Portslade Athletic FC
Club News
A View from The Chair
First, my thanks to Paul for initiating the debate which has produced an unprecedented and very interesting response.
You may wonder why I haven't entered the debate before now but having suffered a severe migraine,(no doubt triggered by Saturdays events),I have since been busy compiling a report to the league to go with the match return. In any case I certainly wouldn't have wanted to stifle the debate by responding too soon and I thank all the contributors to date. Please keep them coming if only to confirm the views of others or with new ideas and suggestions.
The feelings expressed come as no great surprise to me or any of the committee. The report made to the league which was drafted on Saturday night largely reflects the views made since, not only dealing with the problems faced on Saturday but the wider issues.
I hesitate to place much blame at the door of the Brighton League. They are fully aware of the situation but their powers are limited. They can fine/suspend/dismiss clubs for breaking league rules but matters of on-field discipline come under the remit of The Sussex County FA. I know many if not all the Brighton League officers share our concerns and frustrations.I have referred the league Chairman and Secretary to the views on our website so please keep them clean and constructive.
Our options for the future are limited geographically and have all been suggested by you. Unfortunately, the County Reserve section is not an option and leaves us with the Worthing League or Mid-Sussex.
I am not at this stage convinced the Worthing League is any better, we have had some 'interesting' cup encounters with sides from that league recently. The proposed merger which makes sense in some ways still doesn't instill confidence the problems we face now will not continue.
I have limited knowledge of the Mid Sussex League but the travel problem may be significant and we would need to consider that very carefully.
That said, both are viable options and worth investigating as is the question of where we play our matches. There are options here which may be worth persuing. Again, keep your views and ideas on these matters coming, particulary if you have experience of the other leagues.
If we stay put it is quite possible we will eventually join a combined league. Next season will no doubt see a revamped Premier Division but if the constitution of that is as expected, I for one will not be excited.
Whatever the outcome, we will remain under the jurisdiction of the SCFA and I need a lot of convincing that they have any interest or committment to 'Parks' football other than as a cash cow. I cannot recall seeing an SCFA official at any of our matches...ever. We have certainly received no financial assistance in my 31 years with the club.
This all sounds rather negative but I am still hopeful a solution can be found. The input from our friends at Montpelier Villa provides some encouragement. After all, all we want to do is play comptitive football on a Saturday afternoon in the spirit in which the game is intended, not too much to ask.
Please keep your views coming on the website or speak with me on a Saturday. It is your club, not mine, we will try to do whatever we can to provide you with what you want.
Cliff Emberlin
Chairman
The feelings expressed come as no great surprise to me or any of the committee. The report made to the league which was drafted on Saturday night largely reflects the views made since, not only dealing with the problems faced on Saturday but the wider issues.
I hesitate to place much blame at the door of the Brighton League. They are fully aware of the situation but their powers are limited. They can fine/suspend/dismiss clubs for breaking league rules but matters of on-field discipline come under the remit of The Sussex County FA. I know many if not all the Brighton League officers share our concerns and frustrations.I have referred the league Chairman and Secretary to the views on our website so please keep them clean and constructive.
Our options for the future are limited geographically and have all been suggested by you. Unfortunately, the County Reserve section is not an option and leaves us with the Worthing League or Mid-Sussex.
I am not at this stage convinced the Worthing League is any better, we have had some 'interesting' cup encounters with sides from that league recently. The proposed merger which makes sense in some ways still doesn't instill confidence the problems we face now will not continue.
I have limited knowledge of the Mid Sussex League but the travel problem may be significant and we would need to consider that very carefully.
That said, both are viable options and worth investigating as is the question of where we play our matches. There are options here which may be worth persuing. Again, keep your views and ideas on these matters coming, particulary if you have experience of the other leagues.
If we stay put it is quite possible we will eventually join a combined league. Next season will no doubt see a revamped Premier Division but if the constitution of that is as expected, I for one will not be excited.
Whatever the outcome, we will remain under the jurisdiction of the SCFA and I need a lot of convincing that they have any interest or committment to 'Parks' football other than as a cash cow. I cannot recall seeing an SCFA official at any of our matches...ever. We have certainly received no financial assistance in my 31 years with the club.
This all sounds rather negative but I am still hopeful a solution can be found. The input from our friends at Montpelier Villa provides some encouragement. After all, all we want to do is play comptitive football on a Saturday afternoon in the spirit in which the game is intended, not too much to ask.
Please keep your views coming on the website or speak with me on a Saturday. It is your club, not mine, we will try to do whatever we can to provide you with what you want.
Cliff Emberlin
Chairman
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Excellent website chaps!
I played for Legal & General; I managed at some point all three teams that we used to run and was Secretary for a number of years ending as Treasurer when the club folded three seasons ago.
Portslade Athletic was always a match we looked forward to, you played football the right way and your sportsmanship was never questioned. Yes, some matches were a little more competitive than others but like us playing for the club meant something and a certain level of behaviour was expected.
I’ve also been on the committee of the Brighton League since 1996 and over the years I’ve seen the number of clubs playing football decline, as it has in nearly every other adult male league in the country.
The reasons for this are many and the Football Association are just beginning to wake up and smell the coffee on this one. Hopefully as with the respect campaign and referee numbers they will be able to stop the decline and begin to turn things around. No easy task.
The Brighton League is determined to fight the council, in a non-violent sense of course, on the proposed pitch increases which are of course ludicrous. There have been some recent cases where large increases have been deemed unfair by the courts and we will be making the council fully aware of these.
The quality of pitches provided by Brighton Council is inferior to those provided by Arun and Worthing. Ernie Coleman has been badgering them for years, he can honestly do no more, he has met with them on so many occasions and despite their promises very little changes. If you want a better pitch then I think one hired privately from a school, etc is your best chance.
The Brighton League is also in the early stages of making some radical changes to the costs that member clubs have to pay and an SGM will take place before the season end where hopefully these proposals will be accepted. The League is aware that costs need to be driven down and we will make the first step and hope that the Sussex County FA, whose affiliation fees are one of the highest in England, will follow our lead.
Reading your website I can see that the behaviour of certain teams is a big issue for your players. As you have mentioned Cliff to some extent the League’s hands are tied on this. It’s up to referee’s to deal with on field behaviour and report it to the Sussex County FA.
The League do however keep a keen eye on the sportsmanship marks that teams award each over and the sportsmanship marks which are awarded to teams by the referees. The League do get involved when clubs fall below a defined average score and will write to these clubs warning them of their future conduct. If no improvement is forthcoming then teams are made aware that their continued membership of the league could be in jeopardy. As of the February meeting no clubs were below this benchmark. That of course may change before the season end. Perhaps we need to amend that benchmark.
The Brighton League has a big job on its hands. The decline in member clubs is alarming. A possible merger with the Worthing League is on the table. If the Leagues fail to reach an agreement on this then the future of both leagues hangs by a thread.
Even if the leagues do merge there is still plenty of work to be done to stop the continual decline of member clubs. Perhaps the future will be less clubs in less leagues travelling further distances.
From a personal point of view I understand that you as a club need to do the best for your members and looking at other leagues is quite understandable. Other Leagues will still have the same problems, there will be some unfriendly teams and you will on occasion get a referee who has an off day.
While the Brighton League still exists it can ill afford to lose well run longstanding clubs like yourself and I hope that you haven’t given up on us completely and that if we are able to do some of, or hopefully all, the things laid out here you may continue your membership with us.
Whatever happens may I wish Portslade Athletic all the best for the future.
Did I not mention that I also referee? After all those years playing I decided that I should give something back and do my bit to improve the standard of refereeing. It’s not as easy as it looks. There have been a few highlights though, showing Richard Scott his first ever caution being one of them! Sorry Richard.
Please excuse any spelling or grammatical errors but I did grow up on a council estate in deepest darkest Hangleton.
Hi Alex, many thanks for taking the time to respond and add your comments. Without doubt there is a small amount of ignorance from our players as to what the Brighton League do and the work they put in. Unfortunately, this is always going to be the way, I sometimes feel our players aren't always aware of the efforts their own committee puts in in terms of running the club let alone the league itself!
That being said it doesn't change the fact that the issues are there however hard the League tries to rectify them. There is no way that anyone can dress-up the situation other than that the league now has involvement from clubs/players that are severely tarnishing it's hard earned reputation.
In fact a few weeks ago I was attempting to organise a friendly when the weather was causing fixture cancellations, every team that I contacted from outside our own league wouldn't entertain the idea until I had thoroughly assured them that we are not a team of "thugs" and "kickers" clearly their view also of the Brighton League from the outside is diminishing.
I have to say I'm not sure what the answer is. My belief is still that referees now are being so heavily intimidated that they simply are too "afraid" to deal with these certain players firmly enough. And when I say that I don't mean that to sound insulting in anyway at all. If I were a referee and I was on my own at the pitch with 15 people threatening me I for one would find it hard to stand up to, I should never be in a position where I should fear for my safety. It certainly doesn't help when these referees know only too well events that go on else where, where referees have actually found themselves being harmed. No longer can a referee laugh off the abuse, deal with it and get on with the game, there is now a real threat of violence.
What's the answer? A police escort to, during and from games??? We know that's not possible, so for me unless all these teams are kicked out I really don't see how it can be improved. As for the sporting behaviour marks or whatever it is, I just don't buy it that no one has fallen under the benchmark so far.
I'll add one last thing, on Saturday I was approached by the away manager who wanted to show me two ID cards for two of his substitutes. The reason they were not there as yet......They had been arrested the previous evening and were waiting to be released.
For me, that sums it up, that it didn't even really seem to bother the opposing manager or show any signs of shame was laughable. If that had been us those two players would have not been allowed anywhere near our squad.
Alex, thanks for taking the time to contribute to our debate and for the informed comments and information you have provided.
I assure you the club has no major axe to grind with the Brighton League but the factors that impact on our enjoyment of our chosen leisure persuit are clearly shared by players who have been with us just for a season or two or much longer in many cases. It is interesting that other clubs have similar concerns. I was concerned that in view of earlier reports by our club it may be viewed as just 'Portslade moaning again'.
We are a long way from making any move and we await the outcome of the SGM and discussions with the council with interest. We hope that the various contributions in our debate may help in some way in these meetings and the outcomes.
Thanks again, Alex, don't hesitate to return if you get the urge. Even I am getting used to all this blogging/twittering or whatever it is called. It certainly helps to get things that are festering out in the open.
Cliff
A last concern for me would be the timing of the SGM and Council meetings. Should these not be held as a matter of urgency. I fear that by waiting too long we may end up in a position where our hands are tied in terms of exploring other "options".
The SGM is being arranged as quickly as rules and regulations allow. I won't bore you with them but protocol must be followed however urgent the need to get all the teams together is.
If the council do pass the pitch increases then we will fight them but feelings from various organisations including Sussex County FA have already been made. We recognise that we've been slow in responding to these proposed pitch increases but we won't rest until the decision is reversed.
The management committee meet in early March and the issues that you as a club have raised will be discussed in depth.
I will personally ask the Brighton Referee Association representitive that attends the meeting to gather feedback from their members re behaviour of teams in our league.
I will also make sure that sportsmanship marks are high on the agenda.
Badly behaved teams can ruin matches for opposition and referees alike. If this league has evidence that member clubs are falling below the standards we expect then I can assure you that we will act.
I will draw your attention to Rule 17B in the handbook. Might give you some food for thought!
When I played you would sometimes come up against opponents that behaved so badly it made you wonder if it was all worthwhile. I therefore have complete sympathy for the feelings expressed by your club members.
Alex, thanks again for your further comments, it certainly is useful to have another side to the story as it were. I've no doubt the comments by our players will seem a little biased unfortunately they can only comment from what they see and experience on a Saturday. I, like you, remember when the League was at full strength, full of good teams and could compete with any team right up to the county league system.
Hopefully with some effort from everyone, we can start moving back in that direction.
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