An unnamed club in the East Hockey region have reportedly threatened legal action after appealing against the league they were placed in for next season.
The Hockey Paper understands it was a “high division club” and the appeal means that the draft fixtures have already been changed.
“They threatened legal action which is madness for what is essentially an amateur sport,” a source told THP.
The news has meant that it is hampering planning for the upcoming season.
The East Management Board has convened an appeal panel to consider the appeal.
“If upheld a substantial rewrite of leagues and fixtures will need to take place,” the board said in a statement.
“This will affect both the mens and women’s leagues. Hence our advice to all clubs is not to invest in sorting your fixtures yet. As soon as the appeal can be considered an update will be shared. For 12 team leagues the start date for the season remains the 24th September.”
I know nothing about any supposed legal action but the whole situation was a complete farce and lots of clubs/teams were affected and had to talk to the league. The leagues were sent out, changed without consultation then had to be changed again after complaints about the initial change.
Might be an ‘amateur sport’ but the associations don’t always realise that clubs rely on league positioning to draw in new players for the next few years, and also to keep the players they have. Many top level players won’t look at a club who doesn’t play in a certain league as they have their own standard to consider.
The more the leagues are messed about with – and my association has done it every season for the last six, the more clubs will get frustrated and the more likely things like this will happen.
Experienced many times with England Hockey the unfairness of the management of the leagues, if you raise any issues or complaints they do not want to know – their response they’re the governing body what they say goes, so deal with it.
It’s an issue of the restructure from last year. Still bedding in. It’s not EH but rather the League Committees of your Areas. It is not ideal but mistakes can happen and those involved are all volunteers doing their best.