RULE CHANGES approved at the annual meeting of the Halifax, Huddersfield Union will affect Scratch League matches.
Teams this season, when four divisions will operate, will consist of five players in Divisions I and II and four in Divisions III and IV.
In Handicap League matches each team will consist of four players and the league will be divided into five divisions. Teams will be made up of one player of not less than 8 handicap; one player of not less than 10 handicap; one player of not less than 12 handicap and one player of not less than 14 handicap.
All matches will be played off scratch and at the end of the season promotion and relegation from each division will be two up and two down in the Scratch League and one up and one down in the Handicap League.
In the event of a tie for either promotion or relegation, the following will apply: 1 - The team with the highest number of away points to win; 2 - If a tie still exists, the combined result of the home and away matches between the two clubs will be decisive; 3 -If there is still a tie there will be a play-off over a neutral course selected by the executive.
Should teams still be tied, team captains must list three members of their team in order of playing handicap who shall compete in ‘sudden death’ play-offs immediately following the conclusion of the last game. Pairings for the play-offs will be in handicap sequence. The winners will be the team that wins the majority of the play-offs
Four executive members, Roger Cliffe (Dewsbury), Albert Guest (Woodsome Hall), Paul Hardcastle (Castlefields) and David Perrin (Meltham) were re-elected for three years after completing terms of office and were joined by Barry Suddick (Bradley Park).
A remaining vacancy for two years will be filled at the next meeting of the executive, who have powers to co-opt. It will go to Stephen Wild, the 2008 union president from Halifax (Ogden), who would have been elected at the annual meeting had his club filed his nomination before the deadline date.
Queensbury’s Geoff Ralph moved in as president, John Lawrence (Marsden) was re-elected honorary secretary and Robert Uttley (Todmorden) was re-appointed honorary treasurer.
Mr Lawrence will also act as competition secretary following the retirement of Tony Bower (Elland). It is likely that Mr Suddick, who fills that role at his club, will ‘shadow’ Mr Lawrence with a view to taking over the position next year.
Income over the year totalled £22,914 while costs ran at £21,109 making for a surplus of £1,806. Club subscriptions (£11,435) and income from competitions (£2,945) fell short of the union’s costs, making income from sponsors vital. Sponsorship and advertising brought in £8,216 over the year ending December 31.
Over the coming season the union will invest £3,000 on the coaching programme compared with £746 last year.
