Present
|
Russell Nutter |
/ |
Bob King |
|
Rosemary Prince |
/ |
|
David Burt |
/ |
Neil Liversedge |
/ |
David Roberts |
/ |
|
Janet Goody |
/ |
Sarah Mann |
/ |
Pritpal Sagoo |
/ |
|
Cliff Gulbis |
|
Samantha
Menear |
/ |
Robert Southgate |
/ |
|
Barry Harness |
/ |
Andy Moncur |
|
Trevor Williams |
/ |
|
Nick Hoyle |
/ |
Richard Munns |
/ |
Annette Thorpe |
|
Apologies: Bob King, Cliff Gulbis, Andy Moncur, Annette Thorpe
Minutes of previous meeting: Agreed as correct.
1.
Playing matters
1.1.
Relegations from EHL
EWL: noted that as there had not
been a relegation into East Premier this season, there was an additional
promotion from Divisions 1 and an additional promotion from Divisions 2, these
being Ipswich 2 and Ipswich 3 respectively.
For the same reason the normal seven relegations into the County Leagues
were reduced to six, and Old Buckenham as the second highest 11th placed team
was not relegated.
EML: Only Chelmsford 1 had been
relegated to Premier A, so East relegations and promotions remain as normal.
1.2. Promotions
into EWL
Six County Champions have accepted promotion into East: Newmarket 1, Loddon 1,
Waltham Forest 2, Shefford & Sandy 1, Sevenoaks Acorns, and Christchurch 1. However Alford 1 have refused promotion from
the Lincs Green League. Agreed that the
second placed Lincs team was unlikely to be sufficiently strong for East,
having been relegated in 2009 with nil points.
Alternatives considered included the retention of otherwise relegated
Spalding 1 to maintain a Lincs team, but the final decision was to retain the
strongest of the sides in Division 2 relegation positions, Welwyn Garden City
1.
1.3. Outstanding results
Noted that all matches unplayed by
12th April are not included in the final tables, as already notified to Clubs
on the East Hockey website.
1.4. East Men’s
League Manager reports and issues
Prem A, Prem B, Div 1
Matches conceded in these higher divisions attract a -3 penalty under
rule 4.6 (RS, RM)
2N, 2S
Ford-Luton Town in 2S not played by the deadline, so not in final
results/table.
3-6NE
No significant issues
3-4NW
No significant issues.
5-7NW
No significant issues
3-5SW
Berkhamsted-St Albans in 5SW not played by the deadline, so not in final
results/table.
Stevenage 3 have declined promotion from Div 5SW -
agreed that Royston 2 be offered the promotion instead (TW)
7-9SW
No significant issues
3-10SE
Clacton-Wapping in 7SE not played by the deadline, so not in final results/table.
East Women’s League
Premier
No outstanding issues.
1S, 1N
St Ives had named two Ipswich 1st team players as playing in a 2nd team
match. Investigation by the League Manager showed that neither
could have possibly played in the game. St
Ives have not responded to a request for an explanation. Agreed that a penalty under rule 7.2 be
applied: - 3 points suspended until the
end of next season against no repeat offence (TW)
2NE, 2NW
A number of instances of away teams not warning home teams that no
hospitality would be required. Agreed
that this should be an issue between the Clubs.
2. League
structure and organisation
2.1. Review of
County League promotion issues: nothing to report.
2.2.
League Officers
for next season: Robert Southgate and
Andy Moncur are leaving the Committee at the end of this season. Chris Brown will be proposed by the Committee
as a new EML League Manager for next season.
A further new Manager for EML will be needed, and SMe agreed to make enquiries.
Provisional arrangements for divisional coverage next season in EML are
for RN to take on Prem A and B, Pritpal Sagoo to take on Div 1, 2N and 2S, DB
to add 6NE, and NH to add 6SW. There
would also be new allocations in the SE quadrant, yet to be decided. No changes are envisaged in the EWL.
RN and TW are to retire in 2011. RP and NL have agreed to stand as Chairman
and East League Secretary respectively.
Handover details to be planned during the coming season.
2.3.
Structure of 6NW: club views were summarised by BH. Agreed that the division into 6NW(N) and
6NW(S) be continued next season; agreed
that the promotion structure for this and next season will be 1 up from each of
these two divisions and 2 down from 5NW.
2.4.
League dates for
next season agreed as:
EML: 25 Sept - 4 Dec, 15 Jan- 26 Mar
EWL: 18 Sept – 4 Dec, 15 Jan – 12 Feb, 5
Mar- 2 Apr
3. Finance
3.1.
League fines for Blueharts, Shefford and Sandy, and Bishops
Stortford are being chased. Five clubs
have been fined for failing to return trophies on time. TW
to write to Old De Ferrians regarding persistent late
return of trophies and bad condition of same when eventually received.
4. Umpiring
4.1.
Nothing to report.
5. Discipline
5.1. EML: Ford 1 vs. Luton Town 1: Ford appealed against the voiding of this
match by the League. The East Appeals Panel allowed the appeal and required
that the match be played. No date could
be found for the match before the league deadline, and the issue is now closed.
5.2. EWL: Southend 1
- Waltham Forest 1: RP had awarded the
match to Waltham Forest under rule 4.5, specifically for failing to correctly
inform the opposition of a weather cancellation before travelling. Southend had
appealed to the League Committee under rule 7.4.1 then to the East Appeals
Panel under rule 7.4.2. Both appeals
failed.
5.3. EML: Ford 1 had
fielded a national league player in a match against Southend, for which offence
the League Manager had awarded the game 0-3.
This was not appealed.
Under rule 3.5 the Committee may impose additional penalties for fielding an
ineligible player. The case was
discussed at length, and the Committee agreed that in view of the seriousness
of the offence, the strongest possible penalty short of expulsion should be
applied. Accordingly Ford 1 are
subjected to a penalty relegation this season, and Ford HC are to be warned
that any similar incident in future will lead to instant expulsion of the Club
from the League. Ford 1 will be required
to participate in the league next season under player registration conditions.
Penalty relegations are usually applied after completion of current season
tables, so Ford 1 will remain in Div 2S instead of being promoted. TW
to write to the Club.
5.4. EML: Disrepute offence: Wisbech Town.
Noted that the club had been fined by the CDA for spectator abuse of a
visiting team.
5.5. EML: Disrepute offence: Blueharts.
Noted that an action was in progress by the CDA for an alleged attempt to hit the ball at or
near a spectator.
5.6.
Cards to date:
EML 1247Y, 41R; EWL: 161Y
2R.
Yellow cards are higher than last season by about 10% in both leagues.
6. Rule change
proposals for the AGM (Appended)
6.1. Rule 4.2: Playing Surfaces: to be amended to allow FIH
approved 3G pitches for matches in only the lowest two divisions of a quadrant
in the EML, and not at all in the EWL.
This follows an assessment of the first FIH 3G pitch in East, at
Meridian School, Royston.
6.2. Rule 7.2: Penalties applied by the League Management
Committee: to be amended to remove any ambiguities relative to the EH Disrepute
Procedures.
6.3. Rule 7.4: Appeals:
Processes to be simplified to avoid double appeals and to speed up appeals,
taking the appeals process for the national league as a model. These changes are supported by the East
Appeals Chairman.
6.4. Rule 4.5 Postponements: A proposal from Harleston HC to extend
automatic postponements to all East and EH Competitions, present and future,
was discussed at length. The conclusive
argument against the proposal was the lack of sufficient Saturday slip dates to
accommodate any significant increase in postponed league matches, which would mean greater use of Sunday slips - and
as Sunday teams are rarely representative of Saturday teams, the competitive
integrity of the Leagues would be severely compromised. Reducing divisional sizes to shorten the
league season and free more Saturdays for slips is a possible option, but would
not be acceptable to the overwhelming majority of clubs who do not participate
in other competitions, as they would lose playing opportunities and match day
revenues. The disruption to the
opposition team when a match is postponed is an important consideration.
The Committee noted that talented players can be subjected to selection
pressure when competitions clash, and that league postponements could ease that
- but that is not the only route to stopping such pressure.
It was agreed that the Harleston HC proposal should not be added to the
composite rule change proposal for the AGM.
The reasoning behind this decision will as usual be published along with
the composite proposal for comment by all clubs.
6.5. Rule 4.5:
Postponements: Agreed that the part of the rule fining
clubs £20 for not rearranging fixtures promptly was not practical and should be
removed during the general rule rewrite (TW)
7.
AGM and Presentation Day:
Trophies
return, purchase, engraving: in
progress (SMa, SMe,RN)
Pennants: in
progress (PS)
Certificates: awaiting
final league tables (TW)
VIP and
Sponsor invitations: done
Programme: in hand (RM)
AGM
agenda & papers: to be done (TW)
Invitations to league winners: to be done (League Managers)
8. Meeting
venues
Southgate Adelaide HC have offered facilities
for an AGM, with 2011 a possibility as we will need to be in the south of the
region. Bishops Stortford have offered
facilities for committee meetings, and the Committee agreed that this could be
a suitable location for next year.
Bishops Stortford could also host the AGM when next we need to be in the
north of the region. TW / NL to
follow up as appropriate.
9. Future meetings: AGM 6th June at Letchworth HC
10. Robert
Southgate
The Chairman thanked Robert for the twenty
years of service given to the League and the Committee, and particularly his
wise guidance and support for the three top divisions of the Men’s League
throughout many seasons. This year’s AGM
will be Rob’s last official appearance for the League, and no doubt Club
representatives will wish to take that opportunity to add their personal
thanks.
REVISED RULE PROPOSALS REFERENCED IN MINUTE 6
AGREED
4.2
…. Pitches:
All matches in all divisions must be played on astro pitches of a standard approved
for hockey by EH, except that approved 3G pitches may only be used for matches
in the lowest two divisions of any quadrant of the EML and not at all in the
EWL.
[adds 3G limitation]
4.5 delete: In the event of a match being postponed,
the two teams must within two weeks of the League Manager agreeing the
postponement agree a revised date and venue. If the match is not
rearranged within those two weeks, both clubs will be fined £20.
7.2
The
League Management Committee may take action against any club, team, player, or
other individual persistently or seriously breaking the rules of the Leagues,
bringing the Leagues into disrepute, or acting in any way contrary to the
interests of the Leagues. Penalties may
include fines, the deduction of points, the reversal of results, the suspension
of players from East League hockey, the relegation of teams, or the expulsion
of teams or clubs from the League. The
Committee will also use its authorities under this rule to support
recommendations made by any relevant Disciplinary Body under the provisions of
any regulation included in the EH Code of Ethics. [removes
reference to league penalties for non-league offences; adds support for CDA disrepute outcomes]
7.4 Appeals
A club may appeal against a decision or
penalty set by the League by sending an Appeal Notice to the East Leagues
Secretary not later than 7 days after the appellant was notified of the
decision or penalty to be appealed against. There must be annexed to the Appeal
Notice copies of all documents, including the written statements of any
witnesses, that the Appellant intends to rely on in the Appeal. A deposit
of £100 must be sent to the East League Secretary within 7 days of the date of
the sending of the appeal.
7.4.1:
Appeals against a decision or penalty set by a League Manager or League
Secretary will be heard as soon as possible by the League Appeals Panel
comprising three League Managers not involved in the decision being
appealed. The Committee at its own discretion may hold a written or an
oral hearing. The decision of the Appeals Committee shall be final.
7.4.2: Appeals against a decision or penalty set by the League Management
Committee will be heard by the East Regional HA Appeals Committee under its
established procedures. The decision of the East Appeals Committee shall be
final.
[shorter deadline to raise appeal; appeal must include documentary basis; no
double appeal to both LMC and ERHA Appeal Panels]
NOT AGREED
4.5
….
If a club participates in an East Senior or Junior competition or is
representing the East in an EH National Qualifier or Final of a competition,
whether outdoor or indoor, senior or junior, the affected team may postpone the
East League Fixture on the same date if that team contains a significant number
of regular players. Any postponement
should be requested to the League Manager responsible for the Division in which
the team plays giving as much notice as possible. The cancellation must then
also be notified to the other Club, the League Results coordinator, and the
relevant Umpiring Pool Secretary.
[intended to support coaches and
players in the future who spend a lot of time and commitment taking part in
East and England Hockey competitions.
Not agreed for reasons set out in minute 6.4]