MINUTES OF THE L&DCC PRE-SEASON MEETING

Date: 9th April 2018

A very information and productive meeting!

Here's an extract....

2.1 Fixtures 2018

JW outlined the background for the Cr Co decision. JW and CW had had phone calls from worried clubs who felt that they were going to be unable to get their grounds ready for the start of the season on the 14^th April. It had been exceptionally wet; ground staff could not get onto the grounds.

A lengthy discussion took place at Cr Co, everyone contributed. Five out of the six 2018 Cr Co clubs were present, (the sixth had written to the Cr Co) – two clubs from each division,

The coastal strip clubs were said to be less affected than those further inland. Four options had been considered, Bank Holidays x2, May 12^th and September 22^nd. The weather forecast over Easter had been examined and promised more snow and heavy rain from the east. The decision to delay the start to the 21^stand switching to May 12^th – “Cup Saturday” had been a unanimous one based on the 17 people present. Bank Holidays had not been used as clubs had recently voted strongly in favour of not using these for family-based reasons, many overseas players would have gone home by the 22^nd Sept.

The reaction following the decision had been very positive, only one person had objected to it. There had been multiple “likes” on social media. There were more comments of support than opposition to the changes.

All the details of the changes were on the website http://www.lpoolcomp.co.uk/admin_docs.php?id=5 It had been relatively easy to use the Cup Saturday, Fixture 1 became fixture 5 etc. Very similar dates to those originally planned for Cup games on Sundays could also be used as there were fewer rounds in the Digman/Chester/Tyler/Tittershill Cup system now in place. The new Sunday 3^rd XI league system with fewer fixtures made the rearrangements necessary there to be relatively simple.

We also would look closely at starting on the third weekend in April in 2019, the weather was supposedly better in September.

Questions were invited.

What was happening over 3^rd XI fixtures? The Saturday 3rd XI fixtures had been moved to Saturday 26^th May. The Sunday fixtures had been moved to move to Sunday 22^nd April. As previously stated, all the details were on the website.

The President Eric Hadfield (EH) ran through some of the detail of some of the other re-arrangements e.g. Bootle v Wallasey 4s now clashed with the National KO and had been re-arranged. StHT v Formby needed shifting, Rob Durand and EH would help here. Bootle v Ormskirk in the 2017(!) semi-final of the Digman was now on the 14^th April with the 15^th as a rain-day.

For the minutes in full just click on:

http://www.lpoolcomp.co.uk/uploaded_files/documents/Minutes_L&DCC_Pre_Season_Meeting_03_04_2018.docx