ECPL Posted June 14, 2019 Report Share Posted June 14, 2019 THE LEAGUE THAT WOULDN'T DIE As there has been a lot of chat about the formation of the St Piran League I thought I would put in chronological order what led up to the East Cornwall League almost being destroyed. Great credit must go to the East Cornwall League committee for overcoming the problems and that people will concentrate on the positives and not the negatives. The news that the Football Association would set up a new step 7 as well as re organising Step 6 shook not only the East Cornwall League but also the Cornwall Combination League. Both leagues have a long history in Cornwall with the Combination league starting in 1959 and the East Cornwall League two years later. Both leagues have provided teams to the higher level with the East Cornwall League (ECPL) promoting teams such as St Dennis, Foxhole Stars, Dobwalls and Sticker. The FA invited both the ECPL and the CCL to discussions as to how to set up the new step seven but both leagues rejected the idea basically saying that there is already a route for teams to progress into the South West Peninsula League. This was not acceptable to the CCFA who had been mandated to set up a new step 7 league by the FA. Both leagues have been by and large well run and proved to be a good divide between East and West Cornwall. The concept of re organising step 7 was to ease travel but it became obvious from the outset that mandating the Cornwall County FA to set up the new St Piran League by having teams travelling the length and breadth of the county was going to be a non starter. The ECPL teams felt that travel was a huge factor in withdrawing their applications to join the St Piran League. With the closing date for applications set for the 15th May the CCFA knew that they had no chance of setting up the new league as many teams withdrew. Undeterred the CCFFA held a meeting with the affected leagues and quickly rushed through a new set up and instead of making a possible 16 team league it had decided to go for two divisions of 16 teams split East and West. This had resulted in the ECPL Premier Division being denuded of 12 teams which included Tavistock Reserves who will be joining the new Devon set up and Plymstock United who withdrew. Also leaving was Lanreath, and Morwenstow from Division One. So what does this mean to the ECPL.The league ended the season with 23 teams in two divisions. The Premier Division was left with just one team Looe Town while in Division One Lanreath and Morwenstow chose to join the St Piran League. It was understood that Mevagissey were leaving the league which meant six teams St Stephen, St Minver, Roche, Padstow United, St Blazey Reserves, and St Teath remained, a total overall of seven teams. At the AGM the constitution was decided to have one division of 18 teams: Foxhole Stars, Gerrans & St Mawes, Godolphin Atlantic (Newquay), Looe Town, Mount Gould, Newquay, North Petherwin, Padstow United, Plymouth Marjon, Roche, St Blazey, St Cleer, St Dominick, St Minver, St Stephen, St Teath, Torpoint Athletic, Veryan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
countyman Posted June 15, 2019 Report Share Posted June 15, 2019 Yeah...we know...we all watched....and still watched as the ECPL and Combo both did exactly what you complained the St Pirans did by stripping out the Duchy and Trelawney leagues. The phrase containing the words Pot and Kettle spring readily to mind. Like everyone (maybe not you) I wish every League and Club the very best of fortune this season..but whereas the St Pirans gave Clubs who chose to move out of their standard a chance to grow and develop with ongoing funding and support, those who have leapfrogged their way into a much-lessened and marginalised senior setup (bear in mind only Foxhole actually won promotion) will..in my opinion...only struggle and diminish as the seasons progress....time will tell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peggy78 Posted June 15, 2019 Report Share Posted June 15, 2019 12 hours ago, ECPL said: The FA invited both the ECPL and the CCL to discussions as to how to set up the new step seven but both leagues rejected the idea basically saying that there is already a route for teams to progress into the South West Peninsula League. This was not acceptable to the CCFA who had been mandated to set up a new step 7 league by the FA. So here, in a nutshell, is the whole problem. Step 7 HAD to happen in Cornwall as determined by the FA. ECPL and CCL could have run the step 7 league but didn't want to change. If they had, there would have been no St Pirans league and none of the recent upheaval. But - we've always done it like that, why should we change 🙄 Dave Bartlam and WendronOfficial 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheolderIgetthebetterIwas Posted June 15, 2019 Report Share Posted June 15, 2019 38 minutes ago, peggy78 said: So here, in a nutshell, is the whole problem. Step 7 HAD to happen in Cornwall as determined by the FA. ECPL and CCL could have run the step 7 league but didn't want to change. If they had, there would have been no St Pirans league and none of the recent upheaval. But - we've always done it like that, why should we change 🙄 Sounds about right to me...opportunity missed to keep old school boys club. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Bartlam Posted June 15, 2019 Report Share Posted June 15, 2019 1 hour ago, peggy78 said: So here, in a nutshell, is the whole problem. Step 7 HAD to happen in Cornwall as determined by the FA. ECPL and CCL could have run the step 7 league but didn't want to change. If they had, there would have been no St Pirans league and none of the recent upheaval. But - we've always done it like that, why should we change 🙄 Exactly my thoughts. Do you think the combo and ECPL are regretting not taking it on? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheolderIgetthebetterIwas Posted June 15, 2019 Report Share Posted June 15, 2019 14 minutes ago, Dave Bartlam said: Exactly my thoughts. Do you think the combo and ECPL are regretting not taking it on? Yes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peggy78 Posted June 15, 2019 Report Share Posted June 15, 2019 20 minutes ago, TheolderIgetthebetterIwas said: Yes. Nope. The bubble remains intact. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cornishteddyboy Posted June 15, 2019 Report Share Posted June 15, 2019 2 hours ago, peggy78 said: So here, in a nutshell, is the whole problem. Step 7 HAD to happen in Cornwall as determined by the FA. ECPL and CCL could have run the step 7 league but didn't want to change. If they had, there would have been no St Pirans league and none of the recent upheaval. But - we've always done it like that, why should we change 🙄 Wrong There still would have been the St Piran League no matter who took it on. FA wanted to form a league in the middle between SWPL and Combo/ECPL no matter who was running it. The ECPL sides chucking in the towel a couple of days before the deadline and pulling out of the St Piran due to travelling cocked it all up. The FA could not approve a St Piran League with 13 teams from the West of the county and 3 from the East. Hence the solution to strip the Combo and ECPL by forming an East and West divisional, St Piran League. So, there was none of this "I'm all right Jack, why change" from both Committees. We were told the CFA would run it if we volunteered OR not and personally I did not fancy driving a 90 mile round trip at least once a month then getting up at 4.30am the next morning to take my son to work as where I live we get no buses and he can't drive. Also I thought being a new league I would leave it to younger people to run it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheolderIgetthebetterIwas Posted June 15, 2019 Report Share Posted June 15, 2019 That's fair enough teddyboy...now we know. I withdraw my old boys club comment. My apologies to all. Dave Bartlam 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ECPL Posted June 16, 2019 Author Report Share Posted June 16, 2019 Spot on cornishteddyboy, they didn't want people to know that the leagues could run it voluntarily, while the fatcats tuck into the prawn sandwiches and take all the glory and of course claim expenses. Don't worry the FA will change the rules again next season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Titus Bramble Posted June 16, 2019 Report Share Posted June 16, 2019 4 hours ago, ECPL said: Spot on cornishteddyboy, they didn't want people to know that the leagues could run it voluntarily, while the fatcats tuck into the prawn sandwiches and take all the glory and of course claim expenses. Don't worry the FA will change the rules again next season. Are you aware that you come across as a very bitter, hypocritical old man? You complain about the FA stripping your league of clubs and yet, as stated above, you didn’t hesitate to pillage the Duchy League of clubs to protect your own interests. The same can be said of the combination league, they’ve just been less bitter publicly childish about it all! The actions of your league show that you’re no different to the “fat cats” you so publicly despise. No consideration for the future of Cornish football or the bigger picture. You could have come out of this looking quite good had you done the logical thing and merge with Duchy Prem and take on a role within the Duchy Committee. As it turns out, you only come across as a spiteful, childish antique who refused to change for the greater good of local RECREATIONAL football in Cornwall. Paul Collings, countyman, Dave Bartlam and 1 other 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fal lad Posted June 16, 2019 Report Share Posted June 16, 2019 I feel the whole situation has been dealt with relatively well considering. Both leagues are still running, both leagues have enough teams in them to run in accordance to their own constitutions, while both leagues have taken a huge hit from the teams moving into the St Pirans league. It is a shame that both Duchy and Trelawney leagues have taken a battering with teams stepping up, but isn’t that all part of football? Teams that do well want to progress. Would all those teams from lower leagues have reached the ECPL or Combo, who knows. But they have taken their opportunity to move up. A lot of hard work behind the scenes has been done by all committee members from all the leagues over the previous months to try and find the best outcome for Cornish football. They can’t keep everyone happy and never will. I tip my hat to all who have had to work tirelessly to make this happen Dave Bartlam, Paul Collings, Thecupfootballblogger and 1 other 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ECPL Posted June 17, 2019 Author Report Share Posted June 17, 2019 Oh Titus, just how wrong you are. Old yes, bitter no, Childish no, antique yep I will go along with that. You see I have tried to be open minded about the whole situation. I have tried to give both sides of the argument and my piece shows the chronological order of events. People then make up their minds. Unfortunately you cannot argue facts. Tell me which of my piece is a lie. Thought so. It is not. But you have your view and I mine. I suggest it is you that has the problem. And yes the FA have acted like the jackboots they are. They look at a map and say, WE KNOW BEST now get those grass eating idiots down west to do what we say or else and the CCFA had no option to do their bosses bidding. And this nonsense about pinching Duchy League clubs. The idiotic FA made the old system of promotion and relegation obsolete. What were the ECL going to do. It was up to clubs to decided their fate and they chose to join the ECL. Again you can't argue against facts. As I have said it is what it is and only time will tell. In the meantime the ECL has 18 teams and good luck to them. Indeed they are still at the same level as they were before the change. The SWPL is now East and West and the St Piran is the next step below just like the old SWPL East and West. So in that regards nothing has changed. Steve Carpenter has already admitted that. The Duchy League will survive So I suggest people pull, their necks in and let everyone get on with playing football. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unitedrhino Posted June 17, 2019 Report Share Posted June 17, 2019 The Duchy League will survive, because it's the best run league in Cornwall in any sport. Just my opinion of course. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Deacon Posted June 17, 2019 Report Share Posted June 17, 2019 6 hours ago, ECPL said: let everyone get on with playing football. Good suggestion for everyone. 😀👍 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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