A busy time of the year for you all so a timely reminder to :

• Check you have team sheets. Get more from Ian Rosewell, (not Colin Tewkesbury, as it suggests on the team sheet).
• Exchange with your opponents before the match, and give a copy to the referee.
• Remember you can name and use up to 5 substitutes, if they are named on the team sheet..
• Home team – check with you pitch provider that your pitch is available and playable, especially after this hot weekend.
• Home team – contact your referee before Thursdays deadline, their details are on Full Time to confirm, and ask about their fee.
• Home team – contact your opponents, confirm everything above.
• Contact details are now on our webpages, Password has been supplied by email.
• If anything changes, please let me know, so I can advise others.
• Check players availability, use Colin’s email, don’t just rely on Full Time, players are still migrating across from WGS, and its taking a considerable amount of time.

To help you

The Handbooks are up on our webpages. Committee contact numbers are there. The League rules are there. https://swindondistrictfootballleague.co.uk/handbook/

The Cup Draw has been made – https://swindondistrictfootballleague.co.uk/cup-draw-2022-3/

The FA Junior Cup draw has been made – https://www.wiltshirefa.com/cups-and-competitions/cups/2022-2023/junior-cup/fixtures

The County FA contacts are – https://www.wiltshirefa.com/about/contact

Please remember that the Referee and any assistants we provide are the third team on the pitch and they want to enjoy the game just as much as you, your players, and supporters  do.  Referees in every game will make decisions that you don’t agree with, but that doesn’t mean that they’re wrong and isn’t an excuse for verbal abuse or threats. Please welcome them when they arrive, and pay them in full before the match starts.  Please get your Captain to act quickly if one of your players starts to “lose it”, and becomes abusive. Same with your substitutes and supporters on the line, please take charge of the situation.  Lets have a memorable season for all the right reasons. We have a number of referees going for promotion and they will be following the guidelines that have been set for them, so please bear this in mind before you respond. When you call them prior to the match, and talk to them on match days, try create a positive environment for them.

Please play your part and let’s make this season a brilliant one for all.

Good luck to you all

27-Aug-2022: John Luckhurst

Message from the FA

It’s time to stamp out unacceptable behaviour in grassroots football.

Football has a unique power to deliver amazing benefits to individuals and communities. Not only does it keep us physically and mentally healthy, but it also builds long lasting friendships, teaches leadership and resilience and inspires the nation.  

However, for all the good that football can bring, sadly last season, at all levels of the game, there were too many examples of unacceptable behaviours that had the opposite impact. At the grassroots level, these included swearing, aggressive shouting and persistent arguing among spectators, players and officials. It is only a small minority of people that act in this way, but these individuals can spoil the game for everyone, causing children and young people to not want to play, referees and volunteers to drop out and spectators to stop supporting their team. 

As The Football Association we are not going to stand by and allow this to happen.

We will take action against those that spoil the game for others.

For this coming season we will:
• Promote our RESPECT message to encourage the right behaviours.
• Consider harsher sanctions for those behaving inappropriately.
• If necessary, we will continue to look at how we strengthen penalties and suspension periods so that we can effectively tackle behaviours that have no place in the game.
• Trial different initiatives to help encourage the right behaviours, including piloting two silent side-lines weekends.

As a Club, we recognise the key role you have in delivering a positive football environment for all. We have pulled together the this one pager which sets out what action you can take against individuals who are not exhibiting the right behaviours.