CHAIRMAN’S REPORT - Kieron Cotter - AGM – WSYL - 14th June 2004

 

 

May I welcome you all to the West Surrey Youths League AGM for the end of the 2004 season. This has been my fifth year as your Chairman and I would like to thank the Clubs and our Management Committee for their continued support.

 

I hope you will forgive me but I really believe that all your Management Committee deserve a mention. As they are very rarely praised.

 

I am delighted to tell you that many of our current league officers have agreed to remain in office for a further year, which highlights their commitment to the running of this league.

 

I am also delighted to announce that we have been able to attract new members to our Management Team which now numbers 30.

 

Our most valuable commodity is time and your Management Team have devoted an awful lot of there own time to the smooth and efficient running of the league. As well as having other commitments, with families and clubs they still found time to make sure that the league was effective.

 

I would like to add my own heart felt thanks for their commitment and support and it has been an absolute pleasure to work with you all.

 

Our presentation day was extremely well supported and we estimate it was attended by over 2000 people. My heart-felt thanks go again to your league committee who spent hours and hours preparing for the day and setting out the trophies. However there were one or two teams who failed to attend, and in some cases this was, they thought it was more important to attend a 7 a-side tournament. For those teams we will be invoking Clause ZH (4), whereby they will not only receive a fine but also forfeit their trophies. I wonder how their respective managers will tell there players why they have not received there so richly deserved league awards. However for 99% of the teams and their supporters that did take the time to attend, it was a great pleasure, for us to show our appreciation for all their efforts.

 

I am sure you will agree with me that your Management Team deserves generous recognition and a big thank you.

 

I would now like to move onto matters of discipline. This has been the worst year for reports of bad behaviour. I am not referring to the players but to club officials and supporters. It gives us no pleasure to expel officials from the league but if needs must then we will continue to do so. This year we have made it a condition of joining the league that each club signs a Codes of Conduct agreement. This is to ensure that a Child Protection Policy is in place. (This can be downloaded from our leagues web site) and that racism and bad behaviour will not be tolerated.

 

The County cup achievements of this league last season 2003/2004 continue on previous years successes,  we were the U10 Inter League County Cup champions and Surrey County champions in the U12, 13, 14 ,  16 and unfortunately our U18’s were beaten in a penalty shoot-out.

 

Also we were the Southern Counties Inter league Challenge Cup Champions at under 13, 14, 15 and Division 1 champions at U15.

 

I am sure you will agree with me that these are enormous achievements and only go to prove that the WSYL is a centre of excellence for youth football in Southern England, and we are proud  that we are able to give so many children the opportunity, not only to enjoy themselves but also to make new friends.

 

For next season we have attracted over 400 teams, which will means our players membership will be approaching 7000. This is an increase of teams joining us, from last season. (2002/03)

 

We have managed to keep the subscription fees stable again this year.  This in the main was due to good accounting housekeeping.

 

 

I am delighted to inform you that we have secured a sponsor for the coming season. The company is “Instant Portfolio” a property development company. I am sure that in the coming season you will be hearing more about the company, and we welcome their involvement with the league.

 

May I now make mention of the Surrey County Girls league, as many of you know I and other members of this league are members of that leagues management committee. We were asked in 2002 by Surrey County FA to assist in formulating the new league, which we did.

 

Unfortunately Dave Workman and myself were unable to maintain our commitment in terms of time to that league for next season due to the expansion of this league. However we were able to achieve what we had been asked to do.

 

That was to establish a girls league within Surrey County, more than double the club membership, leave a bank balance with a surplus, and establish and experienced and dedicated Management Team.

 

It was with great pleasure at the Surrey County Girls League AGM last week that Dave and myself were made the leagues first Vice Presidents.

 

May I thank you for your continued support and I continue to be extremely proud to be able to represent the WSYL. May I wish you all a well earned rest this summer and my very best wishes to you, your families and to all your teams, and the very best of luck for the coming season.

 

 

 

 

 

………………………………................

Kieron Cotter

14//06/2004