Chairman's Message
Fri 3rd August 2018 | General | By Paul Lawler
The opening day of the new Hallmark Security Football League 2018/19 season is probably more anticipated than any other, as we embark on a historic landmark in the League’s 36-year history after a significant amount of work behind the scenes over the past 18 months.
The establishment of an additional division at Step 6 in the North West, means that come 3 pm on Saturday afternoon we start the new campaign with 60 members clubs, the most in our history. We welcome no fewer than 17 new clubs to our competition, although in the case of Ashton Town, Stone Dominoes and Vauxhall Motors, it’s a case of welcoming back familiar names and faces with those clubs previously having been members of the League.
Each of our new clubs has undertaken a lot of hard work both on and off the field in order to meet the criteria to achieve a place in our League, and now many players, officials and supporters alike can look forward to seeing new clubs in action and visiting many new grounds for the first time.
It is not only our clubs who have had to work hard. A significant amount of work and miles travelled has been undertaken by myself, my fellow members of the League Management Committee, particularly the Vice-Chairman and League Secretary, in order to ensure the clubs made the grade. We have also spent the summer ensuring that the League is in a strong position to operate for the current campaign. One thing is for sure, there has been no such thing as a summer break for anyone involved in football.
We have, of course, been disappointed to learn in the close season that the ability to stage play offs in our Division One North and South has been removed, but none the less, there is much to look forward to in coming months, across all three of our divisions and I am sure that they will be as competitive as ever.
No doubt the British weather will have its say once again on our fixtures. After one of the wettest seasons on records last season, who would have thought we would have spent the Summer praying for rain!
I would also like to thank all of the volunteers at our clubs who have worked harded all summer getting ready for the new season. Without this hard work, we wouldn't have such a successful League.
To all our clubs, their players, officials and supporters I wish you well for the coming season, and I am sure as League we will continue to move forward and progress. I look forward to travelling around our clubs once again this season and making new friends and catching up with old ones.
Good luck
Paul Lawler
Chairman, The Hallmark Security Football League
You can follow the League Chairman on Twitter @paullawler
Chairman's Message
Fri 3rd August 2018 | General
By Paul Lawler
The opening day of the new Hallmark Security Football League 2018/19 season is probably more anticipated than any other, as we embark on a historic landmark in the League’s 36-year history after a significant amount of work behind the scenes over the past 18 months.
The establishment of an additional division at Step 6 in the North West, means that come 3 pm on Saturday afternoon we start the new campaign with 60 members clubs, the most in our history. We welcome no fewer than 17 new clubs to our competition, although in the case of Ashton Town, Stone Dominoes and Vauxhall Motors, it’s a case of welcoming back familiar names and faces with those clubs previously having been members of the League.
Each of our new clubs has undertaken a lot of hard work both on and off the field in order to meet the criteria to achieve a place in our League, and now many players, officials and supporters alike can look forward to seeing new clubs in action and visiting many new grounds for the first time.
It is not only our clubs who have had to work hard. A significant amount of work and miles travelled has been undertaken by myself, my fellow members of the League Management Committee, particularly the Vice-Chairman and League Secretary, in order to ensure the clubs made the grade. We have also spent the summer ensuring that the League is in a strong position to operate for the current campaign. One thing is for sure, there has been no such thing as a summer break for anyone involved in football.
We have, of course, been disappointed to learn in the close season that the ability to stage play offs in our Division One North and South has been removed, but none the less, there is much to look forward to in coming months, across all three of our divisions and I am sure that they will be as competitive as ever.
No doubt the British weather will have its say once again on our fixtures. After one of the wettest seasons on records last season, who would have thought we would have spent the Summer praying for rain!
I would also like to thank all of the volunteers at our clubs who have worked harded all summer getting ready for the new season. Without this hard work, we wouldn't have such a successful League.
To all our clubs, their players, officials and supporters I wish you well for the coming season, and I am sure as League we will continue to move forward and progress. I look forward to travelling around our clubs once again this season and making new friends and catching up with old ones.
Good luck
Paul Lawler
Chairman, The Hallmark Security Football League
You can follow the League Chairman on Twitter @paullawler
