This was the 31st season of the League and this is my 5th Annual Report as Hon General Secretary.

I would firstly like to extend the League’s sincere thanks to our sponsors:

• Chris Plaister of Plaister Auto Services, who are the main sponsors of the League.
• Chris Perry and Dave Kilmurray of Corsham Print who sponsor the Senior KO Cup.
• Paul and Denise Sebastianelli of Fountain Trophies, who continued their long-standing sponsorship of the Junior KO Cup.
• Ken Clarke of Westernsport Trophies who has again donated the individual trophy for the Referees Appreciation Award.

The past season has given the League Officers and Management Committee some problems, not least for Pete Cox and Phil Cook.  You will be aware that the Wiltshire FA set up the assignbyweb system of appointing Referees.  Despite some teething problems, this worked well initially but, coupled with the resignation of the County Referees’ Secretary, the system was discontinued and the appointing of Referees proved a severe problem, particularly in September and October.  We attended meetings with both the Wiltshire FA and other Leagues and, after of many hours of hard work, Pete managed to get our appointing system up and running again.  I’m sorry to report that, due to the time now required and work commitments; Pete has had to resign his position.  He will be succeeded by Adie Cripps, who I’m confident will continue the good work that Pete has done.

Phil Cook has had a difficult season due to the withdrawal of Clubs during the season, but has done his usual efficient job.  We lost one team from the Premier Division this season, one from Division 1 and two from Division 2.  This means that fixtures have to be rearranged, records expunged and League tables adjusted.  Due to the low number of teams in Division 2, we ran a Subsidiary Cup Competition to give the remaining teams more fixtures.

You will from Agenda Item 8, that we are proposing to make only a couple of changes to Rules for next season.  One of these is the time to phone in results for “outside” competitions, eg: County Cup ties.  The change from two hours to 30 minutes for League results last season worked well and this proposal brings it in line with the rule for League matches.  Results are now e-mailed to local press and radio stations by about 5.30pm each Saturday and results are published on the League web site, usually by 6pm.  I am aware that other Leagues are investigating a texting service and we will look at this as and when a successful solution becomes available.  A further change to League Rules is regarding travelling expenses.  With the ever-changing costs of fuel, we feel it best to introduce some flexibility and align us with the Wiltshire FA.

The Football Association’s restructure of non-League football is ongoing.  Various items are under discussion and we will report these to you once there are some definite proposals.  The FA is aiming to standardise facilities for Step 7 Clubs and a Ground Grading document is nearing agreement.  There are currently 43 Leagues at Step 7 and it they plan to reduce this to 36 with the remainder being set at Step 8.  It is therefore vital that both we and the Clubs in this League maintain high standards as we must retain our status as a Step 7 League and our long term aim is that our Division 1 be set at Step 8.

This League also has Supply League status for the development and promotion of Referees.  The number of Supply Leagues has dropped from 53 to 36 in the past couple of seasons and we hear that the number may be reduced again, so it is equally vital that we work with the Wiltshire FA to ensure that we retain this status.

Again, one of the most common complaints I received during the past season concerned lack of hospitality and poor changing room accommodation (not swept out, cold showers, etc).  The provision of hospitality is not a Rule in this League, but it is expected that home Clubs, particularly in the Premier Division, provide both the opposition and Match Officials with drinks at half and full time.  Most Clubs do this particularly well, but it would be good to see everyone do it well.

During the season we again had to update our 3-year Development Plan for submission to The FA and a further updated Plan and Report has to be submitted before the start of next season.  With assistance from League Officers and Management Committee, last season’s Plan was completed, presented to The FA and duly approved.  We subsequently received a grant of £4,000 towards the running of the League.  One of the results of the Development Plan you will have seen was the running of First Aid Courses for all Clubs, which has resulted in all Clubs now having at least one qualified First Aider.  The Management Committee is currently looking at other ways in which we can help Clubs.

As reported last season, the League again entered the FA National League System Cup, which is a bi-annual competition.  We played against the Reading League at Chippenham Town in Round 1, but lost 2-3 after extra time.  Many thanks to Mark Love and Kevin Cook of Wroughton FC, who managed the side.  We are currently in discussions with the Dorset, Gloucestershire and Somerset Leagues with a view to starting annual matches between the respective Leagues, which we hope to get underway early in the new season.  Should any Club wish to nominate players, please submit their names to the Hon General Secretary.

I commence with a few thank you’s.  Firstly, to my fellow League Officers and Management Committee foAnother successful season is over and once again, I would like to thank all the League Officers and Management Committee for their hard work throughout the season, particularly our General Secretary Jim Thorn, whose work load never diminishes but he takes it all in his stride.

Many thanks also to our Clubs and especially the Club Secretaries, who have helped to maintain the high standards for which the Wiltshire Football League is renowned. This is reflected by the fact that at the time of writing this report, the league has received no fewer than 12 applications from Clubs wishing to join next season.  Also, the fact that both the finalists in the Wiltshire FA Junior Cup came from this League, ie: Minety and Stratton Juniors.

May I express the Leagues gratitude to all the Referees and their Assistants who have officiated during the past season, and say that it is in all our interests to maintain our Supply League Status thereby enabling our Referees to gain promotion and hopefully go onto higher things.  Wouldn’t it be great to turn on our televisions to watch a Premier League game and be able to say, “That Referee used to officiate on the Wiltshire League?”

Finally may I say a big thank you to all our sponsors and hope you will be with us again next season and to congratulate all the Clubs that achieved success in our League and Cup competitions.

Enjoy your summer break and see you all again in August.

Bill Shail

Chairman

I have much pleasure in submitting my report on the financial affairs of the Wiltshire Football League for the year ending 31st March 2008.

The surplus for the year was £4,802 as compared with £4,262 last year.

The Administration Grant from The Football Association increased by £250 to £4,000 and we also received £237 in respect of costs incurred for the National League System Cup tie against the Reading League in September.

The League also received a bonus of £640 from the Nationwide Building Society following its merger with the Portman Building Society last year.

Expenditure on all the usual running expenses of the League was kept within reasonable costs.  The League had an additional expense last year, when spending £885 on First Aid Courses for all Clubs.

The assets of the League now amount to £42,576.

J S Northover

Hon. Treasurer

My thanks, as always, to the majority of Club Secretaries who are consistent in their ongoing co-operation.  This helps me to carry out my job throughout the whole season and in particular during the very busy days, pre-season.

You will see that we have made a change to the Registration Forms.  The change requires Clubs to now complete the form in full.  If this is not done, the player(s) will not be eligible to play.  I would add that, if you send to me a stamped and addressed envelope, your counterfoils will be returned as promptly as possible.  If you do not, it’s possible that they may not be sent back to you for some time and you will not know if the player is registered or not.  Please remember that a fee of £1 per player is to be submitted with Registration Forms.  Additional Registration and/or Transfer Forms are obtainable from me on request

I was very disappointed to have had to report several cases of Clubs knowingly using ineligible players during this season and subsequently attempting to cover this up by submitting false information, ie: incorrect Team and Result sheets.  Such offending Clubs are dealt with severely, by both the League and the Wiltshire FA, to whom all such cases are reported.  This is not the way in which this League expects Clubs’ affairs to be carried out.  It is accepted of course, that genuine errors can be made and these will always be dealt with as sympathetically as practicable.

During the past season, I processed 1663 Registrations (down 166) and 55 transfers (down 11).

Enjoy the summer break.  No doubt August will come round very quickly!

Rod Wirdnam

Hon. Registration Secretary

Firstly, I would like to give a big thank you to all Referees and Club Secretaries for their patience and understanding, during which has been a very difficult season.

The season started with all League Appointment Secretaries using the assignbyweb web site, which was later abandoned.  Ian Whitehouse then resigned his position on the Wiltshire FA, which led to chaos in September and October with both Referees and Leagues not fully aware of the appointing system.  In my opinion, the assignbyweb system was very good and was fair to all Leagues and it remains to be seen if by going back to the old system of each League having their own officials will work as well.

As far as I am aware, we will keep Supply League status for the coming season.

On a sad note, we were sorry to mourn the passing of two former stalwarts of the League: Mr B L (Bunny) Uzzell who died in July and Mr Ken Mulraney who died in October.

Lastly, I would like to thank all on the Management Committee for their help and understanding.

P Cox

Hon Referees’ Appointments Secretary

The Discipline Sub-Committee dealt with 298 cases last season, a decrease of 61 on the previous season.  Clubs who fail to pay on time are promptly chased and, in some cases, suspended from the League until fines had been paid.  Income from disciplinary matters was just £27 down on last season, which is disappointing as we had fewer teams in membership.

The table below highlights the most common offences:

Ineligible players 32 cases

(20 cases in 06/07) This could be easily remedied by checking with the Hon Registration Secretary.

Late Result Sheets 44 cases

(88 cases in 06/07) Please try and post the Result Sheet immediately after the match.

Incorrect Result Sheets 18 cases

(18 cases in 06/07) If you are in any doubt as to how to complete a Result Sheet, please check with the Hon Registration Secretary.

Failure to notify and/or confirm a postponement 38 cases

(19 cases in 06/07) We’re sure you tell your players if a game is off - try and remember to tell the League as well.  Phone in first then confirm the reason in writing on the form provided.

Failure to phone in results 85 cases

(43 cases in 06/07) Most people have mobiles nowadays.  This shouldn’t really be a problem

This season saw 137 fixtures postponed for various reasons, a decrease of 54 on last season, which was due in part to having fewer teams in membership.  We believe that the decision of the Discipline Sub-Committee, to deduct a point from Clubs found guilty of postponing games without a satisfactory explanation continues to have an ongoing positive effect.  Postponements cause a vast amount of additional work for both the Hon Fixture Secretary and for the Hon Referees’ Appointments Secretary.  The Discipline Sub-Committee will review this policy again next season.

There were 85 cases of Clubs failing to telephone in their results, which was almost a 50% increase on last season and is very disappointing.  Most people own a mobile phone nowadays, so it really shouldn’t be a problem to get someone to phone in your result immediately after the game.  Last season, we changed the League Rule so as results are phoned in within 30 minutes of the game’s conclusion, which brought us in line with other Step 7 Leagues and enabled us to get results published on the web site (usually before 6pm) and also to the local radio stations.  You can usually hear the results on local radio on a Saturday evening and also read them in your Sunday ‘papers.

The Premier Division title race was very close up until February, when Wroughton forged ahead to take the title.  Runners-Up position wasn’t decided until the 3rd of May, when Westbury Utd won to edge out both Bromham and Calne Town.

Minety led Division 1 from a very early stage and managed to remain unbeaten throughout the season and became Champions in February.  SKS Blyskawica had a great late run and took Runners-Up position from last year’s champions, AFC Castrol.

Three new Clubs took the honours in Division 2.  KC remained unbeaten until early in 2008 and were also declared Champions in February.  Intel had a great run after Christmas and took Runners-Up position with Chalke Valley in third place.

Due to the low number of teams in Division 2, we ran a Subsidiary Cup Competition to give the remaining teams more fixtures.  This was won by FC Chippenham Youth who defeated Swindon APS 1-0 in the final, played at Marlborough Town.

Calne Town won the Corsham Print Senior KO Cup for the third time, defeating Melksham Town 2-0 Final.  This was Melksham’s third successive final, and the third time they’ve gone home with the Runners-Up medals.  KC inflicted the only defeat of the season on Minety, when they won a penalty shoot-out in the final of the Fountain Trophies Junior KO Cup.  The scores had been level at 1-1 after extra time.  Both finals were again played at Corsham Town and we thank them for their hospitality and use of their facilities.

Congratulations must go to Wroughton on their first ever Premier Division title and also to both Minety and KC on gaining their first ever honours in this League.

Congratulations also to Minety and Stratton Juniors who both reached the Final of the Wiltshire FA Junior Cup, not forgetting AFC Castrol and Chalke Valley, who also reached the Quarter-Finals.

Congratulations must also be extended to FC Chippenham Youth, who have been awarded Senior Status by the Wiltshire FA and will take their place in the Premier Division next season.

In closing, I must thank our President, Dennis Kilford and Chairman, Bill Shail with whom I work very closely and are both always there for help and assistance.  I also extend my thanks to my fellow League Officers and Management Committee for all their help and assistance over the past season.

Finally, many congratulations to Tony Pickett who, after 20 years service on the Management Committee, becomes a Life Member of the League and thereby joins five other serving Committee members who are Life Members ….. a testament to the stability of the League.

Best wishes to all Clubs for a good summer break and a successful season in 2008 - 2009.

Jim Thorn

Hon General Secretary