Seven new sides in Herefordshire League

Hay St Mary’s have returned to the county football scene and will be playing in Division 1.

Six new sides, including Polska PGL, have been placed in Division 3.

Speaking at the league annual general meeting last week, chairman Mick Best said Polska PGL might be renamed Fownhope PGL.

The league now has a new secretary after the resignation of Derek Senior owing to his work commitments.

Best thanked Senior for his efforts.

The secretary’s role has been taken over by Pete Stead, who will also carry out the treasurer’s duties.

Best, who was later re-elected as chairman, congratulated all the league and cup winners and runners-up from last season.

He thanked the sponsors and Hinton and Westfields for staging the cup finals.

He also paid tribute to the work of the management committee, the divisional representatives and thanked the referees for their support.

Best also said the past season had seen the untimely deaths of Dave Gilbert and Jim Finney - two stalwarts of the Herefordshire scene.

He said both would be missed by their immediate family and friends and also by the local football community.

A minute’s silence in honour of the two popular men was observed at the start of the meeting.

In his treasurer’s report, Stead announced that the league had made a profit of £952.93 for the past season.

“We have been more rigorous in collecting fines,” he said.

But Stead said the receipts from the cup finals had been badly hit by the wet weather.

Proposed changes to the league’s rules were mooted at the meeting, but it was agreed to refer them to the management committee.

Among the proposed changes was a ruling in which all Premier Division clubs should, where possible, play midweek matches under floodlights.

There was also a suggestion that league matches should kick-off at 3pm on a Saturday if floodlights were available.

Another proposal to be further discussed by the management committee is a ruling which relates to cup finals.

It was proposed that players should have played in a previous round of the competition or in at least 50% of a team’s league matches during the season, to be eligible for a cup final.

The league announced that the Premier League Shield will be taking place between Woofferton and Pegasus at Hinton FC on Wednesday, August 20.

The Premier Division season will get underway on Saturday, August 23.

All other divisions will be kicking off on Saturday, September 6.

Orleton, Bucknell, Hampton Park and Hay St Mary’s all face £50 fines for failing to send a representative to the annual meeting.

l The league composition for 2008/09: Premier Division: Bromyard Town, Ewyas Harold, Fownhope, Hinton, Hereford Lads Club, Kington Town, Ledbury Town, Leominster Town, Pegasus, Ross Town, Sutton United, Wellington Rangers, Westfields, Woofferton.

Division 1: Bartestree, Burghill, Ewyas Harold Res, Fownhope Res, Hay St Mary’s, Hereford Lads Club Colts, Holme Lacy, Shobdon, Stoke Prior, Wellington Rangers Colts, Weston, Woofferton Res.

Division 2: Bartestree Res, Dore Valley, Hampton Park Rangers, Ledbury Colts, Leintwardine Colts, Kington Town Res, Orcop Juniors, Orleton, Pegasus Colts, Ross Town Res, Toros, Weobley.

Division 3: Bucknell United, Hereford Civil Service, Hinton Res, Holme Lacy Res, Holmer, Kingstone, Leominster Town Res, Orleton Colts, Pencombe, Polska PGL, Presteigne St Andrews, Weston Res.