FA Review Group Meeting 19th March

[foundrymankev]

Big day again for the UCL with the FA Review Group meeting tomorrow to seemingly finalise a proposal to present to the FA. Fingers crossed common sense prevails!

[lineoh]

Common sense is what the FA and the UCL have a lack of at the moment !!

[3ofdiamonds]

sorry if I've missed this bit but what is the proposed timeline for the UCL to be disbanded by the FA please?

[jeffl]

Thought I would share with everyone a very well constructed letter to the FA appointed internal focus group/steering committee from the Chairman one of our prem clubs - I will preserve his anonimity as a matter of respect. Many of the people I speak to (who have had their interest sparked by the growing publicity) still keep saying that surely the FA wouldn't try and pull a fast one - even why should they? Well, this letter was sent on Friday to David Morrall (he sits on the focus group) in advance of the UC Leagues personal representation to the Step 5/6 Review Committee and sheds a little more light on things and hopefully sparks a few more questions in our minds.
Happy Reading,
Jeff

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Subject: Focus group lack of consultation

David,

I have spent considerable time working as a clubs' representative both on my clubs' perspective and for the United Counties League on the Step 5/6 Review, i am sure you must agree it is time that could have been better served in developing football in a more constructive way. I advise you there is now a significant issue brewing on the ground grading being carried out as part of this review which member clubs have brought to my attention.

My League have had no dialogue from your Focus Group since the minutes of the June 2011 meeting, from which we learned that promised lines of communications from your Focus Group members were due to be implemented - this simply has not happened- consultation and feedback at this particularly difficult time is non existent; this really is totally unacceptable.

I understand my League made a number of genuine points and concerns to your meeting a couple of weeks ago, i have now learnt we have had no feedback or minutes issued to communicate the outcome or dialogue to enable any points to put before the Step 5 Review Group meeting on Monday - yet another serious omission in my opinion.

The current issues relating to ground grading is causing our already demoralised clubs real causes for additional problems over and above what they have been able to communicate under the Review; it is a total disgrace that issues of some future regulations are being enforced upon clubs that had been approved for an F Grade and believed they were already compliant.
Be aware we have had no communication via the Focus Group of any additional responsibility under ground grading for Grade F. Can you confirm the same criteria is being applied to all of the other 13 leagues including the NCEL?
Why are clubs being drawn into arguments over F Grade matters that are not currently within stated requirements? Why had our League not been made aware that these criteria were being implemented? this is quite scandalous, and quite easily could be challenged as a conspiracy to assist Step3/4 Leagues and the ultimate outcome of the Review! Quite a plausible thought, especially as one of these clubs are Holbeach, remember them coming into your league? Or are they, the example was none too clear as communicated at Leicester. I never once thought they could be removed from the map in this way!

Perhaps the FA are being rumbled for what they actually wanted to impose and indeed were not wanting to listen - don't consult adequately; keep things very quiet and scant and Step 5 will roll to suit the example, we might just have unearthed a conspiracy of a done deal too! After all we have received no communications on any of these matters from the Focus Group who purport to represent us! I am sure you must feel very uneasy over these points if you are aware of the details.

One thing for certain is there will be a massive repair offensive needed whatever the outcome of this Review, I just hope The FA and the Leagues Committee are aware of just what they have blundered into and the damage they have caused to our level of football. Quite simply no empathy! I really wonder how much they really care, so far removed from what we should expect from our governing body.

Speak out for what is right for Step5/6 and grassroots, County FA's can see the damage and quite remarkably have spoken out so strongly. All rather embarrassing I feel.

I would be pleased if the contents of this email can be made available to the meeting on Monday and carried forward to the full Leagues Committee.

It is my personal view of an issue that has caused so much unnecessary harm to people who do what they do for the love of the game. It is quite despicable that The Football Association has put its name to this, they should be ashamed.

Kind regards in sport,

nnnnnnn nnnnnnnnnn
Step 5 participant since 1969.

[jeffl]

And while I'm on, here is an update from League Chairman John Weeks that will hopefully be picked up by local press if they haven't already done so:

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On Monday 19th March the step 5/6 review group are due to meet at the FA to decide on their recommendations. These will then be forwarded to the Leagues Committee with the likely outcome announced in May 2012.

Since this idea was kicked off at Staverton in July 2011 it has generated such controversy as has never been experienced before. With the initial plan stating that the South East corner required further consideration it was expected that perhaps the obvious merging of two leagues would take place. Clearly this was not the case and to accommodate their flawed one and only example of how leagues might look the Review Group embarked on a mass switch round of clubs.

Whilst the FA stated maps would be issued, expected at the Leagues initial meetings back last September, these were withheld.

After finally issuing them at the January 8th meeting at Burton, leagues were then sworn to secrecy by the FA, supposedly until the clubs were called to their meetings with the FA in the following few weeks.

Why this secrecy then, what did the FA wish to hide?

Clearly if the original agenda had been adhered to the with the Review group due to meet the next day after the last clubs meeting at Yeovil then there would have been no time for any organised opposition and the suggestions would likely have been implemented unopposed.

In todays non league scene word travels quickly and the embargo on secrecy was blown the same day it was introduced.

In the ensuing weeks The NON LEAGUE PAPER very quickly reported the facts and continues to do so, a great service to all non league fans, clubs and leagues.

AS opposition gathered league spoke to league and we now estimate in excess of a third of the 287 clubs has expressed its desire to remain as it is.

We have also had superb support from county FAs, MPs and many other organisations. The ridiculous journeys thrown up by the suggested leagues have been well documented, Bridlington to Holbeach, Wellingborough to Great Yarmouth and many more.

When the Review group meet they should understand that the very suggestions they have presented have already done irrepairable damage.

Many clubs are already folding their reserve sides and first teams are teetering on the brink of opting for step 6 or even 7 football.

It will be a long days meeting on Monday (19th March) if the review group read all the submissions.

In reality they should make the only sensible decision possible and retract their scheme totally with a rider that it will not be reinstated for at least 10 years.

It will take step 5 that long to repair the damage they have already inflicted.

An oft mentioned phrase from the FA has been ,” it is not a done deal”. We sincerely hope this is the case, now is the time for the FA to prove it.

Regards

John Weeks Chairman Chromasport United Counties Football League.

[railwatcher]

Check with your secretaries, a very brief statement and information relating to the timescale in press release from The FA following Monday's meeting. No detailed information contained but we are expecting to be asked to provide more information relating to our formal response.

[Lankie]

Can't find it on FA website - any more detail railwatcher - so as soon as I post this I get email from league with info !