News

COVENTRY SCAFFOLDING LONDON SENIOR CUP DRAW ANNOUNCED

BOROUGH have drawn a bye in the First Round (there is only one match) and also in the Second Round.     In the Third Round Borough entertain (provisionally on 11th October) the winners of the Second Round Tie between fellow Spartan Leaguers COCKFOSTERS or HOLMESDALE of the Kent League.    Success would be followed by a visit to BARKING of the Essex Senior League in the 4th Round.    The draw for the Fifth Round onwards has not yet been made.   At that stage the 6 survivors from the first four rounds are joined by 10 teams from the Blue Square Conference, Ryman Premier League and AFC Wimbledon from the Football League.

FA COMPETITION DRAWS ANNOUNCED

FA CUP     In the Extra Preliminary Round on 20^th August Borough will be at home to AFC Kempston Rovers of the United Counties League Premier Division - last seasons Division One Champions)

                Success would bring a Preliminary Round tie with fellow Spartan South Midlands Leaguers Crawley Green (of Division One) or Premier Division Berkhamsted (last Seasons Division One Champions) on 3^rd September

                Further success would create a visit to Evostick Southern League Premier Division St. Albans City in the 1^st Qualifying Round on 17^th September

FA VASE   In the 1^st Qualifying Round on 10^th September Borough have received a bye

                The 2^nd Qualifying Round on 24^th September will see us entertain fellow Spartan Leaguers – either St. Margaretsbury of the Premier Division or Langford (relegated to Division One last season)

                   Success would create a 1st Round Proper tie at home against either AFC Kempston Rovers (again !!) or fellow Spartan Leaguers Hadley on 22nd October.

FULL DRAWS FOR BOTH COMPETITIONS ON FA WEBSITE

Ex-BOROUGH MANAGER STARTS 2014 WORLD CUP

The first qualifying match of the 2014 World Cup has just been played.   MONTSERRAT v BELIZE

The Montserrat team is Managed by KENNY DYER who was part of Borough’s Management from November 2004 to the end of that season.

Unfortunately Montserrat lost 5-2 but there may yet be hope as it is a 2 legged tie and FIFA have since suspended Belize for alleged Government interference in that Country’s football affairs.  Link to FIFA report below:-                                

    http://www.fifa.com/...3094/index.html

“RED CARDS” – MAJOR CHANGES TO

SUSPENSION RULES

     As from season 2011/12 The FA have done away with “time based” suspensions as regards Adult Football, both Mens and Womens, at all levels of the game.     Thus the lottery of how much football the offender will actually miss after taking into account bad weather and the vagaries of Fixture Lists has disappeared.

     More importantly from our point of view, they have also introduced a total “divorce” between Saturday (type), Sunday and Midweek football.   In short, a player suspended for being sent off while playing for his Sunday team can carry on playing for his Saturday team while his Sunday team is completing the appropriate number of games – and vice-versa, of course.     But the suspension will rule the player out of ALL football played in the relevant category (i.e a player registered for a Spartan team and a Rymans team could not play for either of them once the suspension had started until the team he was playing for when sent off had completed the stipulated number of games).   And this limited restriction ONLY applies when the sending off is for one of the standard seven offences – see below.   A player sent off for “Misconduct” not covered by the standard list will be suspended from ALL football during any suspension imposed until the team he was playing for has completed the stipulated number of qualifying games

   In practical terms no appeal is possible in respect of dismissal for the standard offences unless it is for Wrongful Dismissal – and then only if the player/Club can immediately lodge video evidence to support its case.     The suspension starts automatically after 21 days and continues until the actual TEAM of the Club (not the Club generally) for which he was playing at the time has completed the appropriate number of qualifying games.

     A qualifying game is basically a Competitve match (definitely ruling out “friendlies”) although there are some minor Competitive Competitions which also do not count.

     Appeals for a number of reasons are still possible for Misconduct dismissals

     In Youth Football suspensions are still time based which unfortunately means that a 16 or 17 year old registered for an adult football team would be suspended from ALL football even though it was in a Youth game he was dismissed.

   This is just a broad outline of the new procedures and the full details can be viewed from the “Disciplinary” section of the FA’s website.   The FA’s Handbook runs to 65 pages.

   Standard Charges and the suspensions they attract are :-

PRE-SEASON FRIENDLY PROGRAMME ALMOST COMPLETE

Five matches, all at Coles Park, with four of them against Ryman League opposition have been arranged.    A sixth is in the pipeline.

Details can be found on the "Fixtures & Results" page.

SPARTAN SOUTH MIDLANDS CONSTITUTION FOR 2011/12 ANNOUNCED

No surprises in the Premier Division Constitution for 2011/12.       No relegation from Step 4 so Chalfont St. Peters promotion reduces the number of teams to the preferred figure of 22 without further adjustment.    Fron Division One the top two - BERKHAMSTED  and  AFC DUNSTABLE are promoted to replace relegated Kentish Town and Langford.   The constitution is subject to final ratification at the League AGM on 18th June  (It was duly ratified)

.....DANIEL AILEY IS 4th TOP SCORER IN THE LEAGUE

Daniel's 26 goals in League/League Trophy/Divisional Cup make him the 4th highest scorer in the League this season.   Having played in only 39 out of a possible 50 games he might well have finished even higher up had those 11 not been missed.  He averaged 2/3rds of a goal per game.  Top Scorer was Blaise O'Brien of Hanwell Town with 34, followed by Charlie Strutton of Chalfont St. Peter with 32 and Ryan Redford of Tring Athletic with 27.

Richard Worrell's 17 goals put him into the League Chart in 17th place.

Daniel also made 5 appearances in FA and County FA games scoring three goals and bringing his total for the season to 29 in 44 games - again almost 2/3rd of a goal a game (0.659 to be exact)

……….SUPERB END TO THE SEASON

This was no end of season “going through the motions” game as Royston Town arrived in second place but only by virtue of a one goal superior difference over second placed Tring Athletic.   Royston are the League’s top scorers and left no doubt as to why straight from the off as they tore into Borough with the ball rarely leaving the Borough half in the first ten minutes. But some great saves by ‘keeper Greg Thurstans and determined Borough defending kept them at bay and the game was goal-less at the interval.    Royston continued their domination after the break and having gone close several times finally took a 63^rd minute lead from the penalty spot as the ball was handled in a prolonged goalmouth melee.   But Borough then decided to show why they have a good record against the teams above them and Daniel Ailey put them to the sword, firstly with a fine header which hit the post but was eventually smashed home after Marvin Walker set up Dave Boal in the 76^th minute.   Ailey then scored the winner three minutes later as with sheer strength and determination he held off a challenging defender to run through and lift the ball over the advancing keeper from the edge of the area.   That goal condemned Royston to 3^rd place as Tring Athletic came from behind to draw at Colney Heath. Borough had been hoping to go 7^th but Dunstable got the win they needed over Holmer Green to maintain their 3 point advantage.   But 8^th is Borough’s best finishing position in the Premier Division and the close season can be enjoyed in anticipation of another fine, perhaps even better, coming season.

 ………..AND THE WOMEN ADD FURTHER GLOSS TO A GREAT DAY

While the excitement was developing at Coles Park the Women, who have had a dreadful injury ravaged season, were in action in Harrow and belatedly got some well deserved reward  as they won the North London and Hertfordshire play off to book the Club’s place in the FA FUTSAL CUP NATIONAL FINALS to be played at the Futsal Arena in Birmingham in mid-July