FAO THE JUDGE

[Torpoint Imp]

Sorry Mark, seeing your result today, looks like no promotion.

Look forward to a beer on the 24th :drink:

[Anita]

Poor judge is on holiday, and has been called/text loads to tell him the result. i couldn't believe it i thought Newquay weren't doing that badly :(

[Guest Peppermint]

Penryn obviously deserved the victory and perhaps the scoreline flattered them but it is really a hollow victory. Hopefully the powers that be are really proud of themselves and in reply to Torpoint Imp as there are to be more County Youth matches this season the same scenario will happen again and again and Newquay are powerless to do anything about it other than to go out and throw shed loads of money buying in players which defeats the whole principle of bringing in young talented players.

I feel very sorry for Andy Dingle and Jim Hilton who are trying to develop a good young team and they are being undermined by something that they cannot do anything about!

Fair it is not and there is surely no justice in the whole sorry affair. No doubt when the full County Team plays we will have postponements and this further emphasises the crass stupidity of the situation.

[Guest Phil H]

Two points -

1 - Somerset played their County youth cup game today on a SUNDAY

2 - Senior games will not get postponements either, hence why the 3 fixtures they have this year (yes just 3 because most Counties no longer enter) are on midweek dates

Phil H

[Bazzer]

Cornwaall were playing in Jersy just alittle bit of a problem don,t you think PH

[Guest Phil H]

St Peters, Belgrave Wanderers, Jersey Scottish all used to play in the Devon Premier Cup, they would fly in the morning to Exeter, often request an EARLY kick off - midday/1pm - play the game and fly home about 4/5pm.

The thing is you wouldn't be able to have a formal dinner and a night or 2 in a hotel for the "whole" party would you ?

Another thing - The Senior Team group of just 4 Teams :

Cornwall

Devon

Royal Navy

The RAF

Thats the entire group, the service teams are not true "counties", you could have an annual Devon v Cornwall game and be done with it for the season ! In the olden days loads of Counties entered.

[Guest Peppermint]

Early kick offs and Sunday games all very well but that would mean the players playing two games in one day possibly. Not a feasible proposition!

I have stated before what a great honour for young players to represent their County and despite what Devon might think Cornish players, supporters and Clubs support that thinking.

Bazzer - I have the distinct feeling that we are banging our heads against a brick wall and Newquay need to be aware that they will be in the same position in weeks to come with players missing. Common sense and a sense of fair play goes completely out of the window.

What satisfaction was there for anyone on Saturday after the debacle at Mount Wise.

So - Phil H is just advocating a meaning less Cornwall v Devon fixture with no others not a very good prospect for the players - one fixture for the season!

[Guest Phil H]

"Two games in one day" - If Somerset played on Sunday and their players played for their clubs on Saturdays thats 2 games in 2 days, something that lots of players do anyway with saturday/sunday football !

Regarding 1 fixture, Devon V Cornwall, all I'm saying is that its a FACT that the group of the Senior Championship actually only contains TWO counties, years ago their were 6 or 7 teams per group, now 50% of the group are service teams, this is nothing to do with the CSWL / DCL / SWPL / WL its all to do with the fact that county football has had its day, the attendances are appalling, the entries insignificant and the standard poor.

Cornwall I accept is not so bad, you only have Truro (and now Liskeard) with contract players who are ineligible to be selected, some counties like Somerset have Weston SM, Clevedon, Taunton, Bridgewater, Frome, Yeovil all with contract players - so not only can you not get a postponement from their leagues, you can't select the best players anyway ! Hence they have pulled out.

Don't confuse my comments with sentiment - I was chairman of a Devon team that won their group a few years back beating Gwent, Wiltshire, Guernsey & Cornwall before losing to Sussex in the final, I was proud of the lads efforts, but that can't be replicated because life moves on and change happens.

Phil H

[John Mead]

If my "research" is correct, Newquay have no SWPL fixture on 24th November - as it's a Senior Cup date - but it's also the published date for next County Youth fixture: County Rules would permit a postponement on this date! Remaining County Youth fixture are:-

26th January (Dobwalls v Newquay)

16th February (Penryn v Newquay!)

08th March (Newquay v Hayle)

It might be a good idea to start negotiations with these Clubs now to try to bring the fixtures forward - which the SWPL Rules do allow!

[Guest Peppermint]

Thanks for that John - I think the Club is trying or will be trying to negotiate earlier dates for the games concerned. The only problem will be if the Clubs that are Newquay's opponents do not agree then it won't happen. It is interesting that one of the matches is against Penryn and if they did not agree about Saturday then they are hardly going to agree the next time!

I appreciate Phil H that things move on but it is not always for the best. Cornwall is a proud County and sportsmen of every sport takes the honour of representing their County very seriously despite what other Counties do!

Another point while I am ranting - 'attendances are poor and standards of football poor in County matches' - I have not witnessed massive crowds flocking to the new Peninsula matches and the standard of football has hardly taken a turn for the better! I have seen games from the Premier and Division 1 West this season.

[Guest Phil H]

2nd highest average attendance for a step 6 league I think you will find, not bad, especially when you consider the highest, North West Counties, has Scarborough in it with an individual average of 500+

[Guest Peppermint]

Come to think about it Newquay had quite a decent gate when their 'Reserves' played Penryn Athletic First Team on Saturday!!!!!

[Guest Postie Pidge]

County match attendances used to struggle to break into three figures

[Guest Ian]

Got to agree with Phil that County Senior Games are on the way out, we dont need them, and what is there purpose. I am all for County youth teams, where at least you are giving promising young players a chance to prove there worth. Plus there are some officials in County FA,s that would be very happy to have no County matches at all, and think they are a waste of money. With the SWPL we can now watch players from two countys, and watch a good standard of football, premier, West or East. I went to Dawlish at the weekend and I can assure you that Wadebridge were very unlucky to loose that match, and those guys were two levels above us.

[Tommy Matthews]

County matches will always struggle for attendances because everyone that would like to watch is playing or involved with other matches.

[Guest Peppermint]

In reply to Ian - I presume you have never represented your County at a sport otherwise you may well have a different view. Perhaps you may have a different view if your son [i think he plays for Wadebridge] was selected to play for a County.

I was at the Wadebridge v Stoke Gabriel match and was not over impressed with the Devon sides over physical approach and have not witnessed anything this season that will convince me and others I talk to that the Peninsula League is that fantastic and has improved standards over the old CSWL.

[Guest Phil H]

Yawnnnnnnnnnn

Dear Peppermint, At Step 7 there was never an intention to improve standards, the grounds of most clubs are too high a standard already, the play too high hence why clubs used to be given dispensation in the FA Cup.

Its about ending the closed shop of the old SWL by allowing in new clubs with fresh ideas and new horizons at an achievable level of finance, ground standards and playing strength. As I have said many times before the new East & West Step 7's are still amongst the very few that have any ground standards at all and the only ones South of the midlands that don't rely on Reserve teams to make up their numbers.

The Premier is a step up in standard, though I'll meet you halfway and say it will take time to settle down, but thats to be expected and not a worry for me.

The fact remains that 29 clubs have moved up the pyramid in the 2 counties, 17 to Step 6 and 12 to Step 7, with much interest already being shown by clubs in the feeder leagues.

I appreciate if you are involved with clubs that are not 1 of the 29 that went up that all may not seem that great this year, but that doesn't make it a bad idea.

I think a lot of people are quite happy to be playing, supporting and watching a league that is fresh and exciting, has seen considerable ground improvements and will continue to do so and with promotion & relegation dog-fights to come in the 2nd half of the season it will keep delivering drama and entertainment all season long.

You are entitled to your view, and you have put it across - "me" I'm entitled to give an opinion based on considerable knowledge of the development that the FA in London wanted to make, insisted on making and will ensure happens so that the 2 counties are embraced into a vibrant pyramid, not orphoned out to a life outside the system that serves the rest of the country.

Regards

Phil H

PS - Off ground expecting in North Devon & North Cornwall this week so won't be around to reply.

[Guest Peppermint]

Phil H - very arrogant. I am so sorry that I bore you but I am entitled to my opinion and also to relate what I hear from others in my travels reporting for the local press and radio. I would like to make it clear that I have no connection in an official capacity with Newquay Football Club.

[Guest Ian]

Peppermint, I dont know what you mean by a different view, I said I thought the County youth sides are a good idea,and all counties should have them ( as the CFA,s are there to promote good football standards ), but I see no use in having a county senior side when the standard of some local leagues are on par with them. This is not taking anything away from anyone who has played for there county.I know you were at the Stoke Gabriel game, and yes it was a bit physical, but I have watched a lot of the SWL and Devon teams and in my opinion ( which we are all entitled) there was better looking football in the SWL, and the DL was a more physical game ( not dirty, but physical), once upon a time I could have told you how many red cards had been handed out in the two leagues, thankfully not any more, but I dont think there would be all that much of a difference between the leagues. As for my son playing for the county,I dont think that comes into the argument, I could find better.As to me not playing for a county, well as a Scotsman, and having joined the Royal Navy at 16 then the Army, there were no countys that had a place for a 38 year old.

:glare:

[Guest Peppermint]

Thanks fro the reply Ian and we obviously basically agree. As a matter of information I thought your lad had a good game and I was most impressed with the Wadebridge set up and in Stuart Dudley the Club has a great manager. He is also a throughly nice guy and I am sure will see Wadebridge promoted or very close to the top by the end of the season.

The County Youth issue is just a problem with me because I fought hard for the rule to be changed in the old CSWL and it was adopted at the AGM only to find it was not incorporated in the Peninsula League rules.

[Guest Ian]

I fully understand your passion for county youth sides Peppermint, I was and still am passionate about the youth setup, that passionate that it was one reason for giving up the Devon west area secretarys job. The youth of the county must be given every opportunity to improve, but that comes at a price, and I think if county,s gave up the senior sides the saving could go to youth football. I know everything we say about football today all seems to be about money, but it is, the FA does help out with giving to the county,s, but in the end its the county that has to foot the bill. At one stage DCFA were finfing it a great problem to fund the county sides. They could of course put up there affiliation fees, fines and all other sorts to get that money in, but then the clubs would have been the ones worse off.

As for Wadebridge I have to agree that we have a great manager in Stuart, a realy good committee, good grounds and a great ambition to to further in the League, it will be hard but hopfully we will go up this season. If I had to find faukt with the league structure if would be that only one team from each area goes up. Apart from that I think the SWPL committee have done a great job in organising the league, long may they continue.