ANNOUNCED THIS WEEK (for those who don't receive such items from their league management)

"Please find attached a paper outlining proposals for a BARLA Conference League which is an alternative for clubs who are not wishing to, or able to make the switch to summer. This league will be run under the criteria and high standards which would be very similar to the present National Conference League rules.

You will see on the attached paper that there are a number of suggestions for criteria, I must point out that these are the fundementals and there is much more detail to be added. The detail for the league constitution, will be formulated from a working group comprising of BARLA officials and interested parties, which will in turn decide on the formulation of a League committee.

The ideal structure of the BARLA Conference League would be a Premier League populated by teams from all the three counties, this would be underpinned with a Western and an Eastern division, with the whole league being aligned with the regional leagues.

The next stage of forming the BARLA Conference League, will be an expression of interest paper that will be circulated to clubs. Response from this will move the league forward"

BARLA CONFERENCE LEAGUE
It’s now certain that the National Conference League (NCL) management will be recommending that teams move to a summer season to commence in March 2012. With the indication of financial inducements from the RFL, the NCL management hope to persuade their teams to make the switch to summer.

BARLA are aware that a number of clubs who currently have a team in this well organised league do not wish to move to summer. However, these clubs are concerned that if they do not then they will be left out in the cold with regards to be playing in a well organised and generally well disciplined league.

Following consultation BARLA now intend to introduce a similar competition during the present winter playing season, should as expected the NCL does move to summer and they have also suggested a few alternatives to this.

Feedback from some of the clubs, who have reservations about switching to summer, is they have concerns that a BARLA administered league, would allow entry criteria, operational rules and discipline to be relaxed.

This would categorically not be the case as it is BARLA’s intention to introduce and administer a league of the highest standard which ticks every box providing, competition at the very highest level.

The overall consensus of the clubs who have been consulted and wish to continue playing during the winter months, is that any new league, should adopt the majority of the current, “tried & tested” NCL rules whereby teams have to achieve an agreed set of minimum standards before their entry is considered.

As a result of this, listed below are a number of criteria items which should be obtained before a team is considered for entry. All the current Conference teams should have reached these levels.

1. Teams must have achieved or be working towards Club mark.
2. Clubs must run an `A` team and also an under 18 or under 17 team (this avoids a team having to cancel a game because they cannot raise a team)
3. Must have fixed barriers around the pitch.
4. Must have properly constructed dug outs and a score board.
5. Teams must have a suitable place to socialise after the game. Home team to provide their opponents and match officials with acceptable after match food and hospitality in the clubhouse.
6. Teams to have a P.R.O. who would provide match reports, giving the league informative and positive media coverage.
7. Ensure that the coaches and physio`s are qualified to an agreed level.
8. Players to be correctly registered and registered with registration Secretary at least 2 days before each game. Team sheets to be checked and strong action taken against any team who breaks this rule.
9. Accept that any serious misconduct of their players and/or spectators could result in strict penalties
10. Develop a league in which referees want to be a part of, consider having a panel of referees who will referee regularly in this league.
11. The competing clubs should be allowed to agree how many teams that there should be in each division, if they wanted end of season play offs and if they wished to be again included in the County Cup Competitions

These suggestions are the fundamentals to which detail will be added as necessary in future planning. The admission criteria must be rigid and not wavered from, as with the rules which must be robust and strictly adhered to.

BARLA are at present in the process of locating sponsorship and exploring RFL funding for the league (with the understanding that the same financial support offered by the RFL to the summer game, will be offered to clubs opting to remain in their present winter season) this would be beneficial to the clubs and also be a useful promotional tool for the new league.

History shows that it was BARLA who introduced both the National Conference League and the National Youth League to the amateur game; sadly both these visionary concepts were allowed to be taken from them. Hindsight, harnessed with broader thinking, will ensure that nothing is taken from BARLA again.

BARLA sincerely believe that the same like minded thinking and adoption of these policies would create once again a new, successful league which all involved could be proud of.