Hi
everyone
Further
to the notice for the Fixture Meeting that I sent out last week, I am now
attaching an updated agenda along with the minutes from the previous
Fixture Meeting (held 23 September 2019).
I have
prepared the league fixtures taking account, as far as possible, each
club's requests for avoiding team clashes. With several clubs having
Monday as their home night also each having multiple teams, this has not
always been easy. You may find the occasional instance of your teams
clashing. Maybe, if I spend another few days at it, I might find
solutions. But, with the first fixtures in less than two weeks, I
feel it is better to get them out there (they'll be available on ECF LMS
later today [see
here]) and let you make any necessary rearrangements with your opponents
and the divisional secretaries. Of course, as teams get knocked out
of the cups, some ring-fenced weeks will become available later in the
season. Note that the season can be extended beyond 30th April 2023,
to 15th May at the latest, but only in exceptional circumstances such as
bad weather (Rule 16(b)).
When
you see the fixtures, you'll notice that there have been some tweaks to the
divisions that were agreed at the AGM. First of all, with the lack of
400 League action, Darnall & Handsworth entered another 6-player to
take the spare place in Division 3. This was rapidly followed, in
what I can only describe as a "you reap what you sow" situation,
by Chesterfield B believing they would now be too weak to play in Div 2 and
requesting demotion to what they thought was a spare slot in Div 3.
As that slot no longer existed, but with University having eventually
replied to me to state their preferred divisions, it was decided to move
Uni B back to Div 4 (making ten teams) and consenting to Chesterfield B's
move to Div 3. So, we have a 7 team Div 1, from which only one team
will be relegated at the end of the season; a 7 team Div 2, again with only
one relegation spot; 8 teams in Div 3, where normal two team relegation
applies; and a 10 team Div 4.
Anyway,
we are where we are. Have a look at the fixtures on LMS so you can
come to the meeting armed with requests for amendments. There will be
time at the end of the meeting for team captains to mingle with their
counterparts from other clubs.
Best
wishes
Geoff
Brown
General
Secretary, S&DCA
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