THE news I tend to seek out first following each of the National Conference League annual general meetings is whether new admissions as recommended by the management are voted in by member clubs, and whether those outfits required to seek re-election through having finished bottom, or next to bottom, of the lowest tier have been successful.
In reality the process, as far as the flagship league is concerned, is more one of rubber-stamping than anything.
Keighley Albion were given the thumbs-up by delegates last Monday and will be back in the Conference next month after a break of a shade over a quarter-of-a-century, and Featherstone Lions have retained their status after having bobbled around the basement of Division Three last year.
I’m delighted that both clubs will be in the NCL this season and I’m sure that Albion and the Lions will grace the amateur game’s premier competition.
Albion are a well-run outfit – I’ve known their helmsman Terry Caddy for a long time, and so have Conference bosses as he served on their management committee for quite a few years – and are a very welcome readmission, not least for geographical reasons.
And the Lions impressed me greatly last season when, after a horrendous 2023, they fulfilled every fixture under their charismatic coach Daz Fisher, picking up a morale-boosting victory over Bentley – a decent side – along the way and perhaps even more impressively only going down 32-30 at home to eventual champions East Leeds.
I’m confident that having been through the wringer, the Lions, having come out the other side, will prosper from now on.
There are changes in the NCL’s management too, not least at the tiller where, as advised recently in these pages, Mike Denning has taken over as chair from Trevor Hunt, who – I’m glad to say – will remain heavily involved as president.
I hope to interview Denning over the next week or two. One thing I do know is that through his long involvement with Thatto Heath Crusaders, he will bring a wealth of hands-on knowledge and experience to the table.
Tony Johnson (another man with decades of service behind him) is vice-chair, and a strong committee also comprises club representatives Robbie Thompson, Joe McCormack and Clive Senior, together with veteran disciplinary chair Billy Dillon and Simon Howe.
McCormack recently stepped down as Siddal secretary but obviously knows what running a club involves while Thompson (Ellenborough) and Senior (Dewsbury Celtic) also appreciate what everything’s about on the ground.
Dillon, meanwhile, was interviewed last week by my chum Dave Parkinson, who is the NCL’s media man, and he made a number of interesting points, not least his view that the use of headcams by referees has helped hugely reduce the number of cases he and his colleagues have had to hear.
That’s great news – less thrilling is Dillon’s concern over abuse of match officials.
I totally agree with him. I’m no longer involved at club level but, when I was, I made it clear to all players – in fact it was just about the first thing I said to them, other than “mine’s a pint of bitter, please” – that I would never, ever, defend a charge of dissent.
In answer to the almost inevitable response of (I’m paraphrasing) ‘what if the ref’s wrong?’, I’d insist: “That’s irrelevant. Just don’t argue, whatever the circumstances.”
My rationale was twofold.
The first and most important reason is that, in my opinion, it’s simply wrong to show disrespect to someone who is in a position of authority. Yes, I appreciate that in a wider context – in society as a whole – that can sometimes, from the perspective of the greater good, be a dangerous stance to take, but there are ways to go about expressing concerns, and gobbing off on a Rugby League pitch isn’t one of them.
My second reason is that teams who habitually chunter about questionable decisions can quickly lose their focus and become a rabble, with obvious consequences.
Better by far – and our coach took the same view, largely for pragmatic reasons I suspect – to accept that not all decisions will go your way, shrug your shoulders and get on with it.
It’s no coincidence that the teams who embrace that philosophy (one which, in my experience, permeates the NCL) tend to be more successful on the field of play.
I know it’s an approach that Joe Fitzsimmons, who has been involved with Wigan St Judes for a very long time, holds dear to his heart.
Fitzsimmons has also served on the Conference’s committee for many years and it was good to learn that he was made a life-member last Monday.
Judes and Fitzsimmons are having a tough time of it lately as they’re being victimised by vandals who, according to reports (and I find this hard to credit) have the temerity to ride road bikes up and down grass banking at the Parson’s Meadow complex on matchdays, despite the presence of children.
They have damaged pitches (as the accompanying photograph all too vividly illustrates) and it’s gratifying to hear that the local MP, Josh Simons, has become involved.
Why it should get that far is, unless I’m missing something, beyond me. I’d have thought that the police could have already acted, but perhaps there’s more to it than that.
Anyway, let’s hope that St Judes are able to put what I hope will only be temporary problems behind them and get their pitches fit for action for the start of the season.
Also of concern are issues at youth and junior level in Cumbria, which is often described as a hotbed, although I sometimes have to wonder.
I’m hearing that there are problems in getting the cup competitions at each of the Under 16, Under 14 and Under 12 age groups up and running this year, with – as I understand it – only the Under 12s certain to go ahead.
This, if correct, is dreadful news and I hope to give readers the full background next week.
Also next week, I’m hoping to report on bumper entries for the BARLA National Cups at all age levels, as the deadlines for entry are this Friday (open-age) and Saturday (youth and junior).
Finally, congratulations to Cutsyke Raiders and Woodhouse Warriors who have secured, respectively, the Pennine League Division One and Two titles.
Cutsyke actually lost on Saturday, and not narrowly either. The episode serves as a reminder, for me, that in competitions in which teams play each other once at home and once way the champions should always be the sides who finish on top of the pile.
Titles, after all, should go to those who have been superior to the others throughout a full season, and not rest on whoever happens to come out on top in just one game.