Keep football on the pitch
Paul Cassidy on Thursday • Published 9 Feb 2012 09:30
0 Comments
Share this
Lisbellaw clinched the Mercer League title at Fisher Park back in May of last year. The game was switched from Ferney Park because Ballinamallard's first team were at home. A decision last Thursday night means that 48 hours notification would have to be given for the switch to be made now.
It was an awfully long time ago when I made my debut for Irvinestown Wanderers back in the mid seventies. I was suitably proud the first time my name was displayed on a piece of paper in the window of the local newsagents and I knew to meet at lunchtime on a Saturday to spend an enjoyable few hours with some friends representing the town.
Things seemed much simpler back then, football in a local league against other local teams and any disagreements were generally sorted out on the field. Almost 40 years on and we find ourselves in a much different era. Rules are an important aspect of any league but we are reaching a point where more and more results are being decided around committee tables rather than on the field of play. Some years ago we had registration forms which contained a player's photograph as well as his signature so that any "ringers" could be easily identified. I attended meetings when signatures on a referee's card were being scrutinised to see if they matched those on registration forms. Thank God we have moved on from those times and a central registration system exists with "one player one club" in place.
A player playing on both sides of the border was always a factor in our local league and has been the source of numerous protests locally and eventually led to the demise of Barrowfield. In the 80's clubs drafted players in from other clubs in the province to strengthen their squads and again was the source of many protests. We seemed to get to a point where clubs, after a defeat, scrutinised rules to see if there was a chance of catching the other club out.
My own club were hardly blameless on this charge as I remember a Junior Cup match in Newry when we were defeated four goals to three after extra time. We did register our concern before the match began with the referee about the state of the pitch but he proceeded with the game. Having looked closely at the rules we lodged a protest a few days later in the hope we would get a replay at a neutral venue. We were granted a replay because the corner flags were not high enough and breached health and safety rules. However the fixture was rescheduled in Newry again and not only were we beaten four goals to one, we got the living daylights kicked out of us and rightly so.
Lisbellaw United have suffered more than most in the last few years and has highlighted the need to monitor closely where your players have played in previous years and what competitions they have played in. They have fallen foul of both Mulhern Cup rules and Junior Cup rules with players who had played at a higher level costing them their place in both competitions in the last two seasons.
Earlier this season Enniskillen Town switched their home fixture against Enniskillen Santos from the Lakeland Forum to the 3G pitch at the Bawnacre Centre, Irvinestown.
As it turned out Santos refused to fulfil the fixture and stated they were unable to travel to the new venue.
Enniskillen Town duly claimed that the points should be awarded to them and the case was heard at a meeting of the Fermanagh & Western League last week. Santos pleaded that a change of venue should be considered as a re-fixture and they had not received 48 hours notice for a re-fixture. After a vote it was decreed that Enniskillen Town's fixture against Enniskillen Santos be refixed which has opened a complete new can of worms.
We had a situation at the weekend when Churchtown didn't travel to play a fixture against Ballinamallard Reserves as 48 hours notice was not given for a change of venue as the game was switched to Fisher Park from Ferney Park.
The two pitches are yards apart but the decision falls in line with the one made on Thursday night.
I think this affair should highlight that we have come much too far away from the footballing ethos that use to exist all those years ago.
Rules should be in place to punish teams who blatantly cheat but winning at all costs seems to be of paramount importance and not the actual enjoyment of participating. Having come so far down this road it may not be an easy road back.
Return to the main index, get more from this section or browse our Opinion archives.
