Quatt face another clash on road to Lord’s
Friday 23rd July 2010, 11:29AM BST.
Shropshire’s National Village Knockout hopefuls Quatt will be forced to play three games on the same day for the second time next week.
The Bridgnorth club have qualified for the last eight of the National competition and stand just two games away from reaching the final at Lord’s.
But their away quarter-final at Warwickshire outfit Fillongley on Sunday week clashes with an extra Marston’s Shropshire Premier League fixture against Madeley.
Just as in the previous round, the League’s Executive Committee have refused to move Quatt’s game.
That means Quatt will be forced to send under-strength teams to fulfil their first and second XI league fixtures while their main team play in the National quarter-final.
And, with Madeley currently topping the table, that is likely to cause anger among title rivals Newport, Wem and Much Wenlock.
“It’s a very difficult and tricky situation and the only thing you can do with something like that is stick to the rulebook,” said Marston’s League chairman Mike Robinson.
“That says a fixture can only be rearranged if the league receives a written request from both teams and that hasn’t happened so the game has to go ahead.”
Madeley remain keen to play on the same day as their title rivals to avoid any potential difference in weather conditions.
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Where will this end ? hardly fair to other teams in contention for the titles in the Divisions. Madeley will be rubbing their hands but are the ones caught in the middle of all this.
Wonder what would happen if Quatt were top of the League ?
Perhaps the Sunday games should be moved to Bank Holidays ?
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Have I missed something here? Isn’t the problem with Quatt entering a side in the village KO? Surely they should put their main team for the league game?
How can Madeley be to blame, they are just fulfulling a fixture!?
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I think that there are a few things that couldn’t of been prevented :-
14 Teams in the league
Sunday Fixtures
League being week, and not moving the fixture.
I think that all can be taken from this, is that we can’t let the league be in the same position next year. Have Bank Holiday fixtures, they do in all other West Mid leagues, and get the league down to 12 teams, this may not come for 2011, but if this hasn’t been done, then we need it do be done for 2012 with 2011 having Bank Holiday Fixtures.
As for Madeley, they seem to be thinking of themselves, which is selfish but kind of Understandable, however if they win the league, it will be by default.
For Quatt, good luck in the next round, you better win!
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Mixed up boy; your missing something
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I have to agree with J-Lo as i have never understood as to why the games are played on a Sunday and not the Bank Holiday. I understand that this decision was made during a league meeting a couple of seasons ago, however this surely needs to be reviewed going forwards.
The most dissappointing issue here is, what appears at face value, to be a lack of support from the league towards one of their most prominent members. Quatt reaching the last 8 is not only a fantastic achievement for them, but also a ringing endorsement for the Shropshire Premier League. I sincerley hope a resolution can be found in order for Quatt to play their strongest team in both fixtures in order for the SPL not to turn into a shambles with teams benefiting from others demise.
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In reply to J-Lo’s comments, Madeley are not being selfish, simply sticking to league rules.
Madeley didn’t ask to be in this position, Quatt entered the Knockout competition. J-Lo needs to be reminded that all clubs were asked to consider how the accommodate too many clubs in the league and this was democratically voted upon at a league meeting.
Without the village knockout, all clubs are expected to field 2 teams this Sunday, why then can’t Quatt field a KO team and team to play Madeley 1sts and forgo the 2nd team fixture?
As for the comments about winning the league by default, we all have along way to go and it sounds like sour grapes!!!!!
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In reply to Madeley’s comments.
As i said in my first post, i understand why Madeley would stick to the league rules, 20 points on a plate, against a side that has always been a team that is hard to beat, is a bonus. I think the league could of stepped in, and common sense would of prevailed. This is the same league that cancelled a full fixture list for a Shresbury Town Play off final.
On the second point re the league having the 14 teams, a proposal was put in to the league, to reduce the teams to 12 teams. However, this was voted against, with Madeley voting against. Obviously this was before they started paying players.
Good luck Madeley, take your 20 points(i still don’t blame you), win the league, but please don’t pass up the offer of promotion…we could end up with 16 teams then…
And please, lets play Bank Holidays next year, and have a plan to be a 12 team league for the 2012 season…this will stop this ever happening again.
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