Present
|
Russell Nutter |
Ö |
Neil Liversedge |
Ö |
David Roberts |
Ö |
|
David Burt |
Ö |
Sarah Mann |
Ö |
Pritpal Sagoo |
Ö |
|
Janet Goody |
Ö |
Samantha
Menear |
Ö |
Robert Southgate |
Ö |
|
Cliff Gulbis |
Ö |
Jim
Morris |
|
Trevor Williams |
Ö |
|
Barry Harness |
Ö |
Richard Munns |
|
|
|
|
Bob King |
|
Rosemary Prince |
Ö |
|
|
Apologies: Bob King, Jim Morris, Richard Munns
Minutes of
previous meeting: Agreed
as correct.
1. The
Chairman welcomed David Roberts, who has replaced Steve Mayhew as the
representative on the Committee from ERHUA.
Steve has had to withdraw due to work commitments.
2. Correspondence
2.1.
An appeal by Sevenoaks against a 1point
deduction for changing the time of a match without informing the opposition had
been heard by a subcommittee of RN, RP, and SM.
The point deduction was upheld but suspended for the remainder of the
season subject to no further repetition.
Half of the £100 appeal deposit was retained.
2.2.
Note that a regular Ford HC player, Tariq
Aziz, had signed for Hampstead & Westminster HC as a national league player
in November without either the player or his new club or the EHL informing Ford
HC of this. As a result of an
investigation by England Hockey, Hampstead & Westminster were deducted two
points from their EHL Premier Division total and also fined. Ford HC did not contravene any rules. A full
explanatory note has been circulated to all clubs playing in Division 3SE.
2.3.
Noted that Tring HC and Berkhamsted
HC were likely to merge at the end of this season. The Men would join either the East or South
Regional Leagues.
2.4.
Noted that an allegation of racial
abuse of a player by a March HC spectator is being investigated by the Club as
a matter of priority.
3. Playing
matters
3.1.
East Men's League
Premier B: only concern of
significance is the Pelicans vs Wisbech match to be dealt later in the meeting
under Discipline.
SW divisions: Points have been
deducted from Stevenage, Bishops Stortford and Berkhamsted teams for late
results and/or teamsheets.
6NE: Felixstowe 3 under
investigation for alleged use of 2nd team players in a match against
Dereham. (CG)
Some concerns about fixture allocation in this 13-team division had been
received; CG to raise these directly
with RM to see if they can be easily accommodated without unduly affecting the
fixture structure overall.
3NE: A point has been
deducted fro UEA for late results. UEA
has also asked for postponements of several matches around Easter for all its
teams – agreed that this could not be accommodated. Club
to be informed. (PS).
4SW: St Albans Exiles have
cancelled three matches to date and aware that forfeiting another match will
lead to their removal from the division (CG).
6SE: several clubs have
complained about our allowing the Havering 1st team goalkeeper to additionally
play on the field for a lower team on a
regular basis. This dispensation was
agreed subject to review at season end.
PS to consider pros and cons in advance of the next meeting.
The alleged use of a 1st team player by MLB 2 in the match against Romford 2 is
to be investigated. PS.
7SW: Noted with pleasure how few
yellow cards have been issued in this division.
6NW: Match awarded 0-3 against Long Sutton 3 for fielding a 1st team
player against Wisbech 4.
Noted that Rutland are organisationally poor and are to be deducted points for
late teamsheets and late results. BH
David Burt divisions: David will take back responsibilities for
these with effect from Feb 16th. Thanks
are due to SM, CG, RN and PS for managing these during his absence.
All: requests have been received from some teams in divisions with less
than 12 teams that they would prefer to start the season and the resumption of
the season at the same time as the other divisions, but finish earlier before
Christmas and at season end. These teams
are those most likely to be affected by loss of younger players at the end of
school terms. Feasibility to be considered
for next season. RM
3.2.
East Women's League
Bourne HC: notice will be given for long outstanding
fines, and if unpaid after 7 days all results will be irrevocably awarded 0-3
against both 1st and 2nd teams. SM
and RP.
Hospitality: some Clubs are
failing to provide proper post-match hospitality, particularly those using pubs
and bars where complimentary tea or alternatives are not available. Response from UEA on this issue awaited. (RP)
EHL Clubs: noted that when EHL is suspended some EHL clubs are using
unstarred 1st team players in the 2nd team in a way that may not be in the
spirit of fair play. Agreed that this
should be discouraged but cannot be stopped by rules without compromising the
need for clubs to be able to move players between squads for more legitimate
reasons.
2S: ODF had complained that a
Kent club would not travel with an umpire to their home game. ODF will be firmly advised that they are
expected to reciprocate wit two home umpires when playing Kent sides. The East League rule specifies umpires to come
from the clubs, but not necessarily one each.
SM
4. Late
transfers
4.1. The
following transfers were agreed: Tom
Fanger, Gary Green, Chloe Hobson, Jamie O'Dell, Gareth Witham, Sean Cairey,
with the latter two to be effective once the clubs confirm agreement on
outstanding issues.
5. League
structure and organisation
5.1.
EWL expansion to four Divisions 2: all County Leagues have expressed support for
this change, and five are willing to have promotion offered to runners-up at
the end of this season. We agreed
therefore that we will have four Divisions 2 next season, achieved by having no
relegation from present 2C, 2N, and 2S at the end of this season and accepting
the seven County League champions as usual plus runners-up from the Lincs,
Norfolk, Essex, Kent and Five Counties Leagues.
All other promotions and relegations will remain unchanged.
If a team declines promotion, we may offer further down, or play a short division,
whichever seems most appropriate to the East and County League involved.
In the new structure 2C will be split into two divisions which will reduce E-W
travel, and 2S will have more Kent and south Essex teams which will reduce N-S
travel. The centre of 2N will probably
shift slightly northward. The exact
distribution of teams awaits season end, but will be into four divisions named
either 2E, 2N, 2S, 2W or 2NE, 2NW, 2SE, 2SW.
Clubs to advised of the change and of the impact on promotions and relegations,
and the necessary rule changes to be put to the AGM for ratification . TW
Some County Leagues had asked if East Leagues were intending to expand
further. Agreed that we had no plans to
expand further, but would be open to proposals should any County League wish to
join the East League structure to gain administration support or to strengthen match
competition levels for clubs.
5.2.
Bedfordshire Ladies: Consideration is being given by Bedfordshire
CHA to switching into the East Region.
We agreed that whilst League Rule 2 already allows teams outside East to
be accepted into the league, the County would be eligible by right if the
Beds/East change occurs.
5.3.
Coordination of Regional League
Rules: there was
general but not universal support for this from Regional Leagues at a liaison
meeting with EH in Nov, on the basis of aligning rules important to ensure
equitable promotion into the EHL, such as limits on the use of overseas players
and common transfer deadlines. Further
progress should be made at the next liaison meeting in April. The Tariq Aziz case (2.2 above) will be
raised at that meeting, as it reveals deficiencies in inter‑league
transfer procedures. TW
5.4.
Indoor hockey effects on East Leagues: Clubs had been particularly poor this season
in advising the Leagues of entry to indoor and the need to arrange
postponements of league matches in good time, leading to some rather fraught
situations. Agreed therefore that
changes need to be made to Rule 4.5.2 such that clubs participating in the East
Qualifier, East Championship, or EHL
Indoor League Round One, and wishing to have an East League postponement, will
play the rearranged league matches on set dates, known before our season
starts. Clubs qualifying for later
indoor rounds will be allowed to postpone league matches at short notice,
subject to notifying all parties by the day after the qualification being
achieved. Failures to properly notify
all parties of any of these postponements will be penalised by the deduction of
1 league point. TW to draft
revised rule for next meeting.
Noted that in the indoor period just completed, only ten requests for match
postponements for indoor were made in total within both East Leagues, scattered
over seven divisions (Premier down to Div 3).
There is therefore no need for us at present to consider a break in our
league season in Dec and Jan for any of our divisions. At this low level of demand, postponements
are a more practical way of accommodating indoor.
League postponements for Club participation in junior indoor tournaments were
discussed again, and it was agreed that these were to be discouraged, though to
remain within the League Manager's discretion for exceptional cases.
6. Finance
6.1.
A few fines are outstanding. 7-day
notices to be issued as appropriate. SM
6.2.
Payments for cup damage now
received.
6.3.
Budget for 2008/9 to be drafted. SM/TW
7. Umpiring
7.1. The
Umpire Comments form is now available on the ERHUA website.
7.2. Non-supply
of umpires to pools: all Herts & Beds clubs discussed at the last meeting
have made arrangements to supply umpires that are now acceptable to HBHUA. Berkhamsted and Vauxhall had pool umpires
withdrawn for a period and matches were
awarded 0-3 against as a consequence.
7.3. The
League website listing of club umpires was completed by clubs during the first
half of the season. An analysis of the 1600 or so entries shows that of the 118
clubs in the Leagues, 111 are compliant with the need to have at least twice as
many L1 umpires as teams and a further 4 are well advanced with qualifying
sufficient additional umpires. Rutland and
Holt in EML and Lowestoft Ladies in EWL remain a problem, and are being
investigated by NL and RP respectively.
Lists by County were sent on Jan 1st to
all the County HUA's for verification of membership and help with missing
registration numbers. Only HBHUA and Cambs
HUA responded. DR will enquire
after other responses. Therefore despite
this initiative we do not know which club umpires are current members of an
Umpiring Association, though from the limited responses we know that many are
not. If we cannot police the membership part of our
rule 5.2 properly, it must be amended.
Agreed to propose to the AGM that membership of an HUA be recommended
not mandatory (always the case in the EML prior to merging rules with EWL).
8. Discipline
8.1. Pelicans
1 v Wisbech 1, EML Premier B, 19th January: Two red cards for foul-mouthed dissent were
issued and one umpire received an uncomplimentary phone call after the
match. ERHUA complained to the League
about the phone call and the uncontrolled behaviour of players. Reports have been received from the two
officiating umpires, an assessor, and an East Umpire observer.
The phone call was made from a number that cannot be traced to a hockey player,
and that part of the complaint has been withdrawn. From the umpires' reports it is clear that the
problems at the game were caused by a minority of Wisbech individuals. However, since that game, ERHUA report a
better attitude on the field. Agreed
that Wisbech 1st team be warned as to future behaviour, and ERHUA be asked to
monitor the team for the rest of the season.
TW to write to ERHUA and both clubs.
8.2. Cards
to date: 553 yellow cards in EML and 64 in EWL, 21 red cards in EML. Managers to update RM as rapidly as possible.
8.3. Multiple
yellow card suspensions are served on "days" of suspension, i.e. the
player cannot play any league match for any team on the day in question. It follows that if a match on that day is
unexpectedly cancelled (for weather usually) the suspension is still served
even if the team cancelled is the one for which the player is usually selected. This mirrors the situation with red card
suspensions under the EH Code. Agreed
therefore that suspensions had been served by
Pelicans and Dereham players on Feb 2nd.
TW to write to the Clubs.
9. Rule
changes for 2008-9
9.1. EWL
structure, indoor postponements, and club umpires rule amendments to be drafted
(see 5.1, 5.4, and 7.3 above).
10. Presentation
Day:
10.1. SM
has booked venue at Redbridge & Ilford Sports Centre.
10.2. Allocation
of responsibilities:
·
Timetable (room from 12, AGM at 2,
Buffet at 3, Presentations from 3.30): SM
·
Catering for 90 people at approx £6
per head: SM
·
trophies return, purchase, engraving: RN, DB, SM
·
photography: SM
·
pennants: PS
·
certificates: TW
·
VIP invitations: SM
·
AGM agenda & papers: TW
11. East
Management:
11.1. SM
reported from the last meeting that the only item of relevance was a request to
close down the Premier divisions for Dec and Jan to facilitate East Indoor. A response had been subsequently sent to ERHA
along the lines set out in 5.4 above.
12. Future
meetings: 17 Apr,
Stansted Hilton 7.30. AGM:
8 June, Redbridge & Ilford Sports Centre, 2 pm