AGM Booklet 2016

UNITED COUNTIES FOOTBALL LEAGUE (A PRIVATE COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE) DIRECTORS’ REPORT

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MAY 2016

The directors present their report and financial statements for the year ended 31 May 2016.

Directors The following directors have held office since 1 June 2015: J Weeks (Chairman) I Hughes (Development Director)

R Walker (Fixture Director) D Kitchen (Referee Director) J Biggs (Registration Director) A Poulain (Vice Chairman)

(Resigned 18 May 2016)

Statement of directors’ responsibilities The directors are responsible for preparing the Directors’ Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and regulations. Company law requires the directors to prepare financial statements for each financial year. Under that law the directors have elected to prepare the financial statements in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice (United Kingdom Accounting Standards and applicable law). Under company law the directors must not approve the financial statements unless they are satisfied that they give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the company and of the profit or loss of the company for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the directors are required to: -select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently; -make judgements and accounting estimates that are reasonable and prudent; -prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the company will continue in business. The directors are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the company’s transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the company and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities. Chairmans report on behalf of the directors Yet another season passes and makes its mark on the Leagues history. We started with the now well established ground hop event which is organised with great precision by Chris and Lawrence. We have seen participants average a whopping 323 attendance with record earnings. This therefore reflects the necessity to embrace change and progress – not for its sake but for its benefits. A phrase I frequently repeat is, ‘We should all remember we are only here to serve the Clubs, without which there is no League’. We will continue to support football in our communities and wherever possible grow the game in the most professional manner possible. We wave a fond goodbye to Kempston Rovers FC and wish them well in pastures new. They have worked long and hard on their excellent facilities and with two 3G pitches to underpin their future we can expect them to continue to progress. Indeed, our job can only be said to be done when we promote upwards and it was good to see two recent ex UCL sides battling it out in the Southern League Playoffs, with St Ives Town FC eventually emerging triumphant over AFC Rushden & Diamonds to take their place in Step 3. One can hardly speak of St Ives Town FC without mentioning Connor Washington, their ex UCL player, who was catapulted to stardom by scoring in only his second Northern Ireland International appearance. In Division One, Jimmy Dean’s Peterborough Sports FC swept all before them with unprecedented success in winning not only their Division, but, for the first time by a Division One Club, the League Cup. They followed this up by hammering Netherton United FC 5-0 at the Abax Stadium to lift the Northants FA Junior Cup and they also won the Hinchingbrooke Cup Final against Peterborough Northern Star FC 4 – 1. Our Step 6 Clubs were subjected to an independent FA inspection which mainly revealed maintenance issues. Alan Poulain, who stepped up to become Vice Chairman this season, has done an excellent job heading up a team ensuring all clubs met their commitments by addressing all outstanding issues with photographic evidence of Compliance to The FA. Olney Town FC

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