Surely the purpose of “Good governance “is to make things better!
I noticed that recently English Lacrosse has been advertising for 2 independent directors. The notion of independent directors is a recent one and an idea I have always struggled with.

For some hundred years Lacrosse and sports like it have relied on capable people, often with professional capabilities, and people who love their sport, have a deep knowledge and commitment, and are willing to give freely of their time. Over the years this system has generally worked. Lacrosse has been served by generally well run competitive programmes, the English game has hosted seven major international tournaments which have been successfully run and assisted the spread of the game internationally. Participation levels have been driven up particularly in the men’s game at colleges and Universities. Thousands of schools, particularly primary schools, have been introduced to our game through POP Lacrosse.

For some reason the powers that be believe that things can be improved and failures and misdemeanours removed by introducing to NGB Boards people who have no knowledge or experience and however well intentioned they perhaps are ill equipped to carry out meaningful roles.

To ensure that these independent people play an important role and ensure what that may be probably the sort of culture which ruled the banks in the run up to the crash of 2008, and more recently created the Carillion crisis it is deemed that the Board Chair should also be an independent and that also the time that Lacrosse people can serve on the Board is time limited so experience and knowledge is sacrificed on the altar of dogma.

For Lacrosse the results of these tumultuous changes have been to say the least mixed. We have seen the collapse of the LDO lead development programme.

We have seen English Lacrosse suffer the humiliation of withdrawing from hosting the 2018 Men’s World Championship and then attempting to suggest that limiting the loss caused by withdrawal to £250K was a success.

I am not sure what the pluses of the supposed pursuit of good governance are supposed to be.

Which team do you support?
The main reason that I churn out this weekly blurb is because when, a couple of years ago, I was immobilised with my new knee, finding out how the teams’ were doing was to say the least a bit of a challenge. You could call someone and find out the 1st team score and that person just might know the A team or even possibly the B team and probably not the juniors, boys and girls and not our women’s team.

The League Republic website is significantly better now than it was then when scores were sometimes late being posted or never posted or even now incorrectly posted. The U12A score against Mersey is still showing as a Mersey win and last Saturday’s B team postponement is shown as a concession by Timperley.

This situation set me thinking as to which teams I am interested in, how important is knowing the score and how quickly do I like to be fed information. Are there any sports like lacrosse where you are sometimes given the wrong score?

I made quick list of “my teams” and how they deliver information and in what format.

Timperley Lacrosse
By far the most important to me. It would be good to have the scores always posted immediately after the game and be assured that they were right. As an add on it would be good to have a system where perhaps quarter scores could be posted. It happens in most other sports.

Manchester Utd
My team since I stood on the terraces at OT in the early 1950s. Nowadays you cannot avoid information. In the olden days you used to wait at the local newsagents at 5.45 on a Saturday for the Football Pink. Killed off by TV and by the fact that so many matches do not start at 3pm.

On TV you get a constant update of all the scores as they go in for all League games. I get a notification on my iPad of the goals as they go in.

Manchester City
I am not of the love Utd hate City brigade. If Utd cannot win the trophies
then City would be my choice. Information delivered as for Utd.

Brechin City
Supported them since they were in Scottish Division B in the 1950s. In 1980s we were on holiday in Scotland and I drove 150 miles with Anna and James to take their photo outside Glebe Park. What Christine has had to put up with.
Brechin scores are generally on TV programmes and in national press.

Altrincham
My local team. Even used to go and watch them when they were in Cheshire County League and games against the likes of Macclesfield and Northwich I Victoria used to draw full houses to Moss Lane.

A sentimental attachment as my father’s company lost a bit of money building the main stand and the covered stand at one end. Hopefully we made it back fitting out White and Swales TV shops. Peter Swales and Noel White owned Altrincham before moving on to the giddy heights of Man City and Liverpool.
Now in lower Leagues of Evo stick North but you can usually get their results in national press media

Salford City
Followed them since the Class of 92 took over. Interested to see how far they can be taken. Results in national press and media can take things.

Sale Sharks
Manchester‘s only top ranked rugby union clubs. Scores posted on iPad as they happen. Results and sometimes reports in local and national press

Wharfedale
The Greens. One of the old style rugby clubs. Results in national press and reports in local press.

Salford City Reds
The same as for Sale Sharks.

Lancashire CC
Ball by ball scores on the internet. Wickets as they fall posted on iPad.