NOTES FROM GENERAL MEETING 19 February 2020

 Secretaries Report & Correspondence  

 Secretaries Report – Matters Arising               

 None

 Charter Standard

 Teams had until 31 January to renew their Charter Standard for 2019-2020; it is pleasing to note that all Durham Clubs bar one had completed their Health Check.  It is no excuse for Teams to fail their health check because they do not have a first aider when the league runs a course every year. However a number of NRCFA Clubs are no longer Charter Standard and as such need to complete a new application before the start of the season along with any new Club that has still not completed.   Two Clubs Sir Thomas Brown and Thornaby Roundel their Charter Standard has lapsed, two clubs Thornaby Park and Yarm Albion have their Charter Standard suspended and need to complete the Annual Health Check.  Yarm Athletic need a first aider, no excuse as league run a course for clubs and of the new teams Thornaby Nash have not submitted as yet.  For DFA clubs Parkwood have had their Charter Standard suspended for no first aider and Malleable have submitted but not complete as they have not got back to Andy Brown re queries he raised. 

 Correspondence

 League Statement – from FA received on a weekly basis.

Postponement requests from teams

Email DFA re Players Email address

Email NRCFA re Guidance Notes on abusive comments including discriminatory comments and the action to be taken.

Email from JFC United reference resignation from the League.

Secretaries Report

First point tonight is that there are no envelopes for teams to collect, all fixtures and league tables can be found on the league website.  There is a problem regarding fixtures for the Premier Division whereby Dormans are behind and other teams queuing up to play them, teams will have to bear with regarding fixtures and you may well have to play a night game, Portrack and Sun Inn are slightly better off but still behind.  In the first division Stillington Royal, Thornaby Roundel and Yarm Albion are all behind on fixtures and no doubt will have some night games.  In division two Thornaby Park are well behind other teams and will no doubt have midweek games plus a couple of teams only have a couple of games to arrange but these could be against Thornaby Park making it difficult to arrange.  One thing I have to point out is with regards to postponed games especially those on Council pitches, the only people who can calls game off are a referee, myself or Jes Lambert, teams are not allowed to postpone without permission.  It does not have to be your match referee as long as it is a registered referee, when game is postponed the first person to advise is myself as League Secretary and certainly not opponents.  Also League Secretary needs to be advised as soon as possible after game has been postponed

 Second point of importance is that Yarm Albion were suspended by NRCFA from 10 February 2020 and remain as such, therefore all fixtures are suspended until such time as NRCFA advise the League all fines and outstanding debts have been paid. I have emailed Yarm Albion on more than one occasion but have not received a reply from them.

Next point I must make is regarding the fixtures, please check the website regular for changes especially this time of year with a number of postponements, fixtures have been changed on a regular basis.  I do try and email teams when changes are made or I may just send a general email advising to check website for changes.

A further reminder to teams that they need to complete their player registration on the Whole Game System, this is compulsorily from next season so if you get set up now (most DFA clubs should be) it will things much easier for next season.  If you need any help then for DFA teams contact Kerry Topping and for NRCFA teams contact Donna Crowther.

As for Durham County teams it is important that you sort out Player Registration on WGS because DFA have advised that funding to Clubs may well be cut. Note from DFA Council meeting 12 February 2020:

The Secretary outlined the current position for all leagues in relation to Whole Game System Player Registration, and leagues will be informed that if clubs do not embrace the process, they may lose their subsidy regarding Personal Accident Insurance and Public Liability Insurance.  Contact is to be made with leagues to move this process forward, the Secretary also stated that the office will be dealing directly with clubs and copy in leagues where necessary.

The Player Registration in WGS is compulsory from the start of 2021/22 season; However North Riding are making it compulsory from the beginning of this next season 2020/21 therefore now is good time to add your players.  I have been on to teams to get this done prior to this date to make things much easier before it becomes compulsory.  We as a league can set up a training session for Clubs if this is required, DFA are willing to come and help teams that require it.

You need to make sure that you have player’s details including email address (must be individual email address) as this is now an FA requirement in WGS; you should already have that information as it is also required for League website.  The FA are trying to force us to use their system, Full Time and WGS but it is nowhere near as good as our own league website therefore until it can do everything that our website does we will not be changing over even though the FA system is free.

Good Conduct update, to date 14 Clubs have exceeded 100 points and of these 5 have passed 200 points, teams have been fined accordingly.

I have purchased some captains arm bands and if any team requires one then they are available at a cost of £2 each. (Cheaper than the fine for not having one).

Whilst on about fines, a number of teams are getting lax in paying them on time, in over 25% of cases I have to send out an email advising it is overdue and that normally works but should not have to do this, please ensure fines are paid on time

Team of the Month – November 2019 Queen Vic (Division 2) 4 league wins, scored 16 conceded 2, no cautions, no penalty points.

 December 2019: No winner, one team had three wins in the month but also had 5 cautions.

January 2020: Yarm Athletic (Division One), 3 league wins, scored 16 conceded 4, no cautions or penalty points.

Derek Overton presented a match ball to the two winners.

 Cup Draws    

Ian Gorman Semi -Final, John Jackson Semi-Final, Stephen Wells Semi-Final and Luke Jobson semi-final.

 Cup draw conducted by League Chairman Peter Mack

  Referees:   (Jes Lambert / Matthew Smith)

There is a proposal from Durham County FA that in order to help retention of referee’s then fees should be increased to a minimum of £30 per game; another suggestion is that teams pay half each per game as is done in cup games.  (Comments?)

 Date of the next League Meeting is a General Meeting on Wednesday 25 March 2020.

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