Present
|
Russell Nutter |
Ö |
Bob King |
|
Richard Munns |
Ö |
|
David Burt |
|
Neil Liversedge |
Ö |
Rosemary Prince |
Ö |
|
Janet Goody |
Ö |
Sarah Mann |
Ö |
Pritpal Sagoo |
Ö |
|
Cliff Gulbis |
|
Steve Mayhew |
Ö |
Robert Southgate |
|
|
Barry Harness |
|
Samantha
Menear |
Ö |
Trevor Williams |
Ö |
|
Mike Huckerby |
|
Jim
Morris |
|
|
|
Minutes of
previous meeting.
There were no issues arising.
1. Correspondence
1.1.
Noted that University of Essex had
forfeited a match but had now paid monies outstanding to Romford HC.
2. Playing
matters
East
Women's League
2.1.
2C:
Noted that UEA Women had been using unqualified umpires and as a result
had been penalised by four 0-3 awards against.
The same club had also tried to rearrange matches contrary to league
rules; whilst university sides have special privileges in rearranging matches
at the start of the season this does not apply at other times. Abuse of this allowance may lead to its
removal.
2.2.
1S:
Abuse directed towards a coach by Holcombe spectator is being dealt with
by the Club.
RP to write to issue a formal warning to Holcombe that penalties will be
applied if any recurrence.
2.3.
Complaints had been received from
Harleston Magpies and others that the League had refused postponements to some
EWL 2nd teams whose clubs were participating in indoor competitions. The Committee confirmed that the refusals had
been correct and that the present guidelines for postponements for indoor
commitments would be maintained, i.e. for first teams only and for commitments
to senior indoor competitions only. TW
to respond.
However, if indoor
leagues enlarge to fill all December and January as proposed by EH, and if the
majority of our EWL and EML premier division clubs wish to participate, we may have
to clear those months of all East premier division fixtures. If that occurred,
more stringent rules on first team players playing down would be introduced.
East
Men's League
2.4. Late
transfers confirmed: James Kariuki to West Herts, Aaron Edwards to Norfolk Nomads,
Toby Pickard to Hertford. Not
agreed: Royce Waters to Bishops
Stortford.
2.5. 5NE: Noted that Harleston Magpies 7 have dropped
out of the EML following four forfeited matches. They are eligible to apply to rejoin next
season and would be placed in the bottom division.
2.6. 5NE: The match between Norwich
City 5 and Norwich Union 4 on 10th Feb was awarded 3-0 to Norwich Union.
2.7. 9SE: Noted that Old Southendian
4 had included a doubled up 2nd team player in a 12-man squad on 20th Jan. The match had therefore been awarded 3-0 to Saffron Walden 6.
2.8. 5NE: Agreed that two yellow cards awarded to
Norwich City 4 players after the match on 4th Nov be removed from League
records as cards cannot be given after a match has ended.
2.9. 7SE: Noted that following complaints the Harwich
astro pitch had been relined.
2.10. 8SE: A complaint about third team players
appearing for Redbridge & Ilford 4's on a day when the 3's fixture was
cancelled had not been upheld – the players concerned had been selected for the
4's before the cancellation.
2.11. 8SE: Failure by Braintree 3 to rearrange a
postponed game vs. Havering 5 on the date agreed by all parties had meant its
award 0-3 to Havering.
2.12. 8SE: The Clacton umpire had abandoned a game
between Braintree 3 and Clacton 2 due to player abuse. Agreed to award the match 0-3 to Clacton,
subject to the umpire being appropriately qualified. PS to investigate. Comments from other Clubs about the capabilities
of the Braintree umpire were noted.
2.13. 4SW: There had been problems between players and
umpires in the match between University of Essex and Plashet on 10th
February. Agreed that Plashet be warned
about undisciplined challenges to umpiring decisions and University of Essex to
be warned about rough play. The result
of the match (1-5) will stand. Concerns
about the control skills of the UE umpire in this and at least one other game
will be expressed to the club. TW
to write.
2.14. 3NW: Peterborough Exiles had declined to play St
Ives due to alleged poor light levels on the astro. Both umpires agreed that the conditions were
acceptable. Conformed the award of the
match to St Ives.
2.15. 3NW: Advice to a Rutland umpire not to coach
whilst officiating has been heeded.
3. League
structure and organisation
3.1.
EH Proposals for A Single System for
Hockey: The survey of
East clubs to determine the impact on team numbers of EH proposals to ban U13,
U14, and U15 players from senior leagues has been completed and published on
the East website. A similar survey by
the South Women's League has also been completed and shows very similar results
in terms of the numbers of teams that would be lost and the almost universal
opposition of clubs to the proposed blanket imposition of these changes. Discussions at a Regional Leagues meeting
with EH showed that our concern about the use of junior bans is shared by
others. Outcomes of an EH survey and
Board decision should be known by May.
EHL performance plan – league
consequences: a healthy 50% of East Premier Division clubs
responded to the EH consultation paper on performance plan issues. Whatever new structure arises for the
national league, there will probably be a reduction in size, and we may
therefore experience a season of transitional promotion and relegation numbers. Details of East club views on the proposed
Dec-Jan indoor season are not yet available, but overall enthusiasm for the
concept by a majority of responding clubs suggests that this will be the way
forward, and we must be prepared to adjust the sizes of our premier divisions
accordingly. Final outcomes should be
known shortly.
4. Finance
4.1. All
fines imposed to date have been paid.
5. Umpiring
5.1. Umpire
complaint form: the draft is now
approaching its second anniversary but
is due for discussion at the March ERHUA Management meeting.
5.2. Cambridge
University has no qualified umpires, but is still regularly receiving East and
Cambs pool umpires. Agreed to accept the
ERHUA proposal that the Club be put on notice that this situation will not be
allowed next season. TW to write.
5.3. No
further information on the completeness of club umpire UA memberships has been obtained.,
and SM reported that the situation in Norfolk, Essex, Kent and Herts and Beds
appears unclear. As it stands it is impossible for League Managers to have access
to a unified list of Level 1 umpires in current UA membership, and individual
managers will have to seek local information as best they can. Operation of Rule 5.2 therefore remains
problematic.
5.4. A
number of clubs are not contacting pool umpires prior to matches to confirm
venue, time, and post-match details.
Agreed that at this stage the imposition of a new rule was not
appropriate. Pool Secretaries to be
asked to report any repeat offender to the relevant League Manager who will
take action with the Club as appropriate.
TW to write to ERHUA.
6. Discipline
6.1.
Noted that an appeal against a
yellow card by Thurrock Ladies had been withdrawn with acceptance that under EH
disciplinary rules such an appeal is not possible.
6.2.
Unpleasant behaviour by spectators
at the match between Bourne and. Redbridge & Ilford on 27th January had
been addressed by Bourne HC with the introduction of improved pitchside
arrangements. Noted that the main source
of the problem had been one individual from a club not involved in the match.
6.3.
The match between Luton Town and
Ford on 3rd February had been abandoned by the umpires following a fracas
between several players. Reports from
all parties were inconsistent. Agreed
that both clubs be penalised equally by the voiding of the tie, the deduction
of 3 points and the issue of warning
that any repeat would led to dismissal from the league. TW to write.
6.4.
Persistent poor behaviour to umpires
by Luton Town 1st team has been reported.
Agreed that a warning be issued and HBHUA asked to monitor future
behaviour. TW to write.
6.5.
The monitoring of Bedford 1st
team behaviour by East umpires continues, with no issues reported.
6.6.
Cards to date: EML – 745 Yellow, 26 Red. EWL – 61 Yellow, 1 Red. Overall these numbers are similar to those of
last season. Significantly offending
clubs are as reported previously, with Broxbourne (30Y and 1R in EML) still the
worst.
7. Rule
changes for 2007/8 – proposals subject to 2007 AGM
7.1. Scrapping
of fixture card rule – previously agreed.
7.2. Limitation
of Rule 2 para 2 to pursuing league fees prior to the season – agreed. Other
debts can still be pursued with League Committee agreement under Rule 7.2,
which allows for severe penalties if needed.
7.3. Extension
of transfer deadline to 1st February–
agreed. This is in line with other regional leagues and moves transfer
administration away from the busy period when the leagues restart.
8. Presentation
Day and AGM June 3rd 2007
8.1. NL
agreed to check the facilities and costs of the Newmarket club option. Royston HC have also expressed willingness to
host the event.
8.2. Agreed
that the EWL should purchase and present a Fair Play Trophy from this season,
to be awarded by agreement of the EWL League Managers. EWL will also present trophies to the top
scorers in each division.
8.3. Agenda:
·
RN EML trophies
and trophy presentations
·
SM EWL trophies
& VIP invitations
·
TW certificates
and AGM papers
·
PS pennants
9. Future
meetings: 26th April, Stansted
Hilton, starting time 7.30.