Full County or County Youth

[Jimbo]

I understand that the SWL League introduced a rule last year which allowed a club to postpone a game until a future date where 2 or more players from it were selected to play for either the full County side or County Youth side. Can Phil, or anyone else confirm that an identical rule exists for the new SWPL League? Thanks

Jim

[chairman]

It would be more acceptable if the rule said "more than 2 players for the full County side"

[Jimbo]

Chairman, are you in fact saying it is a rule, but you would prefer that rule to say more than 2 players.

[chairman]

Have to be honest and say I do not know and would hope it does not operate.If it has to, then would prefer it to refer to full County Team only and then more than 2 players rather than 2 players.

[Hakey]

There was a rule when i was playing for cornwall youth and liskeard that if 2 players were called up, your club could choose to call their match off. but i dont know if this is the case now it may have changed, but i do think that the rule makes sense i think 2 players is enough to call enough a game off if the are taking part in a game for the county as they should be key players for the respective sides they play for.

[Guest The Judge aka RED OR DEAD]

Newquay AFC had this problem the season before last with 4 or 5 SWL players in the County Youth set up on a regular basis and were NOT permitted to call games off.

The question remains, what is the current ruling ?

[Tommy Matthews]

Stig,

I still don't know for sure what the ruling is, however, why should there be any discrimination regarding youth or senior.

As the Judge quite rightly says, Newquay had a problem a couple of seasons ago, but all the players were playing regular SW League football. Therefore, whether they were youth players or not, they were just as important to Newquay as, for example Danny O'Hagan is to Bodmin.

May I also add that 2 of the players that Newquay signed were already playing for the youth side before Newquay signed them and they will have known they would have a problem getting them off youth matches at the time of signature.

All the SW League had to do was check the team sheets to see they were regular players and they weren't trying to pull a fast one!

[John Mead]

It's a bit of "grey" area really: CCFA Rule 12 states ".....In the event of any Club having two or more players selected to represent the County such Clubs shall on application in writing to the County Secretary, be granted permission to cancel their fixture. The Council shall have the power to postpone any club Matches which may affect or be affected by County engagements providing the Association gives the clubs affected 14 days' notice."

However, unless there is also a similar rule in each League's Rules, it would be impossible to claim postponement as a "right" - it is not, after all, an F.A. Rule. If the CCFA did wish to "push" the matter, they could insist that a similar rule is adopted by each League before they agreed to sanction them each year; however, I don't think there would be any backing from the FA if a League challenged such a proposal.

With regards to the SWPL, it is sanctioned by the FA, rather than Cornwall and/or Devon County Associations and have to adopt what I believe are called the "Standardised Rules" - as opposed to the "Standard Rules" for Leagues which affiliate to a County F.A. I have found no Rule in the South West Peninsula League which would allow Clubs to seek postponement of a match due to players being selected for any representative side - including England!

[Guest L Binzo]

A very interesting point.

Ten years ago I can remember Torpoint being able to call ECPL matches off due to Cornwall Under 18s matches.

However, in the last few years this has not happened and this may have been our (the clubs) own fault.

However. I do believe players selected from Torpoint to play Under 18's for Cornwall in the last few years have been disadvantaged.

They have lost their place playing for the county under 18's and then struggled to get back into winning squads in their absence.

Strangly giving our league positions, not a problem this year as our up and coming youngsters who regularly play in the ECPL and occasionally in the CSWPL failed to make it.

[Guest Peppermint]

The Judge and Tommy are quite correct that Newquay had 5 players in the County Youth squad two seasons ago and I tried at a CSWL meeting to have games postponed and received no support from other clubs. The Chairman of the League I can recall stating that the CSWL was not a youth league!!! However the following season they allowed Plymouth Argyle Youth Team to enter the league and we all know what a success that turned out to be!!!!

At the following AGM I did prpose a rule change and it was supported and became a rule of the league but I assume that the new Peninsula League did not adopt that rule. Perhaps I am being unfair but does Devon have a youth team and if not then the Devon clubs would not want this rule anyway!!

[Tommy Matthews]

John, as usual your knowledge and information on this subject is, quite frankly, nothing short of outstanding, but I've come to expect as much over the years. Thanks!

L Binzo, I haven't seen a single player put forward from Torpoint for this year's trials which are still ongoing, so therefore we haven't had the chance to evaluate them. Like all senior clubs, Torpoint were sent a letter asking them to put forward players for the trials and none have turned up. Your club have had Cornwall Youth representatives over recent years, most notably Dan Parke who played regularly during the last two seasons and won a county cap. I might add that he's one of the best players I've ever worked with, has a fantastic attitude and is a credit to his club and Cornwall youth football. If you ask him if he enjoyed his time as a Cornwall Youth player I know what his answer will be.

Peppermint, Devon does have a youth team and is currently playing in the other group. The winners of the groups play off in the final each year.