You’ll realise things are difficult at the present time, and disappointing that the season just passed had to be curtailed, resulting in not only a loss of fixtures,

in some cases decisive, and perceived to be unfair, but also our end of season celebratory events in the Robinsons Cup Finals and the Presentation Dinner.

We have been looking at the present serious situation in relation to next season. Firstly, by looking at the situation regarding the holding of our Annual General Meeting.

We at some stage, and when possible, will hold an Annual General Meeting, certainly before the year end. We will present all deserved Trophies at that Meeting when we can hold it, at an appropriate time.

John Powell has been looking at various options regarding league set ups for next season bearing in mind the possibility, maybe even the probability, that we will not start our season, certainly in the first week in September. We have held two Zoom Meetings to discuss all options. It was decided yesterday evening that we would move into next season with a 12 team League set up. Some will appreciate this move we know, others will be against, but in the present circumstances we feel this is probably the best move. To this end it allows us to move the start of our season back 3 weeks with indeed three free weeks at the start of September. Of course, if we find that we can commence early September, maybe warm up games might be arranged to prepare for the start. It would help in gaining fitness for the “start”. We would still go ahead with the official start, late September.

Moving to 12 team Leagues at this stage has allowed us to form 12 Leagues of 12 sides and we must commend John Powell our esteemed Fixture Secretary on the work he has carried out over many hours to create the set up you will see on the Web Site later this week, certainly early next week. We will also illustrate average mileages included
in the proposed “setup”, some we think with a remarkably low commitment.

The change from 14 to 12 has caused some difficult decisions regards promotion/relegation issues with particular emphasis on relegations. We have tried to maintain our principle from the commencement of the Leagues, that any side gaining a promotion would take that promotion. There are anomalies. Likewise moving to 12 has caused some
difficult movements regards relegations, we would hope these might be accepted bearing in mind the situation with which we are faced at the present time.

We have attempted to produce Leagues with a minimum of travel commitments but we do feel we have to include one or two sides both North and South which are possibly outside our “comfort” zone. John P. has tried to limit these to one commitment per season, bearing in mind these sides are travelling every other weekend. They are committed to
our Leagues which provide them with real reliable rugby and some certainty of playing every weekend. We would hope you might support these sides in their efforts to play the game in a reliable set up. Which indeed we offer !!!
We did consider a 14 team set up but felt in the circumstances the 12 team option was indeed the best for the coming season. In the event that we need to get the leagues completed we have concentrated our Cup Competitions at the end of the season, which will provide a lot of interest at that stage, we feel, rather than the competitions being interspersed into the League programme. To maintain the integrity of the Competition it will be essential that all games in the Cup be played and options in the
event of a game not being able to be fulfilled will follow later. At that stage end March/April we would hope we might not meet weather issues.
Ladies/Gentlemen it may well be that things have not improved even to the time of September. To that end we have looked at various contingences to allow us to be involved in a real competitive competition and these thoughts are being discussed as we move further into the Summer months and maybe at some stage receive more clarity regards the situation with which we are involved.

We must thank all for their support, not only in the season ahead but over the past 17 years of the North West Leagues. We welcome the new sides into our Leagues and hopefully we can look forward to a most competitive season to which we have all become accustomed.

Thanks

Fred

Summary of COMMITTEE Meeting on 5th May 2020 (via Zoom)
1. We have decided to go to a 12 Team Setup for next season.
2.The season starting date would be 26th September. (If permitted).
3. Contingency plans ready for a 1st January start.
4. Cup games concentrated into month of April 2021.
5. Each League Manager will set up a WhatsApp group with the League.
Please contact John Powell re any concerns about the Setup by Midday on the Sunday 17th May 2020