East Leagues;  Joint EWL and EML Management Meeting: Thursday 26th April 2007

Present

Russell Nutter

Ö

Bob King

Ö

Richard Munns

Ö

David Burt

Ö

Neil Liversedge

 

Rosemary Prince

Ö

Janet Goody

Ö

Sarah Mann

Ö

Pritpal Sagoo

 

Cliff Gulbis

Ö

Steve Mayhew

Ö

Robert Southgate

Ö

Barry Harness

Ö

Samantha Menear

Ö

Trevor Williams

Ö

Mike Huckerby

 

Jim Morris

Ö

 

 

 

Ros Marsh, President ERHA, also attended the meeting and presented a brief but useful update on indoor hockey and East Management matters.

Apologies: Neil Liversedge, Pritpal Sagoo, Mike Huckerby

 Minutes of previous meeting.
Agreed as correct, save that the presence at the meeting of Cliff Gulbis was inadvertently omitted.

1.       Correspondence

1.1.       The Braintree appeal against the decision to void the 8SE match vs Clacton was rejected by a League sub-committee consisting of RN, TW, and NL.  The Club had made no further response to this, and the matter was now closed.

1.2.       The Luton appeal against the decision to void the 2S match vs Ford was rejected by the ERHA Appeals Committee.  This matter is now closed.

2.       Playing matters

East Women's League

2.1.       2N:  Complaints had been received regarding alleged unfair strengthening of Sudbury 2 by players from Sudbury 1, the former team being close to relegation and the latter team not being involved in promotion or relegation issues.  The Club claimed that no more than normal movement between teams had occurred.  Agreed that no action would be taken on this issue now, but compliance with League rules on fair selection will be closely monitored next season.

East Men's League

2.2.       Requests from clubs to have teams double promoted because of significant points superiority had been rejected.  Whilst such requests might seem reasonable, they would in fact force extra and unfair relegations on other teams.

2.3.       7SW:  Royston 3 complained that Vauxhall 2 had unfairly strengthened the team for a rearranged match on 31st March.  Royston had signed the teamsheet without complaint on the day.  Agreed that the result must stand.

2.4.       A complaint from City of Peterborough about Pool umpiring is being dealt with by Suffolk CHUA. 

2.5.       As there had been some ill-conceived comments on some club websites about league opponents, agreed that the Guidelines preamble to the rules should include warnings that website and press match reports must be reasonable in tone and accurate in content.  TW

Indoor hockey

2.6.       In view of the growing importance of indoor, agreed that we will relax our guidelines on postponements for indoor commitments so that teams other than 1st teams might be given postponements and so that junior indoor competitions might be the reason for postponements.  NB There is no automatic right to a postponement for indoor and all such postponements remain at the discretion of the League Manager, who will usually decide on the basis of the number of players lost from the East League team to the indoor competition.  Unfair use of free players in other East League teams will be severely penalised.  Guidelines to be amended and circulated to League Managers. TW

3.       Season 2007/8 preliminaries

3.1.       Dates: League dates must accommodate an early Easter and the need for the top divisions to be completed prior to the EHL play-offs.  Agreed that the dates should be:

EML:  29 Sept - 8 Dec, 19 Jan - 15 Mar, 29 Mar, 5 Apr

EWL:  22 Sept - 8 Dec, 12 Jan - 9 Feb, 23 Feb - 15 Mar, 29 Mar

Agreed that there should be no half-term break in the EML, but noted that League Managers do have discretion to allow postponements in Divisions with less than 12 teams when teams ask to switch a match to a League Saturday that is blank.  All

Agreed to propose to the AGM that the automatic allowance to University sides of early season postponements be withdrawn.  It is not used by all Universities, and when it is used it is often used badly.  (Note:  League Managers have power of discretion).

EML:  Promotions & relegations in the SW quadrant have now been finalised.  The composition of lower divisions in all quadrants next season will as always depend on the number of team entries.
Agreed that the 2S/2N split should place Bedford in 2N and Bishops Stortford in 2S.

3.2.       EWL:  Norwich Union 2 will join as Norfolk champions.  Other county league champions' details are awaited.  Subject to all counties supplying a champion, all EWL Divisions will be of 12 teams, and this will complete the restructure started two seasons ago.  A full set of relegations will be inserted into the rules.  TW

3.3.       Officers:   Mike Huckerby was retiring to Devon and would have to withdraw from the Committee.  All other officers were willing to stand again.  TW wished to retire from the Budget Officer role in order to free up time to edit the East Handbook again.  There is a possible volunteer to take on the Budget Officer role, subject to other commitments.

4.       League structure and organisation

4.1.       EH Proposals for A Single System for Hockey:  The Committee proposals on the draft EH questionnaire on junior players in open leagues were duly passed on to EH.  Our suggestions were largely  ignored, as were those from other regional leagues.  The promise of a circulation of a final draft questionnaire to all regional leagues was not honoured, and feedback from EH on the points made at the consultative meeting with the regional leagues was delayed by two months.  Other regional leagues are also unhappy about this situation, and doubt the value of any future consultation with EH.
U13 edict:  Agreed that we would not introduce any minimum age rules in the EWL or EML, as we do not agree on principle with age rules in an open league, cannot see how such rules might be practicably enforced, and are mindful of the damage that might be caused to local hockey in many areas.  Should clubs raise issues of opposition teams using younger players, they will be referred to the bodies responsible for introducing the LTAD system as it is not a League issue.  A suggestion that reference might be made in the League Guidelines to the U13 edict from EH was discussed, but not agreed.

4.2.       EHL performance plan – league consequences: the restructuring of the EHL into four divisions of 10 will mean a play-off  at the end of next season for the regional champions.  However, in subsequent seasons automatic promotion of all regional champions will be restored.  Consideration will be given to reducing promotions from EML Premier B and EWL divisions 1 next season if several clubs are relegated back to East during the slimming down of the EHL. (TW )
Only 50% of East EHL/Premier clubs are in favour of the proposed Dec-Jan closed indoor season, so we will continue with our automatic postponement arrangements as usual.

5.       Finance

5.1.       Most fines imposed to date have been paid.

6.       Umpiring

6.1.       Umpire complaint form:  the draft has been discussed by ERHUA and is being redrafted.

6.2.       Cambridge University have agreed to provide a sufficiency of Level 1 umpires next season.

6.3.       Several County Pool Secretaries have asked that Rule 5.1 be modified to remove the requirement that umpires provided to Pools by clubs be put forward on a named basis.  These Pools wish to appoint by Club.  This is entirely contrary to assurances given to clubs when the Rule was introduced, that club umpires would be assessed and appointed as individuals as part of their development.  Agreed that no changes be made to Rule 5.1.

6.4.       In view of the lack of completeness of information last season from County HUA's about the status of Club umpires for the purpose of Rule 5.2, agreed that Clubs will be required to provide their umpire's details to the League at the start of next season via the East website.  This database of umpires will be available to League Managers throughout the season to verify umpire compliance with 5.2, and lists by county would be supplied to County HUA's.

7.       Discipline

7.1.       Cards for the season:  EML – 1060 Yellow, 39 Red/MMO.   EWL – 86 Yellow, 1 Red.  Thirteen players have multiple Y card bans uncompleted at season end;  Clubs will be individually advised that these bans must be completed at the start of next season.  TW
The total of cards must be seen in the context of Leagues that play over 4000 matches in the season.  However, as the trend in yellow cards is rising we agreed to propose to the AGM a strengthening of the penalties for multiple cards in Rule 7.3 to:  3rd Y – 1 game suspended, 4th Y – 2 games suspended, 5th Y – 3 games suspended, 6th Y onwards – 4 games suspended. 
After some debate it was agreed that we should not treat a red card as a notional 3rd yellow for the purposes of this rule.  Likewise we agreed not to add point penalties to multiple yellow cards, as that could place intolerable pressure on umpires at critical points in the season.

7.2.       Disciplinary problems at Broxbourne arising out of an unacceptable attitude to yellow cards by the men's first team have now been thoroughly addressed by the Club in liaison with the League, and we expect no continuation of such disciplinary problems next season.

7.3.       Reports that a Ford player had been seen playing whilst banned were unfounded, as the ban had been under appeal to East, pending which the ban is lifted. 

7.4.       The Hugh Jervis Trophy for Fair Play in the EML will be awarded at Presentation day to a club from Norfolk.   A new Fair Play Trophy for EWL clubs will also be awarded.

8.       Rule changes for 2007/8 – proposals subject to 2007 AGM

8.1.       The wording of rule changes agreed in previous meetings was finalised (attached).

8.2.       Strengthening of yellow card penalties (see 7.1 above).

8.3.       Clubs to provide umpire lists to League (see 6.4 above).

8.4.       Reduced promotions from second tier divisions due to EHL restructuring (see 4.2 above)

8.5.       Removal of automatic early postponements by university sides (see 3.1 above)

8.6.       Transfers to be speeded up by switching from paper forms to a website system.

9.       Presentation Day and AGM June 3rd 2007

9.1.       To be held on June 10th at Royston HC. Order of play:  Room available 12 noon, AGM 2 pm, Tea 3 pm, Presentations 3.30 pm.  Catering for 90 people.  DB to liaise on organisation with Royston.

9.2.       Trophies have not been returned on time by Bromley & Beckenham, Bedford, and Cambridge City:  fines of £50 per trophy to be applied. The cost of repairs to trophies damaged by Dereham and Felixstowe will be charged to the Clubs concerned. (TW)

9.3.       Pennants have been ordered in gold and blue by PS.

9.4.       RM agreed to photograph the top presentations

9.5.       Margaret McCall has agreed to represent ERHA.

 

ADDENDUM

 

Proposed rule changes

 

2. CLUB ELIGIBILITY

[Para 1 is unchanged]

A club shall not be eligible to play in the League unless its East League fees and other payments due to the East Leagues have been paid before the start of the league season. Clubs with overdue financial payments of any sort outstanding to the East Leagues arising during the league season shall not be eligible to play or continue playing in the League if the payment is not made within a week of the Club being notified of the overdue payment.

Note:  Clubs disaffiliated by a County, Region or England are not eligible to play League hockey.

.Any league matches due to be played on the dates when a club is not eligible to participate in a League shall be irrevocably awarded to the intended opposition 3-0.

 

3.4 Movement of Players between Clubs.

…

A player may not play East League hockey again for a previous club during the season, and no player may play East League hockey for more than two clubs in one season.  No transfers will be accepted after February 1st.

…

[Remainder of rule unchanged]

 

4.2 Dates, Start times, and Playing Surfaces.

At least 4 weeks before the start of the season, the home club must input to the league website details of the venues and start times of all its East League matches to be played up to the mid-season break. The same information must be provided by the end of November for all matches after the break.  Changes during the season must be input as soon as known and opposition clubs and, if applicable, umpiring pool organisers notified directly and immediately.  Clubs failing to comply may be subject to penalties under rule 7.2.

[Remainder of rule unchanged]

 

6.2 Promotions and Relegations

[Add new paragraph]

No more than two teams from one club may play in the same division.  If the relegation of a team causes there to be more than two such teams in a division, the lowest ranking of those teams will be relegated irrespective of finishing position.  If the promotion of a team would cause there to be more than two such teams in a division, the promotion will not be allowed. (It is noted that the bottom division of a quadrant may not always be compliant with this rule).

 

7.3  Conduct

….  A player who receives three yellow cards in one season in league matches shall be automatically suspended by the club for the next league day; for a fourth yellow card  shall be suspended for the next two league days; for a fifth yellow card shall be suspended for the next three league days; and for a sixth or subsequent yellow card shall be suspended for the next four League days.

 

8.6 Presentation Day. All Divisional winners are required to send a representative to the end of season Presentation Day to collect their trophy during the formal presentation ceremony. [Remainder of rule unchanged]

 

8.5 Fixture Cards and Club Contacts

Clubs with paper fixture cards must send one copy by post to the East League Secretary and Clubs using electronic cards must email the appropriate file.

Clubs must email contact details of all their Captains and Vice-Captains to all of their East League Managers before the first Saturday of the season. Contact details must include telephone number, as well as email addresses. Failure to do so will lead to a fine of £20 for each team for which full details are not provided by the due date.

[This is now the complete rule]