WEEKLY BULLETIN – 31ST MAY
REPRIEVE
When the news broke last Friday that Coalville had resigned from the Southern League speculation immediately started as to which club would be reprieved. We would have been first in line if the reprieve was kept to the Southern League Central division but it was widely thought points per game might be used with the reprieved club from all the relegated step 3 clubs being the club with the best points per game from last season. If this was the case Beaconsfield and Hayes and Yeading would be ahead of Hitchin.
I went to page 444 of the FA Handbook to see if there was a definitive answer. This is what I found—
End of the Playing Season
5.5.1
(a) Where a Club notifies its decision to resign from its League at the end of the Playing Season, then a vacancy is created on the date the notification of that decision is formally recorded by that League. Such resignation can only be withdrawn by the end of that Playing Season with the consent of the Board of that League.
(b) In all cases, that Club is treated as a relegated Club. The final table of that division is not affected.
(c) In cases where the vacancy is created after the end of the Playing Season but before the League’s AGM, the vacancy will be filled in accordance with Regulation 5.5.2 below.
5.5.2
(a) Where a vacancy occurs at Step 1 and Step 2 following the completion of a Playing Season the best ranked Club in a relegation position is reprieved.
(b) Where a vacancy arises at Step 3 to 6 following the completion of a Playing Season it shall be dealt with at the sole discretion of the Committee.
(c) Where a vacancy occurs at Step 3 and 4 after the allocations for the following season have been published and prior to the holding of the League’s AGM. The vacancy created shall be dealt with at the sole discretion of the Committee in order to minimise disruption.
(d) Where a vacancy occurs after the date of a League AGM then a League is not able to replace the Club(s) concerned for the following Playing Season
This gave me great hope as points per game only applied at step 2 and as a step 3 club our fate would be at the mercy of the FA Committee. To be fair to the FA they acted very quickly as the decision was made on Tuesday which was the first working day after Coalville resigned. I received an email from the FA saying Hitchin had been reprieved at 11.00am and we were able to announce the decision at 4.00pm. The FA stressed they wanted to minimise disruption and this is why Hitchin were not replaced in Central Division 1 to avoid a concertina affect of clubs moving up one division.
While the reprieve is obviously great news it has also brought its difficulties, We had been planning for life in step 4 and had made budget and pricing decisions accordingly while Brett Donnelly had been trying to pull together a squad to get out of step 4. However rest assured that we will be ready for the new season despite the changed circumstances. You will see in Brett’s article how difficult the change of divisions has been for his planning.
PRICES UPDATE
Obviously the reprieve has made us look again at prices for next season. The good news for all supporters is that there will be no increase at all. Match day prices remain as announced and we have also decided to keep to the lower season ticket prices. Your loyalty throughout last season needs to be recognised and we hope you appreciate this gesture.
MANAGER’S NOTES BY BRETT DONNELLY
Well, what a month this week has been!!!
To say I was side swiped by the reprieve is an understatement. Of course I want this club to be at step 3 as a minimum. But what a lot of people don’t understand is that as soon as the season finishes I am on the phone to prospective new players. We are organising friendlies to suit the level we are at. We don’t sit around for a month and think, well we can start prepping in June. I have probably spoke to around 30 players, had 12-15 in for talks, all with the challenge of getting promoted out of step 4. Lads agree a deal and off they go on the summer break. Then we are informed of the fact that we aren’t actually going down. I then have to go back to everyone I’ve spoken with and see if they still want to be part of our project.
Tuesday afternoon I was met with a deafening silence from all those that had agreed to join us next season. Around 10 players… to say I was worried is an understatement. But slowly over the last couple of days after more talks we have convinced nearly all those that had committed to remain committed. I didn’t want to start our recruitment drive again. We were 5 weeks behind every other club in the league. Players had secured deals elsewhere. It would have been tough.
Thankfully we have got good numbers and great quality in. These lads were all brought in with the point of being able to play step 3 if we got promoted. We’ve already been promoted so the squad is a promotion up already! Those players that didn’t commit didn’t for all different reasons. Travel is a big one. You are trebling your travel at this level compared to step 4. Family commitments, lads with young families struggling to get away for long periods. As we all know, the wives are in charge really! Then there is the money side. We had agreed deals for players at step 4. We then get pushed up the leagues and with more commitment and time required the boys want that renumerated. I get it but we have to be careful. The club are aware of this and have started discussions to get a bit more into the budget. It’s a fine line as we all know. Better players cost more than the not so good. What do we do? Not pay the going rate and get left behind? But we also don’t want to cripple the club. Hopefully I’ve found the right mix of young and old to give us a proper go at step 3 this season.
It has started well. Lewis Franklin joins us from Stotfold where he was outstanding for me last season. The boy has every chance to push on up the leagues. Very much in the Kane Smith mould. Exciting player to get in.
Second one was one we all know well. Liam Brooks played in the losing play off final for us in 2017. A young lad then but after a few years of bouncing around he’s back and wants to show everyone the quality player he is. Another Westmill boy like myself, it is massively important for me to have a local connection and he gives us that. He’s also a good friend of mine so it will be great to be back in a squad with him and enjoy a few beers after.
Last one so far is Dan Sears. Tall, imposing centre half. He trained with Hitchin when I was coaching which is why I took him to Stotfold with me. He wasn’t ready then for step 3 football, but he most certainly is now. Aerially he is excellent, he’s quick and can play a pass. He will be a fan’s favourite as he is a 100%er every week.
More to come next week. An experienced centre midfielder, two forwards and another centre half. With the possibility of a few more. Yep, you can safely say I am no longer angry… but I am very excited.
Brett Donnelly
By the way you will be able to read an interview with Brett in the Non league Paper on Sunday where he will talk about the reprieve.
FIXTURES UPDATE
This morning’s announcement of the Barnet fixture now means that our pre-season schedule shapes up as follows, with the ticket prices for each home fixture shown below. Remember season ticket holders gain free entry to all of our home pre-season friendly fixtures:
Saturday 6th July – Home – AFC Rushden and Diamonds – KO 2pm
Tuesday 9th July – Home – Barnet – KO 7.45pm
Saturday 13th July – Away – Histon – KO 3pm
Tuesday 16th July – Home – TBC – KO 7.30pm
Saturday 20th July – Away – St Neots – KO 3pm
Friday 26th July – Home – Edgware and Kingsbury – KO 7.30pm
Tues 30th July – Away – Stotfold – KO 7.45pm
Our competitive season then gets underway on Saturday 3rd August – Home – Hertford (Herts Charity Cup) – KO 3pm (as this is a cup game season tickets are not valid)
THANKING OUR VOLUNTEERS
On Thursday evening the club invited all our volunteers to the Plume Of Feathers in Ickleford to say thank you for all their hard work over the past season. There was a meal and drinks provided and all the management committee and Brett Donnelly were present.
The club’s normal end of season event had been cancelled as Brett and the management committee did not want to celebrate failure that relegation had meant. However it was considered important to recognize the volunteers who do such great work throughout the season.
The Matthew Malorowski award was presented on the evening. This is to recognize the volunteer of the year which is so difficult to choose. However the worthy winner was Allan Johnson who at every opportunity has gone above and beyond the call of duty. As Kate Deller said—
‘’ There is not a tractor,mower, defibrillator, toilet door, hedge, Tea Bar floor that Allan hasn’t had a hand in either repairing or maintaining, let alone sorting out the fuel requirements and assisting with First Aid on match days.’’ So congratulations to Allan and many thanks to every volunteer..
NEW VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
The new season will be starting with our pre season collection of matches and we are once again looking for extra help with volunteers. We have a number of match day opportunities which we would like to open up to you.
Club Shop Assistant
Assisting in the club shop taking card payment and cash for purchases. Keeping shelves stocked and tidy and being a welcoming face to our supporters. 1.30pm to 3.00pm and 3.45 – 4.00pm
Boardroom Assistant
Assisting Club and visiting Officials in the boardroom, making tea and offering a welcoming face for the club. Keeping the boardroom tidy during and after visits
1.30pm to 3.00pm and 3.45 – 4.15pm 5.00pm – 5.30pm post match Boardroom
Match Day Marshal
Assisting supporters around the Stadium. Pointing out facilities and being a welcome presence to all visitors. 1.30 to 5.00pm
There are other opportunities within the social media team and tannoy services, to assist when current volunteers take holidays.
Please contact volunteer@hitchintownfc.club if you can assist with any of these vacancies.
BY ROY IZZARD