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| Wednesday July 4th 2012 |
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| Northwest Counties ARL |
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THE North West Counties League has put the start of the 2012/13 season back to mid-September to give as many teams as possible the opportunity to join or rejoin the competition.
Secretary Ron Girvin and his committee have made the decision following applications from several teams, with others waiting in the wings, to return from the RFL’s summer-based Dominos Pizza North West Counties Men’s League.
Albert Park - who have remained loyal to the Northwest Counties ARL - Golborne Parkside and Higginshaw are in the vanguard of those who are opting for a September-May campaign and Girvin, who had seen the once-giant competition reduced from close to 100 sides to only half-a-dozen in a matter of weeks, believes that more will follow suit.
He said: “We vowed that we would continue with only 10 teams but quite a few seem to be reconsidering their membership of the summer league, and expressing interest in coming back to us.
“They are fine to return to the North West Counties League as and when they have fulfilled their existing commitments; we can accommodate a late start for such sides.”
Girvin, meanwhile, had observed in his annual report: “Why did 56 clubs vote to continue to play in winter, and then a little while later – and a few calls from the RFL – did that number reduce to seven? That’s a question which I have turned over in my mind many times.
“If NWCL clubs wanted to switch to summer, why did they vote against it in the first place? Was it just a question of the way the league was organised?
It was particularly disappointing for me as my family have given a combined total of 100 years service to the league. It was not the way to celebrate, seeing the league drop from an all-time high of 121 to just seven.
“The big disappointment was that despite assurances from the RFL that all clubs must complete their commitments to NWCL, there was never any intention to tell clubs that they must play ALL games. It was meaningless the RFL saying what they did – however well intentioned it might have been.
“If they were not going to say that a club can only join the NW men’s league when commitments are complete, then there was no point saying it.”
BARLA were quick to react to the news with Chairman Spen Allison saying, “I’m delighted to learn that many clubs are now returning to the Northwest Counties ARL. After sampling the summer game it now seems they have realised that the grass is not as green as it had been promised to be.”
"BARLA’s stance has always be to support the clubs and players, for those clubs that wanted to try summer rugby did so with the association’s blessing. Sadly many of these clubs were coerced into leaving an established league of long standing to join what can only be described as an experiment. Time is rapidly showing this to be the wrong choice and it’s good to welcome them back."
"It would be remiss not to mention the hard work that the Girvin family has put in over the years and BARLA’s sincere thanks must go to Ron, Jean, Ian and Neil for their continuing to fly the BARLA flag in these difficult times."
"We must offer them now, all the support that the association has to give."
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The British Amateur Rugby League Association.
West Yorkshire House, 4 New North Parade, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. HD1 5JP, England
Tel: 01484 599113, Fax: 01484 510682, info@barla.org.uk |
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