As the title suggests, I have come to the decision that it is time to step down from my role as Director of Operations for the BSAFA. I took some time out over the Christmas period to consider my options, and came to the decision in the new year, at which point I informed the remaining NMC members of my intentions.

The reasons for my decision are many, but in the main I have decided that it is now time to put my family and my job in front of Football for a while. At the same time as stepping down from the NMC, I have also decided to take a year out from playing Senior League football. This will give me time to get some perspective, and consider what it is, if anything, that I want to get out of the sport in the future.

No small part of my decision was influenced by the constant backbiting and wrangling that has been a constant thorn in my side over the last three years. I hold no stock in politics, and I have seen more than my fair share of them during my time on the NMC. I am a great believer in the 'players play, coaches coach, and managers manage' philosophy. Unfotunately in the BSAFA many influential people do not hold the same beliefs, and think they know everything about everything.

I will be staying on as the BSAFA webmaster, and hope that the extra time my reduced responsibilities will give me allow me to fulfill that role in a more effective way, developing the BSAFA website into an even better communication tool than it already is.

More recent events have also clouded my view of the state of the sport today. As many of you know the BSAFA owe the BAFA a large amount of money in back fees. Though I do not believe the current debt is anywhere near to the figure quoted by BAFA, unfortunately that is irrelevant. On Friday 2nd February, after having no contact whatsoever on the matter from any BAFA representative in almost 6 months, I recieved a letter from Fraser MacNamara - a solicitor acting on behalf of the BAFA board of directors.

In the letter Mr MacNamara informed me that as an officer of the association, I am personally liable for the debts of the association. As such, the letter informed me that if I did not pay the approximately £19,000 within 7 days of the date on the letter (29th Jan) then Mr Macnamara, on behalf of the BAFA, would issue proceedings against me to recover the money.

For three years the anonymous backbiters and potshotters have not even come close to getting under my skin. I must therefore congratulate the following people:

Gary Marshall (BAFA Chair)
Glenn Schild (BAFL Chair)
Jim Messenger (BAFCA President)
Wendy Bamford (BYAFA Chair)
Jim Briggs (BAFRA President)
Douglas Adamson (SGA Chair)

They have found my Achilles heel. Having read the letter before I could, my girlfriend is now losing sleep in fear of us losing our home. That does get under my skin. I am unsure what logic was used to decide to step over the line where football issues become more important than people’s lives and mental wellbeing, but the above group have decided to do so. They have decided to stop being political, and start being personal. I hope they can sleep well at night in the knowledge of the distress they have caused, and I hope to repay them for their generosity one day.

I will say now that the time spent over the last three years with the Bulldogs, All-stars, and BCAFL Teams is some of the most fun I have had in football. Despite the occasional stress and late nights I feel nothing but pride and satisfaction at the achievements of the last three years, and hope that I have gone some way to making the BSAFA the most open and honest football organisation in the country today.

We are not perfect – there is plenty of evidence to show that – but the entire NMC has only ever worked for the interests of the association and its members. I hope that all of you to a man will rally around the remaining NMC members, and especially Rich Handby, who will continue to fight for what they believe is right for the BSAFA, no matter how much pressure and abuse they have to suffer because of it.

I will end in the words of my late Granddad – ‘I’ve had a reet laff owd cocker. I’ll sithi later’!

BFG