Wettest start for 110 years

THE wettest first half of a season in over 110 years has seen a big disruption in the busy programme for the Lancashire and Cheshire League with many teams falling behind with their cup and league fixtures.

The opportunity to use 3G pitches, which many teams in the league use throughout the season and others hire them (often with help from the league) when their grass pitches are unfit has helped reduce the number of postponements.

Several teams have made good progress in county cup competitions to add to their busy schedules and the introduction of the exciting North West Cup for the top 16 teams in the

L and C and LAL have increased the number of games needing to be played as well as the Northern Cup.

The league’s own domestic cup competitions begin early in 2024 and the league committee led by fixture secretary Malc Kershaw have been devising contingency plans for these if the poor weather conditions continue with the target of completing them in early May as well as the league programme.

The Rhodes and Whitehead Cups could be straight knock outs and the management committee felt that The Wray Cup and Hellawell Shield competitions should be in mini-leagues to provide more games for teams in those divisions.

Long-serving L and C chairman Mike Yates said: “Our new secretary Scott

White and committee members have put in many extra hours so far this season trying to sort out problems on and off the pitch and the league is very grateful for the skilled and dedicated efforts put in each week to keep the league in full action as far as possible and I would like to thank them all for the work they have done to support the clubs in our outstanding grass roots league- one of the biggest of its kind in the North West and England.

“We saw several of our younger referees win promotion to a higher level for this season and referees secretary Russell Hoyte has recruited several referees new to the league this season and with help from league officials they are making good progress which is good news for the game at our level.”