Print

[wasted_talent]

I was wondering if we had anyone in the forum that plays in the Herts/Home Counties Prem leagues... I see the Herts clubs have voted 19/5 to leave the Home Counties Premier League, so they can form a Herts Prem. Just wondering what people's views were on this? Given the HCPL was arguably one of the strongest Premier Leagues in the country... And that by leaving they have essentially reduced the strength of the League as a result.

[Twelfth Man]

Have they given any reason as to why they have chosen to leave?

[TangoWhiskey]

Have they given any reason as to why they have chosen to leave?

I believe it is because the clubs are sick of playing Time pennant but the league is refusing to switch to 50 overs.

[uknsaunders]

Was going to stick a topic up on the subject. My old man is a standing HC/Feeder umpire and get's to see most of the teams and the relative strength of the leagues, plus he is well connected in the HC/TVL and knows some of the management board.

I don't think the Herts clubs leave until 2015 though.The Herts League got the best deal of all the leagues feeding in to the home counties. They had their own Eastern Feeder League going into the Home Counties Prem. As a result they were normally the first teams to get relegated from the HC. The TVL, the strongest of the 3 leagues had to share the Western Feeder with the Cherwell League. TVL Div 1 in particular is very strong with a number of quality teams effectively blocked from getting into the Western Feeder with only 1 team going up each year. The Cherwell has been growing and the top teams are pretty decent as well. Losing the 4? Herts teams out of the Home Counties won't weaken it much as there are plenty of quality sides in the Western Feeder and TVL1 to replace them.

Spare a thought for the 5 Herts teams who voted against. Most likely those still in the HC and possibly the promoted Eastern Feeder teams. Unhappy won't even come close to their feelings. Part of being in the HC is attracting top league players, whatever the drawback of the 11.30 starts and 120 over games. By going back into a Herts Prem they will undoubtedly lose some top players.

[uknsaunders]

Biggest problem with the present structure is the feeder concept. It works on an "ideal" concept of 1 team from the eastern feeder and 1 team from the western feeder getting relegated from the HC each year. Anything else ie. 2 TVL/2 Herts and the structure has a massive chain reaction that can be compounded or helped by the feeder leagues below. It's probably time to look at the feeder concept again and decide whether the Cherwell/TVL should have separate feeder leagues or create a HC Div2 along the lines of today. Possibly even look at a geographical restructure of the TVL to incorporate the Cherwell?

[Manormanic]

Its most likely that the TVL and Cherwell will stay seperate because the geographical issues would be too incconvenient when it comes down to third fourth and fifth XIs playing on a Saturday. 

To be honest I think this is probably a good thing - very few Hertfordshire clubs have been competitive in the Home Counties 1 and there is a marked difference between the two divisions of feeder clubs; indeed, there are clubs in the top two divisions of the TVL that would be more than competitive in feeder East!

[uknsaunders]

It's all kicked off big time - read the twitter feed!

http://www.homecountiescricket.com/

North Mymms, Flitwick, Pottars Bar said no . Potters Bar are fuming! High Wycombe want them kicked out straight away. Farnham Royal have lost their star players and want relegation.

very entertaining!

[uknsaunders]

To be honest I think this is probably a good thing - very few Hertfordshire clubs have been competitive in the Home Counties 1 and there is a marked difference between the two divisions of feeder clubs; indeed, there are clubs in the top two divisions of the TVL that would be more than competitive in feeder East!

Old man said the same about the Eastern Feeder games he's umpired in. That's because it's the same as TVL Div 1, as the two divisions above are a mix of cherwell/TVL/Herts. Eastern Feeder is Herts Div 1.

[wasted_talent]

From the various tweets I have seen, its a combination of issues..

Seems like some of the herts clubs were paying "big money" to players to stay competitive in the HCPL. I think it got to the stage where they are fed up and dont want to maintain that, as its not easily done for the long term.

Its possible it will happen for the 2014 season, the HCPL have called an emergency AGM. However, for it to happen for the 2014 season they require a 2/3 majority vote, which is unlikely as the Herts clubs also have a say in that.

[mdg20]

also from various tweets ive seen several of the clubs didnt ask their players what they wanted before voting to pull out of the HC league.

[uknsaunders]

I saw the Wycombe Chairman going on about "investing" in players and spending money. Not really right for what is still an amateur league. Wycombe of all people ought to keep quiet as they nearly went bankrupt a few years ago paying players! Henley also pay players. My old club Marlow will never be a HC Prem team for that reason, we can't pay players.

Interesting comments about players not being consulted and the bottom level Herts teams effectively voting out the top teams.

[mdg20]

I saw the Wycombe Chairman going on about "investing" in players and spending money. Not really right for what is still an amateur league. Wycombe of all people ought to keep quiet as they nearly went bankrupt a few years ago paying players! Henley also pay players. My old club Marlow will never be a HC Prem team for that reason, we can't pay players.

Interesting comments about players not being consulted and the bottom level Herts teams effectively voting out the top teams.

On a side note i played against Wycombe a few years back in the conference cup - we got absolutly smashed, really strong team, great ground one fo the best ive played at but possibly the worst teas ive ever had though. A few of our spectators had a roast dinner whilst they were there and we were quite excited what might be in store for us espoecially when we went up staris and saw the industrial sized kitchen. They laid out 2 plates of sandwhiches which they had tucked into first leaving us not a lot and a small plate of packet cakes. Shocking.

We also had an overseas player who went on to play for Marlow - a Kiwi called Nathan McNally - do you know him?

[Gingerbusiness]

I think it is really a tough thing to broach.

I played for a few seasons in the HCPL and it is a very good standard, definitely on a par with Middx and Surrey in terms of the quality. But as I have said previously, I now play in the TVCL and this is going to have a knock on effect on the league structure there (Saying that, I have just picked up a lad who was playing for Farnham Royal) and I know that is all up in the air at the moment.

It is true that the teams from the Herts league generally struggled going into the HC1 but they earnt their right to be there. I really do not understand why Herts would remove their teams from this, I heard it is down to securing sponsorship for their new league, but this could be wrong (so dont quote me).

There are alot of teams in the HC Div2 West who have very strong teams (Gerrards X, Oxford, Reading etc.) but with the Herts teams leaving (And I KNOW their guys will be devastated), the league will be weakened for a while, and that is a bit of a shame for all concerned.

High Wycombe - They spend HUGE sums of money on the playing side, as do Henley. They need to be successful to substantiate the investment so kicking out strong opposition and replacing them with relatively weaker is a strategic thing for them.

Farnham Royal - Have definitely withdrawn from the HCPL and want to be placed back in the TVCL as they have lost their entire 1st XI.

[wasted_talent]

I think it is really a tough thing to broach.

I played for a few seasons in the HCPL and it is a very good standard, definitely on a par with Middx and Surrey in terms of the quality. But as I have said previously, I now play in the TVCL and this is going to have a knock on effect on the league structure there (Saying that, I have just picked up a lad who was playing for Farnham Royal) and I know that is all up in the air at the moment.

It is true that the teams from the Herts league generally struggled going into the HC1 but they earnt their right to be there. I really do not understand why Herts would remove their teams from this, I heard it is down to securing sponsorship for their new league, but this could be wrong (so dont quote me).

There are alot of teams in the HC Div2 West who have very strong teams (Gerrards X, Oxford, Reading etc.) but with the Herts teams leaving (And I KNOW their guys will be devastated), the league will be weakened for a while, and that is a bit of a shame for all concerned.

High Wycombe - They spend HUGE sums of money on the playing side, as do Henley. They need to be successful to substantiate the investment so kicking out strong opposition and replacing them with relatively weaker is a strategic thing for them.

Farnham Royal - Have definitely withdrawn from the HCPL and want to be placed back in the TVCL as they have lost their entire 1st XI.

Farnham Royal  lost their entire 1st team? Wow... From what i have heard, most of that 1st team was sponsored by individual players.. Is that true?

[Gingerbusiness]

Farnham Royal  lost their entire 1st team? Wow... From what i have heard, most of that 1st team was sponsored by individual players.. Is that true?

I heard alot of their players were coming from far afield and it only took a few players to leave to start the landslide - but yes, there was money being banded around.