The season commenced with 32 teams but within the first few weeks London Rovers (Division One) dropped out. Just before the year end there was another casualty with the demise of Faithfold A, reducing the numbers to 30.
This prompted the Management Committee to call a special meeting to address the situation and find ways to promote the league and increase participation.
Several ideas were put forward and new initiatives (such as Roll-on, Roll-off Substitution) could be introduced at the league’s Annual General Meeting. Increasing costs are proving problematic as well as the amount of ‘paperwork’ required by the FA. Volunteers are at a premium and we must encourage, advise and help ‘willing horses’ to run teams.
Seventeen (14 in 2014-15) league games were defaulted by teams during the season and five Cyril Anekstein Cup matches were defaulted. This is a most unacceptable number and must improve next term. The idea is to play not to award matches at Committee Meetings!
The Joint Invitation Trophy with the Masters League, although a small competition, was most successful with the final played last Sunday at Silver Jubilee Park.
Listed below are the winners and runners up in all divisions and other honours:
Premier:
Winners - North London Raiders A
Runners-up - Redbridge Jewish Care A
First:
Winners - Woodford Wanderers
Runners-up - SPEC FC
Second:
Winners - Scrabble
Runners-up - Maccabi London Lions B)
Cyril Anekstein Cup:
Winners - North London Raiders A
Runners-up - Oakwood A
Joint Invitation Trophy:
Winners - Redbridge Jewish Care B
Runners-up - North London Raiders (Masters)
Once again thanks are due to Nigel Burns (fixtures secretary) for his diligence and hard work and to all the members who helped to ensure the completion. His job was made difficult this season due to the inclement weather in the final weeks of 2015 and early part of 2016. This is why so many teams are opting to hire Generation 3 & 4 pitches which is the way forward.
The league’s proud record of achieving 100 per cent of referee coverage was due to the hard work of the new referees’ secretary Andy Myerson, who has worked tirelessly during the season. There is still a small element, however, who are reluctant to accept referees decisions and find themselves being cautioned and dismissed. These attitudes can only cause the league to lose officials which it can ill afford.
The number of cautions issued and dismissals are down on those of the previous season but since there are less teams a true comparison is not available. The match-based suspension system continues to work well and is easy to operate and monitor and all in all is much fairer than the previous regime. In certain instances appeals are now allowed even without video evidence.
The following were recorded:
Cautions:
2015-16 - 409
2014-15 - 449
2013-14 - 562
2012-13 - 529
2011-12 - 567
2010-11 - 465
Dismissals:
2015-16 - 30
2014-15 - 45
2013-14 - 51
2012-13 - 66
2011-12 - 64
2010-11 - 68
The league is sponsored by Maccabi GB with whom there is a three-year deal in situ. Thanks are extended to them for this sponsorship and we work in close association as we are also an affiliate of them.
The Management Committee continues to be served by several hard working individuals as well as those mentioned individually in this report and, without their efforts the league would fail to be the smooth operation that it is.
Finally a squad of players, under the banner of Maccabi GB, but made up solely of players from the Maccabi GB Southern Football League will be participating in the European Maccabi Football Tournament. We have a football team, managed by Daniel Shafron and assisted by Josh Hambling and a Futsal (small-sided) team managed by Daniel Tannenbaum. I shall be attending in the capacity of ‘Head of Delegation’ and I am sure you will join with me in wishing everyone a joyous and successful tournament.
David Wolff
MGBSFL Chairman