Present
|
Russell Nutter |
Ö |
Bob King |
|
David Roberts |
Ö |
|
David Burt |
Ö |
Neil Liversedge |
Ö |
Pritpal Sagoo |
Ö |
|
Janet Goody |
|
Sarah Mann |
Ö |
Robert Southgate |
Ö |
|
Cliff Gulbis |
Ö |
Samantha Menear |
Ö |
Trevor Williams |
Ö |
|
Barry Harness |
|
Richard Munns |
|
|
|
|
Nick Hoyle |
Ö |
Rosemary Prince |
Ö |
|
|
Apologies: Janet Goody, Barry Harness, Bob King, Neil Liversedge, Richard Munns
Minutes of previous meeting: Agreed as correct.
New Manager: The Chairman welcomed Nick Hoyle to the meeting as League Manager for EML 7SW, 8SW, and 9SW. Nick is the Fixtures Secretary for Hertford HC.
1. Correspondence
1.1. There was discussion of a suggestion from Dunmow that League Rule 4.6 be amended to extend to 1 week the minimum period of notice required from an away team not able to fulfil a fixture, otherwise being liable for the cost of pitch hire. Decided that the rule should not be amended as in most cases player shortages affecting lower teams only become evident a few days before the match. Noted also that other clubs have to give a month’s notice to cancel pitch bookings free of charge. Clubs may pursue costs in any case, but providing the away team had given 48 hrs notice, this would not be a League issue. TW to write to the club.
2. Season Preliminaries
2.1. Times & venues: most have been entered on the website, though a considerable number of those entries were made after the deadline. Agreed that any disputes over match times and locations would be determined in favour of the away side if time/venue entries were made late.
2.2. Captains’ contact details: about half have been supplied to League Managers. All to advise SM of teams failing to meet the deadlines (19/9 EWL, 26/9 EML) and fines of £20 per team will be issued.
2.3. Premier division registrations: not all have been received. If this situation continues, 0-3 match awards may have to be applied.
2.4. EHL Teamsheet procedures: EH have confirmed that EHL teamsheets will be in three parts this season, with one signed copy being handed to each club after the match.
2.5. Club changes noted:
· St Albans Exiles now part of St Albans but playing under old name
· Norwich Union now Norwich Dragons and possibly changing colours later in the season – the club is aware of who needs to be notified prior to any change.
2.6. The following teams have dropped out due to lack of players:
· Harwich 1 from EML 5SE - division to play short
· March 5 from EML 7NE - replaced by Spalding 5
· Marconi 1 from EML 6SE - division to play short
· Hadleigh 1 from EWL 2NE - replaced by Sudbury 2 from 2SW, replaced in turn by Wapping 2
· Norwich Dragons 4 - from EML 5NE – division to play short
· Peterborough Exiles from 5NW – division to play short.
3. Playing matters
3.1.
East Men's
League
_
3.2.
East Women's
League
_
4. League structure and organisation
4.1.
A Regional League
liaison meeting has agreed a proposal for all Regional Leagues to align certain
key rules applicable to the divisions feeding directly into the national
league. This is will help ensure that contenders for promotion are competing
under the same conditions. In adopting this approach, some Regional Leagues
will have to change rules significantly for the common good. For the East
Leagues most of the key requirements are already satisfied.
The proposals cover rules on overseas players, player registration, player transfers,
and EHL club team selection.
The one change required in East League rule will
be the introduction of a deadline for the registration of EML Premier A and EWL
Premier players of 31st January (but with freedom for the League
Committee to accept late registrations under certain circumstances).
The Committee accepted the principles presented, and the one rule change will
go forward to the 2008/9 AGM (see 8 below).
4.2. Noted that, at Regional League request, EHL regulations on transfers now require that the club losing the player, wherever situated, must agree the transfer in writing before it can take place. This will avoid unpleasant situations such as those surrounding the Tariq Aziz ‘transfer’ from Ford last season.
4.3. A suggestion from Old Southendian that EML bottom divisions be merged and play once only to reduce mismatches was discussed and thought to be impractical. TW to write to the club.
5. Finance
5.1. Fines are outstanding from last season from Plashet, Rutland, Market Deeping, and Crostyx. Reminders were included on the league fee invoices issued in August,. Should these fines not be paid by 26th Sept, the Clubs cannot be accepted as members of the League and all matches pending payment shall be awarded 0-3. SM to advise TW of the situation on 26/9.
5.2. Fees are outstanding from a number of Clubs in both Leagues. SM to notify TW of all failures to pay by the deadlines of 19 and 26 Sept, and Clubs will be notified that all games prior to payment will be awarded 0-3.
6. Umpiring
6.1. EH Umpiring Committee has set an objective that all competitive hockey, including league hockey, be umpired by at least L1 umpires by the start of the 2009/10 season, with Candidate L1 umpires (having passed the exam but not been assessed) allowed to officiate in lower divisions. This is already the situation in the East Leagues. However, advice from other Regional Leagues is that the changes needed to bring this into place cannot be achieved before 2010/11.
6.2. Changes in Level 1 procedures mean that from 1st Sept 2008 umpires have 2 years to complete the exam, officiate three matches, and pass an assessment instead of the 1 year previously. In addition, from Sept 2009 umpires passing the L1 exam will be immediately registered by EH and issued with a Candidates registration number. It was agreed that from 2009 we should include umpire registration numbers on Teamsheets to assist monitoring of compliance with Rule 5.2.
6.3. Umpire insurance issues have been raised with Regional Leagues, and whilst this is primarily a matter for EH and its constituent Clubs, it would be sensible for the East League to ensure that our rule allowing an unqualified umpire to officiate when an appointed umpire fails to show be modified to clarify insurance issues. It was agreed to change Rule 5.3 accordingly (see 8 below).
7. Discipline
7.1. Clubs have been notified of the names of players with carried-over yellow-card bans from last season. League Managers will check teamsheets for these names in the opening weeks of the season.
7.2. Following a meeting between ERHUA and Broxbourne HC regarding disciplinary issues with the 1st team, the Club was given notice that any complaint from an East Umpire in the next two seasons would lead to withdrawal of East Pool umpires. The Committee supported the stance of ERHUA in this and agreed that the withdrawal of umpires under those circumstances would lead to the awarding of matches against.
7.3. Noted that EH Competitions Manager has advised that the exceptional EH appeals process included in the new Code of Ethics and Behaviour applies only to red card, mmo, and disrepute offences, and would not be available for appeals against league decisions. The East Disciplinary Appeals process already makes clear that there is no recourse to a higher body.
8.
Rule
changes for 2009-10
The following
proposals have so far been agreed for the 2009 AGM (see above):
8.1. Rule 3.1: amend second sentence to read: “There is no limit to the number of players, and additions can be made up to and including January 31st providing there is compliance with the transfer rule (rule 3.3) and providing only one player is registered in a season who would not comply with the current EHL regulations on eligible overseas players”
8.2.
Rule: 5.3: amend second sentence to read: “When
an umpire unexpectedly fails to fulfil an appointment, the captains of both
sides shall endeavour to find an appropriate replacement and thus fulfil the
fixture. If a Level 1 umpire is required and only an unqualified umpire is
available but is acceptable to both teams and is covered by Club or
Individual liability insurance, the match may proceed; responsibility for ensuring that the
proposed umpire is insured rests with the two Captains and their Clubs.”
Changes not agreed are:
8.3. Extending the minimum notice period for cancellations by the away team incurring the costs of the pitch etc from 2 days to 1 week. Not agreed because many teams will work until mid-week to raise a side and fulfil the fixture. Notice arrangements between Club and Astro Owners must be treated as outside of League rules (proposal by Dunmow HC).
8.4. Combining the bottom divisions of an EML quadrant to make a division of 24 teams playing each other once, in order to reduce the number of mismatches. Not agreed because the proposal would if anything increase the number of mismatches (proposed by Old Southendian HC).
9. Presentation Day:
9.1. 2008: The AGM and Presentations at Redbridge and Ilford Sports Centre were agreed a success and thanks were expressed to Redbridge and Ilford HC members for helping organise and support the occasion. A disappointing number of division winners attended to collect their trophies – League Managers will ensure that all winners next season are in no doubt about their responsibilities on the day.
9.2. 2009: Vauxhall HC had offered the Vauxhall Sports Club as a venue the next time the Day was to be located in the north of the Region. SM will pursue the offer initially via Gilbert Reed and all being well agree a date with the Centre in early June.
10. East Management:
10.1. No meeting so far this season..
11. Future meetings: Committee at Stansted Hilton 13th Nov, 5th Feb, 16th Apr; AGM 7th June.