AGM 2008/9
Contents
Agenda
minutes from previous season
chairman’s report
Treasurer’s report
Agenda
Minutes (previous year’s AGM)
Chairman’s report
Welcome to the Leagues 43 AGM introduction for New Members, another season over, where did that go.
I would like you all to join me by putting your hands together to thank Frank and our committee for all their hard work this season.
2nd thanks of the evening must go to the generous donation for the £5.000.00 with only one stipulation to encourage and improve sportsmanship, hopefully you will all agree the new format in operation is better rewarding more teams for their efforts in sportsmanship.
Farewell Speech
As you know I shall not be standing as Chairman in the Surrey Youth League next season but of course to me in my heart it will always be known and remembered as the West Surrey Youth League. I cant believe where 21 years has gone! That’s 1 third of my life and two thirds of my married life! POOR Gail
Gail and myself have held every position in the League apart from Discipline Secretary and Treasurer many times holding two or three positions in one season when we were short of League Officers.
We now feel that our work here is done and are happy to retire with the satisfaction that the League is now in such a great position both financially but of course more importantly with the status of being one of the biggest and most successfully run Leagues in the south east. When I first had the privilege of becoming your League Secretary we accepted 127 teams at the AGM, we are now accepting over 500 and growing every season.
I would like to take this opportunity to take a wander down memory lane, don’t worry I don’t want to take you through the whole of my 21 years but I would like to mention a few highlights which with the leagues help have enabled us to now be in such a successful position…….. So where shall I begin.
My first recognition of a league committee meeting was held in a primary school canteen where we sat on benches made for very small people with children’s paintings on the walls and no bloody heating! Whilst I was sitting there shivering in my overcoat I knew things had to change!
Results, now this was a sore subject in my household. Every Sunday night I would disappear off to a room for many an hour, and sit there waiting for Managers to ring in their results between 6-7.00pm knowing they would leave it as late as possible so they could get the other results to update their own League tables.
So it was time to sort out a better system then I could get back to enjoying Super Sunday on Sky. This gave birth to the results line which gave teams the flexibility of being able to ring at any time, 24/7 and it also allowed them to access results from all other games. The only downside was you had to listen to my posh accent as if I was reading the results on grandstand! But it did give my kids a great laugh listening to me ramble on and swearing when I used to get to the last few results, get one wrong and have to start from the beginning again!
The Leagues only Communication was a one page monthly news letter with League tables sent to Club Secretaries, we needed to develop a way to communicate with Team Managers, Parents and Players as well, therefore I developed the GOAL magazine, which gave all an insight into the developments and updates, all the information that was happening within the League, Of course today we have moved with the times and developed our own, website so a massive thank you to our webmaster David Lomax.
Another Bug Bear of mine, as Inter League secretary/rep manager.
Was the Surrey County Representative Competition this consisted of only five Youth Leagues in Surrey who would play in a knockout competition so if you lost at the first hurdle that was the end of the inter-league competition. For that season, I hasten to add that mostly it was always the other leagues that fell at that first hurdle! This gave way to the idea and with the committees support I contacted my good friend Dick Page to set up a new competition, which is now known as the Southern Counties Inter League, which consists of 12 leagues from all around the south east and which guarantees at least five games for each team in all age groups. I am glad to say we have always been successful within this competition! So well done to all present and past teams.
When the FA decided that the under 10’s could not play 11 a side football, any more and as county did not want to organise a competition for them, Dick Page and I got together again and created the “Under 10’s Inter League Cup” which again I am pleased to say became a great success, we must have very strong Under 10s in our League as the West Surrey have won every year but one. I hear on the QT that County are now going to start Under 10s County Cup Competition this coming season, I do hope take note of the format of the currant Under 10s competition, and don’t send a weak side from one side of Surrey to the other to be well beaten.
The League must have been doing something wright, when Surrey County approached me to create an all Girls League, which really showed me how much we were respected and how much the League was going from strength to strength. I am sure you will agree that Surrey now have the best girls Leagues in the Country, which the committee and I can be very proud of. A special thank you to Karen Bailey who successfully took over the reigns from me as League Secretary and is continuing to ensure the success of The Surrey County Girls League.
So this brings me to the end of my trip down memory lane, with still many thing not said, but many years ago I said to the treasurer I would like to make Mini Football Free in the Surrey Youth League, we have finally made it.
Last but not least on to my thank yous.
To my supportive and fantastic Wife Gail and my three sons for sharing my life with League! Gail has played an integral part in ensuring the league has been such a success and of course and has to put up with all my moans and groans over the years with regards to football.
To all present and past committee members. Not only have I made some great friends but also without all of you giving up your spare time and other commitments this league just would not function and be such a huge success.
I would like to take this opportunity to mention two people who do a lot of work for League and are rarely mention Alan Watson who does our League table’s week in and out and Gary Downs who produces or Hand Book and Cup Final programmes to the highest standard.
A special thanks to the Lomax family, Roy, Pam and David for all their hard work and for listening to my hair brain ideas over the years to improve the League and of course David for being available to fix my computer problems!!
But my last thanks of course are to all of you. Clubs, Teams and Parents who support the Surrey Youth league. It can only be simply said that the League would not be where it is today without all of you.
Gail and I leave with found memories and wish the League and you every success for the future.
Dave Workman
Treasurer’s report
Treasurer’s report 2007/8
Key points for the Financial year Mar 07 to Feb 08
Because of the need to present audited figures to the AGM these results do not follow a “traditional” football season, thus some figures such as cup finals will relate to the previous season (2006/7).
If you have any detailed questions please email to david.lomax@wsyl.org.uk and these will be answered at the AGM.
Expenditure
Trophies: Trophies again is our biggest spend. Although we have increased our budget per trophy, the actual cost is less because this year we have less divisions and we not purchased Sportsmanship trophies.
Payment to General Secretary: The principle of a payment was approved by the membership 7 years ago. The increase is due to the expansion of the league.
Officers expenses: Officers expenses still continue to be a major expense item, although again this season we have reduced the cost by nearly 25% as we move away from traditional methods of administrating the league.
Cup Finals: This figure relates to Cup Finals in season 2006/7. There is a marked increase in costs this season as we have again played semi finals on neutral grounds. As with last season we have hired “Senior” grounds and produced a “quality” program.
Payment to Registration Secretary: Again this year production of ID cards was contracted out at 50p per ID card.
Stationery: Stationery costs have greatly increased this year, from the previous year, although last year was exceptionally low. The main reason for this was the extra cost of printing AGM packs because of a completely new Rule book needing to be approved at the AGM.
Inter-league: This year the SYL had another successful year in Inter-league competitions. Due to the need not to purchase new kit the overall cost of running Inter-League teams was less than previous season.
Rules Books: Again this season Gary Downs won the contract for production of the rule books. This year’s costs were in line with previous seasons.
Registration System: This is the standard yearly cost of printing the ID cards although we still had a supply of ID cards from the previous season, so blank ID cards did not need to be purchased this season.
Hall Hire: This is the direct costs of hiring Imber Court for Committee meetings, referee’s courses, AGM and Presentation day and is in line with previous seasons.
Miscellaneous : These are small value entries that do not merit their own categories.
Web Site: This is the direct cost of running the web site.
Applications returned: With reduced fees this has returned to a more manageable level.
SCFA: This is payments to SCFA which includes the cost of affiliation and a public liability insurance policy.
Purchase of Equipment: There were no major purchases this season.
Income
Applications/Registration: This is the second season of the revised pricing structure. Registration revenue is reduced as more teams registered their players before the 31st July dead line, also more teams took advantage of the “free” registration period for Mini teams. There is also a reduction in application fees this season as we had less 11-aside teams and more mini teams.
Fines: Last seasons trend of reduced revenue from fines has not carried through to this year with a marked increase in fines being levied, although this subsidises application fees it is revenue we would prefer not to have.
Donations: This year we have received a donation of £5000 on condition that we spent the money to improve sportsmanship in the league. We have already introduced a new system of reporting sportsmanship marks, which has proved very useful. We have budgeted to spend this money over the next 3 seasons, details will be revealed shortly.
Cup Finals: This is essentially the revenue generated from program sales. At £2 entry per adult we believe this is excellent value and we are still cheaper than SCFA finals.
Telephone Result service: This is in line with last season. Although we had more teams this year revenue did not increase as less people are using this service for updated results with people preferring to wait for the web site, although the “results” line is still proving a popular service.
Web Site: The website continues to be self funding.
Bank Interest: With little movement in interest rates during the season this figure is in line with the previous season.
Payments from SCGL: The SCGL now produce their own ID cards so this we will not be receiving this revenue stream in future
FA Grant: As indicated last year we were not eligible for a grant this season.
Conclusion/Summary
As in all seasons our aim is to break even over the period of the season, this year’s results show a “profit” of £7.9k, however £5k of this is a one off donation that we intend to spend over the next 3 years, none of this money has been spent yet. There is also a decrease in £2.9k in money we have spent on trophies this season, some of which is due to the fact that we have not had purchased sportsmanship trophies, the money saved on this will be put towards additional funding for sportsmanship that will be published shortly.
David Lomax S.Y.L. League Treasurer
David.lomax@wsyl.org.uk
