NW Counties 13-15 News
Statement From The NW Counties 13-15's Management Committee Re Ince Rose Bridge U14's |
17th November, 2009 |
Management Committee Meeting Wednesday 11th November 2010 Re: The meeting, it was explained to all present, was called to discuss the alleged playing against Wigan St Patrick’s in the NW Counties Cup Quarter Final by Ince Rose Bridge of two players about whom the Club had been formally informed, twice, were ineligible to play for, or train with, the team until 1st January 2010. The League’s Management Committee, having informed The meeting reviewed the paperwork submitted by Ince Rose Bridge for the “new” registrations for these players and accepted that they were indeed dated 01/01/10 as stated by Club Officials, however, it was highlighted that there was no clear reference on any of the paperwork or correspondence submitted by Ince Rose Bridge to either … a) Record the fact that the League had already informed the Club that these players were not, in fact, eligible for registration until that date. b) To state that the players had already held unique ID Numbers and were already on the database. c) To state that these players had previously played for another Club. The date 01/01/10, it was highlighted, was also not recorded as a reference to the date that the Club had requested the players’ cards to run from but merely the date on which the Club had supposedly signed the “Club Official Declaration” to certify that the .. “… form was signed by the player, and, if under the age of 18, their parent/guardian was in my presence and the details are correct”. As this date has not yet been reached then these forms are either incorrect and subsequently null & void or submitted knowing that the details were incorrect which would also then equally have made them invalid. David Lowe in his capacity as Registration Secretary, processes in excess of 2000 registrations which he would, normally, take in good faith and would subsequently have had no reason to check to see whether they had been forward-dated. Having nothing flagged on the form and the “New Player” box ticked, David consequently processed the cards with his normal due expedience and the registration cards were subsequently, albeit in error, issued. Claims from Gary Eccleston that these applications were only submitted approximately 3 months early merely “to beat the Christmas backlog” as stated in a phone conversation with the League Secretary Sam Armstrong were dismissed out of hand by the Committee and simply not accepted. The registration requests could, it was pointed out, easily have been handed personally to David Lowe at either the October, November or December monthly meetings where the details of their de-registrations and the date on which they could again commence playing could have been notified to him direct. Doing so, at any of these meetings, would have meant that the requests for re-registration would have been put in abeyance but would still have ensured that cards were issued within the appropriate and, more importantly, correct timescales. Why they were submitted so early or without clarification is, of course, a matter of conjecture but it was felt by the Committee to have been one of the root causes of this issue and the motives/ reasons behind doing so, at the very least, suspect and equally questionable. It was reported to the Management Committee that Natalie Gallagher, the Ince Rose Bridge Chairperson, on receipt of the cards, contacted David Lowe to ask whether the player’s having been issued with cards were therefore eligible to play. Whether or not it was stated clearly at that time that the League had informed the Club that they were actually ineligible to play until 1st January 2010 is unsure. David Lowe, whilst recollecting a conversation with Natalie Gallagher, could unfortunately not remember the minutiae of it. In previous cases where there has been any element of doubt over the issue of cards David Lowe had always taken great steps to contact another member of the Management Committee for additional clarification. It was considered odd by the Committee that, completely out of character, and without prior background access or knowledge of this matter, for David to have acted independently in this manner had the position been explained clearly and/or correctly to him by It was highlighted too that, having not been present at the initial Ince Rose Bridge meeting and having only taken over the role of Registration Secretary just prior to the start of the season, David would not have been fully conversant with the full details of the matter and subsequently should not have been the person to contact. With over 2000+ players registered on an annual basis, the status of each individual player is too much for any individual to reasonably recall and can, if not correctly and clearly stated/notified be overlooked - this would appear to have been the root cause here. It was accepted by the Committee that David Lowe did, albeit mistakenly under the misapprehension that the players had completed the full ”de-registration” period, agree that if the players had cards they could play.
It was still felt by the Committee however that enough information had been given, strongly, to the Club – well in advance -stating that the players concerned were categorically not eligible to play to have given sufficient reason to the Club for them to have contacted at least one of the other members of the Management Committee (i.e. one who had actually been present at the initial meeting with Club Officials and Parents) when seeking clarification. Had the re-registration papers not, for whatever reason, been submitted far earlier than they should have been then this error would not, and could not, have happened and therefore, it was again felt, that the Club’s actions in applying so early were, again at the very least, questionable and certainly not in the spirit of the game having been fully informed and duly aware of the players’ ineligibility. Unfortunately, with the League’s Committee Members only being notified late by mobile phone call whilst they were already out at other venues or tied up with prior commitments, no members of the Committee had been able to attend the game. Had they been so able, the players and indeed the The registration issue was further compounded by the unfortunate injury, in a tackle, to the Wigan St Patricks’ player, (NAME REMOVED), which it was reported to the League that the two players concerned had been involved. For the record the parent of the player did however clarify that they were not the cause of the injury which had been merely an accident. Fortunately for all concerned, as the players were listed on the Player Registrations Database at the time of the accident, all players involved in the game day activity were covered under their respective insurance policies. Both Ince Rose Bridge U14’s Coaches were informed at the meeting with the Committee that the Player Registration Cards, issued in error, were, with immediate effect, rescinded and should be returned immediately to the League for safekeeping. The Club is, yet again, reminded that De-Registered players are not permitted to play or train with any Club whilst awaiting approval to start playing and should any such Club be found to be permitting this to occur will find sanctions, including the risk of suspension of the team from the League, considered. The Management Committee, following the meeting, also reviewed the team-sheets from the date that the players received their cards to establish how many, if any, other games they had participated in. The rules, democratically adopted by the Leagues’ member Clubs, are in place to provide a, hopefully, balanced competitive structure and to maximise the benefits of player development to all. They are not constructed or written for individuals or teams to try and circumvent if a specific rule or decision is not to their liking and it is on that basis alone that the decisions were based. To prevent, with immediate effect, a recurrence of this type of issue and as a further consequence of this meeting, only after completion of their 6 month de-registration period, will players having chosen to de-register from a team now be allowed to apply again to seek registration. A new “Player Registration Form” is only then to be completed but applicants MUST highlight the tick box marked “Re-Registration” and NOT that designated to indicate a “New Player”. The form must also clearly state if they have ever previously played for any other team – failure to do any of the above will result in their application becoming null and void. The BARLA/RFL Player Registration Database retains important information pertaining to each players’ entire playing history and subsequently that unique reference number, when registered initially as a new player, stays with them whilst continuing to be a participant in the game.
As a result of the meeting the Management Committee found that there was sufficiently sound basis upon which to find the Club GUILTY of “knowingly playing de-registered players having been previously made aware of their ineligibility” and have subsequently imposed the following sanctions: 1. Ince Rose Bridge U14’s to be disqualified from the 2009/2010 Season U14’s NW Counties Cup and in their place Wigan St Patricks U14’s to proceed, uncontested, to the Semi-Final. 2. The imposition, for the 2010/2011, season of a transfers’ embargo to be placed on this Ince Rose Bridge team meaning no new transfers will be permitted into the team from 28th February 2010 until 1st June 2011. 3. Owing to their playing, whilst considered ineligible, the League has extended, by one week, the date on which the players can start playing by the equivalent number of weeks played, i.e. one, and consequently the players, (NAMES REMOVED)respectively, will now not be eligible to play until 8th January 2010. Any further instances of, what the League considers to be, at the very least, "gamesmanship" from this, or any other, team trying to flaunt rules or decisions of the League will be dealt with harshly. The above decisions were made in the interests of the majority under section 21.01 of the League’s Constitution which states “The Management Committee shall have the power to deal with any matter not provided for in these rules”. No further correspondence will be entered into regarding this matter which the League now considers closed. For and on behalf of the NW Counties 13-15’s ARL Management Committee Sam Armstrong League Secretary NW Counties 13-15’s ARL Tuesday, 17 November 2009 Attendance NW Counties 13-15’s League Margaret Byrne (Chair), Andrew Hesketh (Coach) Sam Armstrong (League Secretary), Michael Rodden (Coach) David Lowe (Registrations Secretary), Lindsay Bissett (U14’s Fixture Secretary), Independent Observers Paul Mitchell (Transfers Secretary) John McMullen (NW RDO RFL) Jayne Bissett (League Treasurer) Martin McLaughlin (Wigan & Leigh RLSA) Brian Edwards (Child Welfare Officer) Apologies Apologies Jackie Clowes (U15’s Fixture Secretary) Natalie Gallagher (Chair - Paul Edwards (U13’s Fixture Secretary) Gary Eccleston (Coach) |
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