T PRESIDENT’S ADDRESS

Neville Wigglesworth

BEING A MEMBER CLUB IN THE NATIONAL

LEAGUE SYSTEM AT NORTHERN PREMIER

LEAGUE LEVEL IS NO EASY AND STRAIGHTFORWARD MATTER AND, HAVING BEEN INVOLVED ONE WAY OR ANOTHER IN LEAGUE AND CLUB ADMINISTRATION FOR MORE YEARS THAN I CARE TO REMEMBER, I CAN PERSONALLY VOUCH FOR THAT. OBVIOUSLY THAT INCLUDES THE TEAM COMPETING ON THE FIELD OF PLAY BUT IS NOT RESTRICTED SIMPLY TO THAT BUT EQUALLY IMPORTANT IS CREATING AND UPHOLDING THE INFRASTRUCTURE WITHIN THE CLUB THAT SUPPORTS THE TEAM AND THE ORGANISATION IN SO MANY WAYS. MANY OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE DUTIES BY NATURE ARE CARRIED OUT BEHIND THE SCENES AND THEY ARE CERTAINLY MANY AND VARIED AND EXTREMELY TIME CONSUMING. BEAR IN MIND ALSO THAT CLUB ADMINISTRATORS ARE INVARIABLY VOLUNTEERS WHO ARE NOT PAID FOR ALL THE HARD WORK THEY DO AND ARE CERTAINLY NOT DESERVING OF THE CRITICISM WHICH OCCASIONALLY COMES THEIR WAY.

THE ROLE OF THE CHAIRMAN IS OBVIOUS IN SEEING THAT THE CLUB FUNCTIONS SUCCESSFULLY AND SHOULDERING RESPONSIBILITY FOR ALL ACTIVITIES CARRIED OUT WITHIN THE CLUB’S JURISDICTION. THAT

MIGHT SOUND PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD BUT, HAVING HELD THAT ROLE FOR SOME 30 YEARS IN THE PAST, I CAN ASSURE YOU IT ISN’T. IT’S GREAT WHEN THINGS ARE GOING WELL SUCH AS WINNING COMPETITIONS BUT ON OTHER OCCASIONS IT CAN, IF YOU’RE NOT CAREFUL, BE MORE ONEROUS AND TAKE OVER YOUR LIFE. HEN THINGS GO WRONG, OFTEN THROUGH NO FAULT WHATSOEVER OF THE CHAIRMAN, IT IS OFTEN HE OR SHE WHO IS DIRECTLY IN THE FIRING LINE. THE CHAIRMAN IS THE KNOWN PERSON AT THE CLUB WHO IS USUALLY THE ONE CALLED UPON TO FIELD AND ANSWER COMPLAINTS OF ALL KINDS AND MAGNITUDES AND IT CAN GET VERY WEARING AT TIMES THOUGH JAMES ROGERS IS VERY ADEPT AT NOT LETTING IT SHOW – A SKILL I NEVER EVEN REMOTELY MASTERED!

THE SECRETARY ALSO HAS AN ENDLESS AND THANKLESS TASK IN MAKING SURE ALL CALLS ARE ANSWERED, ALL RULES ARE ADHERED TO AND ALL REQUIREMENTS MADE ON THE CLUB ARE PUT IN PLACE. FAILURE TO DO SO CAN BE COSTLY. A SLIGHT ERROR IN PAPERWORK CAN RESULT IN THE DEDUCTION OF POINTS AND WILL ALMOST CERTAINLY RESULT IN A FINE SOME OF WHICH ARE QUITE SEVERE. IN OUR TIME AS OSSETT UNITED WE HAVE, TO MY KNOWLEDGE, AVOIDED ALTOGETHER ANY ADMINISTRATIVE FINES BUT THAT ISN’T A COINCIDENCE OR BY GOOD LUCK IT IS BECAUSE NEIL SPOFFORTH IS SO COMPLETELY ‘ON THE BALL’ .