Principle is good, but we have applied a ground rule for a number of seasons now to cover ourselves, that being that photographers who want to work pitch side must have, and evidence that they have their own public liabiity insurance. Because the touchlines are not that far from the pitch edge, there is always the risk of player or personal injury . Not sure how it works for us, but if we had pitchside ball boys/girls and one of them was injured, I'm not sure how the Club stands on their insurance liability.
If we had a bigger surround to the pitch where they could stand back a significant way, it could be easier. My abiding memory of a ball boy was when we were on one of our just before Christmas jaunts to Bideford. Poor little lad was no more than 6-7 years old, freezing almost sub zero temperature and wet. But this lad braved it all the way through the first half and by half time he was almost frozen to his spot! Needless to say, he didn't appear for the second half!
