Summer break... what summer break?
Thu 4th August 2016 | General | By Paul Lawler
If there is one thing that gets us football folk more irritated more than anything else, it is when we are asked if we are enjoyed our summer break now that football has finished.
Let’s be clear, for anyone running a league or a club, summer is the time of year we least look forward to – it is one long slog without any immediate benefit. I know many officials will breathe a sigh of relief once the season kicks off on Saturday.
As soon as the season finishes we go into preparation mode, already thinking about all of the tasks that need doing ahead of the new one – and believe me, the task list is huge. For clubs, there is the task of getting the pitch ready, obtaining sponsorships, new kits to organise, finding money to keep the club going over the summer with no income but lots of expense, signing players etc etc.
For the League, it is no different. We were delighted to announce some key sponsorship deals over the summer – our headline sponsorship with Hallmark Security and our teamwear deal with Macron. Both deals took a lot of sorting out, with paperwork and designing of logos among other things. We also have fixtures to compile, a mountain of paperwork to update and print, as well as compiling new handbooks and other materials and of course we had the League’s AGM and presentation night in June, which takes some sorting out.
I for one look forward to the start of the season, when normal service can be resumed. The season allows us to get back into the familiar routine of football without the additional hassles we usually face in summer.
I for one am really looking forward to the season ahead with no fewer than seven new clubs joining the league. The First Division in particular is a tough one to call, and I am sure we will see the regular promotion chasers in the Premier Division, hopefully joined by one or two others. I will be kicking off my season with a visit to Sandbach United to witness their debut against Holker Old Boys.
Good luck to all of our sides this season.
Paul
Summer break... what summer break?
Thu 4th August 2016 | General
By Paul Lawler
If there is one thing that gets us football folk more irritated more than anything else, it is when we are asked if we are enjoyed our summer break now that football has finished.
Let’s be clear, for anyone running a league or a club, summer is the time of year we least look forward to – it is one long slog without any immediate benefit. I know many officials will breathe a sigh of relief once the season kicks off on Saturday.
As soon as the season finishes we go into preparation mode, already thinking about all of the tasks that need doing ahead of the new one – and believe me, the task list is huge. For clubs, there is the task of getting the pitch ready, obtaining sponsorships, new kits to organise, finding money to keep the club going over the summer with no income but lots of expense, signing players etc etc.
For the League, it is no different. We were delighted to announce some key sponsorship deals over the summer – our headline sponsorship with Hallmark Security and our teamwear deal with Macron. Both deals took a lot of sorting out, with paperwork and designing of logos among other things. We also have fixtures to compile, a mountain of paperwork to update and print, as well as compiling new handbooks and other materials and of course we had the League’s AGM and presentation night in June, which takes some sorting out.
I for one look forward to the start of the season, when normal service can be resumed. The season allows us to get back into the familiar routine of football without the additional hassles we usually face in summer.
I for one am really looking forward to the season ahead with no fewer than seven new clubs joining the league. The First Division in particular is a tough one to call, and I am sure we will see the regular promotion chasers in the Premier Division, hopefully joined by one or two others. I will be kicking off my season with a visit to Sandbach United to witness their debut against Holker Old Boys.
Good luck to all of our sides this season.
Paul
