 fine. An agenda and minutes of the last meeting are attached.

Fixtures - Obviously we are having major problems with the weather at the moment and there are still a lot of County Cup matches outstanding from 27/28 November. These matches take priority and will be the first to be played when the weather relents. Keep looking at the website for your next fixtures as they can change very easily in the current circumstances. Also, if your match is postponed please let me know - either by 'phone, text or e-mail as I'm not a mind reader !

Open Dates - Please note this ruling from the WFA - ' Any clubs that have requested an 'open date' from their League MUST FULFIL any County Cup appointment on the Conference Date or any re-arranged date given by the Association. If they are unable to fulfil the fixture on a re-arranged date, they must withdraw from the Competition but no further penalty will be imposed.'

Submission of results and referee marks - 20/21 November. Late results received from Hangover, Malvern Town Reserves and Malvern Victoria who have all now lost the first of their two 'lives.' All referee marks received on time thank you.

Completion of match report form - One or two clubs are still failing to complete the 'Home record to date' section of the form. I am giving an amnesty until the end of the year but from 2 January any club failing to complete this section, or any other part of the form, will be fined under League Rule 11 (c) - you have been warned !!

Low referee marks - There has been an increase in awarding low referee marks this season and it it's obvious from some of the remarks I'm receiving that a low mark has been awarded because a club feels particularly hard done by - e.g. failure to give a penalty or caution given. Please have a look at page 38 of the League handbook - 'Guide to Clubs when assessing a referee's performance.' This will advise you that the mark awarded must be based on the referee's overall performance and not based on isolated incidents or previous games. We have no problem at all in receiving reports of poor refereeing, but please follow the guide and make sure your remarks are constructive. Slagging the referee off just because some decisions didn't go your way is not very helpful.

Handbook amendment - Arrow 2000 Reserves. Mobile no. for new secretary Chris Lown - See Email

Please do not send cash through the post ! - Ted has received transfer forms accompanied by bank notes which is a dangerous practice - cheques only please, unless you are calling personally (by appointment !) when a receipt can be given.

Registrations - For a number of seasons, the League has refused the registration of any player who has accumulated in excess of 84 days suspension in a season whilst playing in the League. A recent directive from the FA to County FA's and Leagues amended the criteria to allow Leagues to refuse the registration of any player who had accumulated in excess of 112 days suspension in a period of two years or less, from the date of the first offence whilst playing in the League.

It has come to the League's attention that two players - Darren Bullock (AFC Heenans) and Wesley Joyce (Bridge Rangers) have both accumulated in excess of 112 days suspension in the relevant periods. Accordingly, both players have had their registrations cancelled for the remainder of this season and will have their registrations refused for the 2011/12 season. This only applies to the Worcester League and both players are free to play elsewhere, subject to their registrations being accepted by the relevant League.

Any other player in the Worcester League who accumulates over 112 days suspension in future is likely to receive the same course of action.

and finally ....... we are actively seeking a sponsor for the League with a lot of work going on behind the scenes - watch this space ! Also, we are giving serious thought to holding a League 5-a-side tournament next summer - again, watch this space !!

See you on Tuesday ...... Tim