Cheshire Veterans League
Annual General Meeting Minutes
Venue: Cottons Hotel, Knutsford, WA16 0SU (19.00 to 20.55) Date: 4th July 2016
Management Committee
/Attendee
Chairman
/John Concannon
President
/Mel Hood
League Secretary
/Howell Davies
Treasurer
/Steve Power
Registration & Fixtures Secretary
/Glyn McGovern
Referees Secretary
/David Ng **
Guests
/Attendee
Sportsjam
/Matt Burton
Cheshire FA
/Adam Doyle
Attendance & Apologies A record 43 people attended the AGM!
MEMBER CLUB / Attended / MEMBER CLUB / AttendedAlder / YES (v) / Hursts
Barnstoneworth / YES (v) / Macc Vets / YES (v)
Barr Hill / Manchester Gregorians / YES (v)
Bedians / Manchester Wolves / YES (v)
Bexton / YES (v) / MCYA
Billinge / Mobberley Rangers / YES (v)
Birkenhead All Stars / YES x2 (v) / Moore United / YES (v)
Blackbrook / YES (v) / Mossley Hill / YES (v)
Bollington / Mossley Hill Ath. Wanderers / YES (v)
Chelford / YES x3 (v) / Neston
Club AZ / Apologies / Nicosia Vets / YES (v)
Daten / YES (v) / Old Alts
Egerton / YES (v) / Partington Spartans / YES (v)
Ellesmere Port / Apologies / Poynton / YES x2 (v)
FC Plumley Celtic / YES (v) / Richmond Rovers / YES (v)
Frodsham Veteranos / Stepping Hill / YES (v)
Frodsham Veterans Ath. / YES (v) / Sutton Junction / YES (v)
Grappenhall / Tatton Arms
Grappenhall Sports / Apologies / Timperley / YES (v)
Gresford & Pandy Vets / YES (v) / Wilmslow Town / YES (v)
Hazel Grove / Wythenshawe Town Vets / Apologies
High Lane / YES (v)
NEW CLUB / Attended / NEW CLUB / Attended
AFC Partington / Pyramid St Helens / YES
Denton Town / YES (2) / Rainhill Vets / YES
Northenden Victoria / YES / Stockport Georgians / YES
Pilkington FC (St Helens) / YES / Tavern Vets (Warrington) / Apologies
1. WELCOME
The Cheshire Veterans League Chairman, John Concannon, welcomed all attendees to the AGM at the end of the 20th season of the League. He paid tribute to all of the efforts put in by the attendees in running their Teams and Clubs during the season just completed, with special mention made for the efforts put in across the League by the Management Committee members.
2. 2016/17 HONOURS & TROPHY PRESENTATIONS
Where trophies and teams were in attendance, the trophies were handed to the new holders for the next 12 months. In summary, winners were:
CHESHIRE VETERANS LEAGUEChampions / Runners up
PREMIER / TIMPERLEY / Tatton Arms
DIVISION 1 / ALDER / Grappenhall Sports B
DIVISION 2 / MACC VETS / Club AZ
DIVISION 3 / SUTTON JUNCTION / Hazel Grove
DIVISION 4 / DATEN / Manchester Wolves
DIVISION 5 / CHELFORD / Manchester Gregorians
OVER 45s / NICOSIA VETERANS / Old Alts
CHESHIRE VETERANS CUPS
Winners / Runners up
PRESIDENTS CUP / GRAPPENHALL SPORTS / Moore United
CHAIRMANS CUP / DATEN / Grappenhall
6-a-side Over 35s / ALDER / AFC Partington
6-a-side Over 45s / OLD ALTS / Mobberley
3. TREASURERS REPORT
High-level details of the current financial position are:
2011/12 / 2012/13 / 2013/14 / 2014/15 / 2015/16Opening Position / £2,679 / £3,081 / £3,516 / £4,083 / £5,126
Income / £3,100 / £3,700 / £4,800 / £6,060
Expenditure / £2,698 / £3,266 / £3,757 / £5,923
Closing Position / £3,081 / £3,516 / £4,083 / £5,126 / £5,263
Financial Decisions put to the AGM
· League Fees will rise for the 2015/16 season, to £150. Clubs paying their Fees on or before 31st August will get a £50 discount and so can pay the same £100 that has been paid in previous years
AGREED
· Clubs with Over 45s teams alone will follow the same rules, other than payments are £75 with a £25 discount for early payment
AGREED
· As in previous years, the proposed honoraria will be paid to league officials
AGREED
Steve Power advised that he would be invoicing every team with details of the payment due.
4. SECRETARY’S REPORT: CLUB CHANGES
4.1. Club Withdrawals
The following teams withdrew from the League during the 2015/16 season:
Premier: Offerton Green
Division 1: Flint Town; SIDAC; West Didsbury & Chorlton
Division 2: Ashton Rangers
Division 4: Mount Villa
Further teams have withdrawn at the end of the season:
Division 1: Old Alts (their other teams are continuing)
Division 3: Burtonwood
Division 4: Billinge
Division 5: MCYA
4.2. New Clubs
The following Clubs are joining the League from September:
Main League
AFC Partington Denton Town Northenden Victoria
Pilkington FC (St Helens) Pyramid St Helens Rainhill Town Vets
Stockport Georgians Tavern Vets (Warrington)
Mobberley will also be having a second team in the League
Over 45 Legends Division
Chelford
4.3. Name Changes – Existing Clubs
· Gresford: Will be called Gresford & Pandy Veterans
· Moore United: their Over 45s team will be called Moore United Old Boys
· Norbrook: Will be called Wythenshawe Town Veterans
4.4. Other Expressions of Interest
There were 17 expressions of interest from potential new Clubs this season (31 last season), from the following locations:
· 2: Chester/Wales
· 2: Liverpool (1 joining)
· 6: Manchester (3 joining)
· 2: Mid Cheshire
· 2: Stockport (1 joining)
· 2: Wirral
· 5: Warrington/St Helens (3 joining)
5. SECRETARY’S REPORT: FIXTURES – 2015/16 REVIEW
5.1. Unplayed Matches
The table presented last year has been updated with this year’s information, which shows a slight upward movement in the number of matches not being played.
Season / Teams / Matches / Not Played / Of Total2015-16 / 64 / 374 / 44 / 11.8%
2014-15 / 53 / 403 / 41 / 10.2%
2013-14 / 48 / 272 / 29 / 10.7%
2012-13 / 37 / 255 / 13 / 5.1%
2011-12 / 31 / 210 / 6 / 2.9%
5.2. Fixtures: Proposals Agreed or Otherwise at the AGM
** Voting cards in Green and Pink were issued on a 1 per Club basis and they were used to vote on all of the proposals listed in the Secretary’s report. The 27 voting Clubs are shown on the attendance record at the start of the minutes – with a (v) next to them **
PROPOSAL 01: TEAMS CONCEDING MATCHES TO PAY A £25 PENALTY
AGREED
Notification of a fine will be actioned, by the Treasurer, each time that a concession is posted on FA Full Time.
INFORMATION 01: SCHEDULE MORE MATCHES IN SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER
NOTED
Glyn advised that this is still somewhat aspirational as, in a number of cases, Clubs will be unable to achieve this due to scheduling issues. Nonetheless, the starting position is that teams will have 7 matches scheduled in the 9 Sundays that fall in September and October.
INFORMATION 02: TEAMS FALLING FOUL OF RULE 12C
NOTED
A team in a “normal” Division of 8 teams, playing Home and Away, needs to play 11 matches – otherwise – according to League Rule 12c - their results will be expunged. In addition, due to Proposal 1, they will also have been fined £100 to this point in time!
INFORMATION 03: REFEREE CANCELLATION FEES
NOTED
If a Referee arrives at a match, or it is cancelled within 24 hours of the kick off, the Referee will be able to claim £30 from the League. It will be the Referee’s choice whether or not to do so. The fee will, in effect, be paid by the conceding team so is planned to be cost neutral from a League perspective.
PROPOSAL 02: PLAY 10 vs 10, 80 MINUTE, MATCHES TO AVOID A CONCESSION
NOT AGREED
The feeling was that this would not be of great assistance in getting matches played.
PROPOSAL 03: ACCELERATED PROMOTION
AGREED
The principle is that, in normal circumstances, the top 2 from a Division will be promoted. However, where the opportunity arises the League is empowered to accelerate the promotion of teams where the League would benefit from a team skipping one or more Divisions. This will be agreed between the Secretary and the Fixture Secretary.
PROPOSAL 04: INVESTIGATE 3G BLOCK BOOKING
AGREED
The league will investigate this idea and advise teams on the outcome. Basic implementation rules are as suggested in the pre-AGM papers:
· Commitment from Clubs in various areas will be sought
· Locations across the League’s geographical spread will be sought
· Dates will be in Nov/Dec; Jan; Feb
PROPOSAL 05: POSTPONEMENT POLICY
AGREED
Between September 1st 2016 and January 31st 2017, teams will be allowed to postpone no more than 2 matches (using the existing League guidelines). Any postponements caused either by the weather or by the League will not count towards the 2 matches indicated.
6. SECRETARY’S REPORT: PRESTIGE MATCHES
6.1. Representative Games
The issue of ‘representative’ games was discussed and the potential for our league to perhaps initiate inter-league games, to increase the appeal of Veterans football. The Clubs felt that this idea was worth exploring and the Cheshire FA will be approached to assist with making contacts.
PROPOSAL 06: CLUBS TO INDICATE WHETHER THEY (AND THEIR PLAYERS) SUPPORT THE INITIATIVE
AGREED
This will be followed up with the Cheshire FA and details will be fed back to the Clubs
6.2. Cup Finals
There was some discussion regarding the Cup Final, in light of the difficulties faced by the Presidents Cup Finalists given that the date was in the middle of their schools Whit Holidays.
Organising Finals Day involves a pretty small team with limited work for all concerned due to the significant amount of work that the Egerton Club do for us in preparing pitches etc. The Management Committee is reluctant to move away from Egerton at this time, despite the call by some teams to have the one or both Finals played at a bigger stadium.
FOR INFORMATION 04: TRY TO GET FINALS DAY IN MAY, RATHER THAN JUNE
NOTED
In 2017, May 14th / 21st / 28th or June 4th are the possibilities. Premier League matches are on May 14th and 21st (last day of the season), while May 28th is Bank Holiday Sunday. Publicising the date as soon as possible, however, will be beneficial
PROPOSAL 07: LAST DAY FOR 2016/17 LEAGUE FIXTURES WILL BE THE THURSDAY BEFORE FINALS DAY
AGREED
6.3. Cup Semi Finals
In the season just completed there were lots of Admin issues around the semi-finals, ending up in the League paying for 2 pitches that were not used – though, after the event, we did secure a goodwill refund for one of them.
The Management Committee had decided to return much of the Administration to the Finalists themselves, as there was a distinct feeling that they were getting in the way more than facilitating something good!
FOR INFORMATION 05: RETURN MORE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE SEMI-FINAL ARRANGEMENTS TO THE TEAMS THEMSELVES
NOTED
Guidelines will be written for the teams, so that they can sort out “special” administrative arrangements themselves (i.e. venue identification and, if appropriate, hire). If requested:
· assistance will be provided by Glyn to sort out the fixture date and location
· assistance will be provided by the Referees Secretary with provision match officials (the League will contribute £70 for the 3 officials)
· If a pitch is hired, the League will contribute up to £100 (receipt needed)
7. SECRETARY’S REPORT: LEAGUE FORMATION, 2016/17 SEASON
7.1. Main League
The table below outlines the broad geography of the existing and new teams in the League (data has been updated with commitments made since the AGM):
Area / Confirmed renewals / New teams / Still to commit / TOTAL / Leaving or LeftLiverpool / 3 / 1 / 4
Wirral/Wales / 6 / 6 / -1
Frodsham/Warrington/St Helens / 9 / 3 / 1 / 13 / -3
Manchester / 8 / 2 / 2 / 12 / -4
Stockport/East Cheshire / 8 / 1 / 1 / 10 / -2
Knutsford/Mid Cheshire / 4 / 2 / 2 / 8
Total / 38 / 9 / 6 / 53 / -10
There was some debate regarding the structure of the League in 2016/17. For a variety of reasons, at the time of the AGM there were over 10 teams that had still to commit 100% to next season. This made it difficult to predict the number and format of the Divisions for 2016/17.
The geography of the League was also discussed with support on either side of the debate occurring over whether an East/West split in the lower Divisions would be beneficial for the League.
PROPOSAL 08: DO CLUBS WANT “LOCALISATION” IN THE LEAGUE
NOT AGREED
The vote was clear but not unanimous, with Clubs agreeing to retain the existing structure. The fact that so many teams have still to commit to the League next season meant that it was difficult to present data that was easy for Clubs to understand the exact impact on them.
PROPOSAL 09: n/a (only valid if Proposal 8 was agreed)
n/a
The proposal related to promotion and relegation between the higher non-geographic and lower geographic Divisions.
7.2. Over 45s Division
Given the limited Agenda and the issue around the organisation of it, possible structures for the Over 45s Division were not discussed at the AGM and will be agreed separately with the Clubs concerned.