Ken's Bulletin - Number 1 (2012-08-31) (2012-09-30)
With the opening League games just one week away, I would like to say hi to all our new clubs, team managers, players and parents. Most of you know that I like to communicate with you all, and will be doing a bulletin from time to time across the season, which I hope will keep you updated with what is happening in the world of youth football and beyond.
The first thing I can see happening, is that many of our players will be removing ankle guards, and tapes around their socks at the start of the season. Referees have been instructed through the Rule change to ensure that any tape has to match the colour of the sock, and ankle guards should be the same colour or worn inside the sock. So if you have red socks it must be red tape, or you will be asked to remove the tape!
At Under 18 level, the League has agreed to join with the FA's two year experiment on introducing roll on and roll off subs for the under 18 age group. Teams playing in the League and in our Cup competition will be allowed to roll on and off 5 substitutes as happens from Under 13s - Under 16s. The FA have made it clear that this rule will NOT apply in the FA Youth Cup which starts next week. This competition is still 3 from 5 and no roll on roll off. I would also suggest that you check with the relevant County for County Cup competitions which of the above applies.
From this coming season youth players will now receive match bans rather than day bans to fall in line with Adult football. I will talk more about this later on, but this is a major change for us to deal with.
We will also be running a leading goalscorer tab on the website for all Divisions and competitions this season. We will be awarding a "golden boot" to each player who finishes top. I have 5 Committee members covering an age group each, so that all goalscorers can be entered quick and efficiently after games have been completed.
This is to be Colin Boswell's last season as Chief Executive of the Kent Youth League. Colin will be retiring at the end of this season, and this will also include the considerable work he also does for the Kent FA. The League Management Committee have voted unanimously for yours truly to take over next season from Colin, which if approved by the clubs I will happily accept the challenge. It does mean that I need help to run the website, and Will Sanderson has agreed to become my Assistant, so you can now email Will as well as myself if you want anything put on the website.
This coming season sees the largest number of teams involved since I became involved with the League, so it is imperative that we ensure that our very high standards on and off the pitch are maintained. Remember, it is about the lads who go out and entertain every Sunday, playing on the best possible facilities with the full support of Nike UK - very proud that after two years hard work off the pitch, that all teams will kick off with Nike footballs all supplied free of charge by Nike.
Nike would not put their name to our League if they didn't want to be linked with a League that tries to maintain the highest possible standards. I am sure that as teams and players you will not let us down.
I would like to wish all our teams the very best of luck for the season. You probably will not win every game..............you will probably think your team has not played their best if they lose..............you may think it is the Referee's fault.................but my message to all of you for this season, is that sometimes you get beat by a better team, and sometimes you don't get that bit of luck that you need...................but I am sure the following week in training you will put right what went wrong and go into the following game to put things right. All I would ask ALL teams to do, is to go over and shake hands with your opponents and the match officials at the end of the game. The one thing so apparent through the Summer, was the good will and sportmanship shown by competitors and crowds at the Olympics, and I am certain this is something football can learn at our level. Make sure you enjoy your game, and much better to smile than rage!!!!
I am off now to our second Under 16 County trial at Canterbury, where the best players in the South will be out to prove their worth in trying to get into the County team. I am sure we will be in for a decent night, and it will be good to compare with Wednesday's trial at Bromley.
Then off to Palace tomorrow to see if we can lose our "nil" points total vs Sheffield Wednesday!! I dreampt we won 5-1 last night................yes the mind is going..............but I might just stick a tenner on the result just in case :)
Off to watch my two lads play for Bromley Knights on Sunday in the Orpington and Bromley Men's League. They will be making their debuts for their new club, and it is a chance for me to watch them, and try to persuade some more Referees to join our League!!!!! Looking forward to that, and this will be after I host a cook a bbq for my daughter's 12 friends tomorrow night, all of whom are 18!!! They want me to make a fish bowl........filled with alcohol......and that was after I had bought the bowl and two fish to go in it !!!! Should be fun.
More soon..........
Ken
