SSML - Annual General Meeting (AGM)

[Rhodes]

I assume that the League Annual General Meeting is still scheduled for Saturday 27 June at the Rufus Centre, Steppingley Road in Flitwick at 10.30am, perhaps Karen can notify us if there is any change to the date. Also did the last Management Board Meeting still take place out of interest, I know there was one scheduled for last Tuesday morning at the offices of the Bedfordshire FA.

[Rhodes]

It is interesting to read recent SSML Management Board Minutes, I am not sure whether the scheduled meeting last Tuesday still went ahead, as Karen hasn't replied as yet, however presumably Berkhamsted Raiders and Codicote's applications for promotion to Step 6 next season are no longer worth the paper they are printed on. Also the list of fines imposed by the League for rule infringements is always as long as your arm and, over the season so far, must have amounted to a hefty sum of money, if the campaign is officially declared null and void which is looking likely, will the fines be repayable to all the Club's who incurred them:

https://www.spartansouthmidlandsleague.co.uk/board-minutes-21-january/

https://www.spartansouthmidlandsleague.co.uk/board-minutes/

[petethegreek]

28 minutes ago, Rhodes said:

It is interesting to read recent SSML Management Board Minutes, I am not sure whether the scheduled meeting last Tuesday still went ahead, as Karen hasn't replied as yet, however presumably Berkhamsted Raiders and Codicote's applications for promotion to Step 6 next season are no longer worth the paper they are printed on. Also the list of fines imposed by the League for rule infringements is always as long as your arm and, over the season so far, must have amounted to a hefty sum of money, if the campaign is officially declared null and void which is looking likely, will the fines be repayable to all the Club's who incurred them:

https://www.spartansouthmidlandsleague.co.uk/board-minutes-21-january/

https://www.spartansouthmidlandsleague.co.uk/board-minutes/

Unlikely fines will be returned.

What happens to the application fee paid to the FA for those seeking promotion?

If the FA void the Competitions and deny Clubs promotion, is that fee refundable even though the last time I checked it stated that this fee was non-refundable?

 

[Rhodes]

1 hour ago, petethegreek said:

Unlikely fines will be returned.

What happens to the application fee paid to the FA for those seeking promotion?

If the FA void the Competitions and deny Clubs promotion, is that fee refundable even though the last time I checked it stated that this fee was non-refundable?

You're old enough to remember the Francis Lee goal at Maine Road in 1974 aren't you so that's interesting, very interesting, why do you say that it's unlikely fines will be returned to Club's if the season is declared null and void. Also, you talk about the application fees paid to the FA for Club's seeking promotion to a higher level however how much is an application fee, I wouldn't have thought it was an astronomical amount.

[petethegreek]

23 minutes ago, Rhodes said:

You're old enough to remember the Francis Lee goal at Maine Road in 1974 aren't you so that's interesting, very interesting, why do you say that it's unlikely fines will be returned to Club's if the season is declared null and void. Also, you talk about the application fees paid to the FA for Club's seeking promotion to a higher level however how much is an application fee, I wouldn't have thought it was an astronomical amount.

The Competition is not the one who voided the season so I cannot see how they would be liable to return fines when the decision was not made by them.

It's the FA who require an application fee. I cannot see why a Club who is successful in meeting all the ground grading criteria, finishes  / is abut to finish in a position to achieve promotion and then denied by the stance the FA has / is taking. They should refund the application fee. It was over £100 a few seasons ago. Maybe Karen or a Club can confirm what the amount was for this season?

If the season is voided, do you cancel all disciplinary issues and fines? 

Do match officials have to *gulp* have to return their match fees?

Who will reimburse Clubs for cost of printing programmes?  

Discuss.

[Savagebee]

Some SSML clubs might fold or at the least drop out of the SSML because of what's happening at the moment.

Not good news at Marlow United FC today.

https://www.marlowunited.com/news/club-statement-2526675.html

[Big J R]

2 hours ago, petethegreek said:

The Competition is not the one who voided the season so I cannot see how they would be liable to return fines when the decision was not made by them.

It's the FA who require an application fee. I cannot see why a Club who is successful in meeting all the ground grading criteria, finishes  / is abut to finish in a position to achieve promotion and then denied by the stance the FA has / is taking. They should refund the application fee. It was over £100 a few seasons ago. Maybe Karen or a Club can confirm what the amount was for this season?

If the season is voided, do you cancel all disciplinary issues and fines? 

Do match officials have to *gulp* have to return their match fees?

Who will reimburse Clubs for cost of printing programmes?  

Discuss.

 

Very interesting questions, Pete.

There is so much to have to be 'worked out'.

I can even see possible litigation looming on the horizon !

[Rhodes]

Savagebee - This is another interesting article from the Non League Paper on-line and the Lewes Chairman Stuart Fuller quotes a Barry Manilow song, has it really got that bad, it's not 'Mandy' by the way. Amongst other things he makes a valid point about pitches, what do you think, groundsmen are itching to get to work as soon as the last ball of the campaign is kicked in anger so they will be having sleepless nights:

https://www.thenonleaguefootballpaper.com/features/vanarama/29846/there-was-no-other-way-to-survive-the-coronavirus-insists-stuart-fuller/?utm_medium=onesignal&utm_source=push_notifications&utm_campaign=web_push

Pitches and ground maintenance – Traditionally, the ground maintenance and pitch preparation period starts in early May. If there is the possibility that games will need to be played at some point in the Summer, this essential work cannot take place and that could do irreparable damage for future seasons. You can’t reseed pitches in the dead of winter.

Edited April 1, 2020 by Rhodes

[Savagebee]

It's all messed up big time it really is  

The fall out from all of this is going to be off the chart!

[Rhodes]

5 hours ago, petethegreek said:

Maybe Karen or a Club can confirm what the amount was for this season?

Karen seems to have gone to ground again

[Rhodes]

7 hours ago, petethegreek said:

Do match officials have to *gulp* have to return their match fees?

Surprise surprise, that's all you are concerned about isn't it

[petethegreek]

50 minutes ago, Rhodes said:

Surprise surprise, that's all you are concerned about isn't it

I thought it was Cup finals?

Make your mind up.

[Rhodes]

On ‎31‎/‎03‎/‎2020 at 08:15, Rhodes said:

Also did the last Management Board Meeting still take place out of interest, I know there was one scheduled for last Tuesday morning at the offices of the Bedfordshire FA.

We are still very much all in the dark aren't we about whether the SSML Management Board meeting took place at the plush Dunstable offices of the Bedfordshire FA on Tuesday 24 March at 10.30am, perhaps it was done by Teleconference or so called Webinar, however it would be useful to know and possibly what, if anything, was decided going forward, at least in the short term.

Edited April 2, 2020 by Rhodes

[Rhodes]

Ollie Bayliss seems to have got some clarification about fines and suspensions, I don't think Club's are going to take that lying down are they:

Despite the non-league season being expunged, suspensions WILL still apply.
All outstanding suspensions will commence at the start of next season.
Disciplinary fines still need to be paid & previously paid fines won't be refunded.

 

[Savagebee]

2 hours ago, Rhodes said:

Ollie Bayliss seems to have got some clarification about fines and suspensions, I don't think Club's are going to take that lying down are they:

Despite the non-league season being expunged, suspensions WILL still apply.
All outstanding suspensions will commence at the start of next season.
Disciplinary fines still need to be paid & previously paid fines won't be refunded.

 

If this season 2019/20 is void then it should mean that everything is void for the 2019/20 season including fines right? And not just the results and league standings.

[petethegreek]

3 hours ago, Rhodes said:

Ollie Bayliss seems to have got some clarification about fines and suspensions, I don't think Club's are going to take that lying down are they:

Despite the non-league season being expunged, suspensions WILL still apply.
All outstanding suspensions will commence at the start of next season.
Disciplinary fines still need to be paid & previously paid fines won't be refunded.

 

There is more chance of you obtaining a free season ticket and entry to games at Coles Park than having all matters discipline cancelled.

As daft posts go, this has shot into the Top 10.

[Rhodes]

Actually I found your post strange, I thought I was making a perfectly serious and valid point by saying I didn't think that our SSML Club's, amongst many others, would take that decision lying down. Namely, suspensions still applying and commencing at the start of next season, also disciplinary fines still applying and needing to be paid as well as previously paid fines being un-refundable. If the season is declared null and void as is looking pretty much definite now, unless the hasty and knee jerk decision is over turned, then surely it is null and void in the true sense of the word so how can suspensions and fines still be applicable.

[Rhodes]

I note that the 31 March ground grading deadline has been moved to 31 July, I don't believe that will affect any SSML Club's though will it.

[patemondo]

The County FA (possibly by FA direction) have form on this as all clubs already know. If a game gets abandoned and a player has been booked or sent off the club picks up the fair play points whilst the player (or club) picks up the charge costs and any suspensions that go with it. They have got away with that without any legal challenge (probably because of the small costs to clubs).  Should the FA continue with a null and void process it appears possible from the letter signed by over 130 that clubs could collectively seek a legal root to A) Overturn the decision and B) recover in full costs of a null and void system. This could have disastrous effects for everyone. Anyhow lets see how this rolls out. Concentration should be on tackling this virus and saving lives at the moment.

[petethegreek]

6 hours ago, Rhodes said:

Actually I found your post strange, I thought I was making a perfectly serious and valid point by saying I didn't think that our SSML Club's, amongst many others, would take that decision lying down. Namely, suspensions still applying and commencing at the start of next season, also disciplinary fines still applying and needing to be paid as well as previously paid fines being un-refundable. If the season is declared null and void as is looking pretty much definite now, unless the hasty and knee jerk decision is over turned, then surely it is null and void in the true sense of the word so how can suspensions and fines still be applicable.

My point is that FA/CFA suspensions and fines stand. 

To take this a step further, how would you stand on a suspension already served during a void season?

The correct procedure / sanction was taken at the time. You cannot revisit that.