MERSEYSIDE - THEY'RE TRYING TO KILL US OFF!!

[Johndabek]

Merseyside came 10th. in this year's ICT, in fact have been in the top 10 for the last three years. Greater Manchester, in a similar position to us, have also been formidable players.

Where were Cheshire and Lancashire?

If we align with the senior counties numerous players will lose out. At present our players have a clearly defined path and know that they will move on to either Lancashire or Cheshire as they get older. The coaching is improving all the time and there is a wonderful team spirit within the county.

I fail to see why the BAofE are scared of continuing this system which works extremely well and benefits the young players so well. It is all very well saying that it is in the constitution of the BAofE - what a load of shuttlecocks!! If they really are interested in our young players (and it is what they and their managers are here for) then they will surely have no problem making a small amendment to the constitution.

Help Merseyside to keep their young players playing badminton!!

[Alex]

I was part of the team that came 10th this year at the ICT!! There were no Lancashire or Cheshire there so where were they??!?! Merseyside Schools BA is excellently organised by many people who put in a great effort and loads of kids are going to miss out on badminton if this happens!!

Pledge your support here!!!

[Alex]

The above also goes for Manchester Schools BA who finished a good 15th!

[PansyPants]

I am not completely clued up on this issue but from what i have heard then i think that the BAofE are destroying a tremendous set up and most probably putting a lot of potential players off the game!

Could badminton take a worse turn?

[Smasha]

I totally agree!
i am a merseyside player and i know that i would not like it if people(no names given) wants merseyside to split up just so the other counties, lancashire and cheshire, can have our players.
We are part of a team and it WILL STAY THAT WAY!!!

[Alex]

Yes, Gill you are right!!

I think an excellent idea is to form "Merseyside Seniors".

this would keep all old friends together.

i for one, have reached the age where i am no longer a junior so will disperse to cheshire.

i would rather stay with all my old friends at merseyside

[voas]

There are many people who give up hours of their time to coach and support the Merseyside Schools BA with no complaints) and I for one think if they are happy to do so then Merseyside should continue to prosper.

Well done to all the team who played this year they did really well and should be proud of themselves.

[NigelPriestley]

I am the current secretary for Merseyside Schools and have heard many of the arguments for aligning the schools organisations with the seniors. I can understand Eric Brown's reasoning for this to happen but it should be only if the counties concerned are WILLING to merge with their senior counties (and some are dead set against it!). I am sure there are many counties who feel that they would benefit from "close knitting" with their senior counties. My point is one that I feel very strongly about and here it is:
We, Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Cheshire are schools organisations who are continually competing with other sports such as football, gymnastics, tennis, netball and many others in the North West and finding and giving opportunities to young enthusiastic badminton players is (or should be) our common aim. Children develop at different rates and at different ages so little Freddy and Fredrica who are not very good players at 12 or 13 may benefit from county experience and become Cheshire or Lancashire 1st teamers ten years later. If Eric Brown and the SYB get their way then four schools organisations become two and half of those players that would have represented their schools county first team will not stand a cat in hell's chance in the future. They will inevitably leave (youngsters tend to be a little short sighted) and take up another sport (and in the North West there is plenty of sports) - BADMINTON LOSES OUT GOOD STYLE!
Greater Manchester and Merseyside have large, enthusiastic committees and volunteers (and will continue to have), we enter teams in the ICT and give our players the opportunities that they deserve (it matters not where we finish in the ICT as one year will differ from the next). In the long term more and more players will emerge from the North West, however, if we are bullied into non-existence by the Schools and Youth Board then many of these committee members will get angry and disillusioned and leave the sport also.
We have set up close relations with the seniors so that the transition from u17 to seniors is as smooth as silk.
We need the support from all the counties in the country to help Greater Manchester and Merseyside schools keep our identities. Thank you.

[Jonathan Phillips]

Nigel...this is clearly a major point of contention in junior badminton, thank you for your comments.

For those of us who haven't any background knowledge of the debate, what are the SYB (ESBA) reasons for wanting conformity? Is it simply to tidy up the affiliations so that junior badminton counties are the same as senior badminton counties?

[Johndabek]

Nigel Priestley has made some valid points. As joint under 15 manager with Tom Richards we have made a point of not always putting out our strongest team, giving keen players of less ability the opportunity of improving their game by representing Merseyside at County level. We have also arranged friendly matches with other counties in order that each player could end the season knowing that they have represented their County. As managers we look at the whole picture and pay particular attention to each player as an individual. This is the kind of work Merseyside (and Greater Manchester) have committed themselves to. I cannot see such work being continued with the same degree of enthusiasm if we split and send the players off to Lancashire and Cheshire.

[floorman]

John Howell Merseyside Coaching Manager
What a brilliant ICT!!!
Will Merseyside and GR.Manchester be allowed next year!!!
Not if Eric Brown has his way.
Can we afford to be so dogmatic.
Where were Lancashire and Cheshire this year!!!
Merseyside players cannot enter Lancashire Schools tournaments
Merseyside players cannot enter the Lancashire youth games!!!
WHY

BECAUSE WE DO NOT LIVE IN LANCASHIRE!!!!

Please remember it is our sport not an ill informed committees.

[Alex]

Go John(s)....!!!

Merseyside made the ICT so fun - how boring would it be without us and Oxfordshire!!!!

Andrew Hart is now very close friends with them.

[Johndabek]

Regarding John Howell's comment about Eric Brown - is that the same guy who came to our AGM 2 years ago when Gill was an under 12 and just experienced her first year in "proper" badminton. I seem to recall Peter Clough was trying to manipulate the meeting then so that Merseyside would be disbanded - Eric Brown kindly supplied the necessary bullets for us to fire at him.

Correct me if I am wrong but didn't he say that there was no need for Merseyside and Greater Manchester to fold as long as they were seen to liaise with their senior counties. We've done exactly as he asked and our young players knew exactly what their route was to be.

I am the last person to stand in the way of change provided it is for the benefit of our young players but to demolish Merseyside and Greater Manchester is a step in the wrong direction. It seems that the North West is a PROBLEM AREA to him - why should it be - we don't have one!

[Alex]

Dear Everyone,

Ken Linforth spoke to Eric Brown from the Schools and Youth Board Monday
evening. After much discussion, Eric has withdrawn his plan to stop
Merseyside and Greater Manchester competing in next year's BA of E
sanctioned events.

This is good news as it will allow us more time to present a case to the
BA of E to resolve the situation.

[Jonathan Phillips]

Sounds like good news for you Alex...is there a reason for the change in plan?

[PansyPants]

Sounds great news for they whole of Merseyside.

Will be nice to see them going to the ICT next year!

[Alex]

I am not sure as to the reason of the change of plan.

I recieved the news in an email this morning from Nigel Priestley and thought id share it.

No doubt Nigel or someone who knows why will explain sometime today.

Alex

[NigelPriestley]

Eric is keen to resolve this situation and probably thought that he was being too hasty. He would like to see a plan of action in place by September 2003, so we have another year to sort things out.
I hope Eric is willing to post his views on this site as I am sure everyone would like to hear them.

[Eglon]

Has this decision been in any way influenced by this forum and the strong feeling expressed in it?

More power top the forum if it has.

Maybe now we should start discussing what positive steps should be made from here so that everyone is (or as many as possible) satisfied with the outcome.

[johno33]

I can't talk for lancashire, but last year i wolud of been in the cheshire ICT team, and last year was the fiest year that they didn't go. The reason for which was because they (the coaches) didn't feel that the girls were strong enough to play at that level, but they didn't care that we had quite a stong boys team.
They did the same this year as well.
Instead of goin to the ICT they went to Milton Keynes to the national badminton centre, which i must admite, was a good experience, but i'm sure it can't compare to ICT.

1 more thing, i'm part for the cheshire colts squad (17 - 21), the aim of this is to bridge the gap between county schools badminton and senior county, the the players that have actually been picked to play are already playing in the senior team and haven't actually been to the colt training sessions, to be this kind of defeats the object of the colts squad

[floorman]

How many Junior Counties with the same boundaries as their Senior County are an integrated unit,both financially and organisationally. The requirements and priorities for operating Schools Badminton and Senior County Badminton are specific and very different and will rarely coincide except in very general terms.Please let me know your views as from many discussions i have had it appears that most Junior Counties operate completely separately for a variety of reasons.

[Johndabek]

This discussion thread has been moved to "The Merseyside and Greater Manchester Issue". Why it cannot be continued under the present heading I do not know, but Eric Brown has, perhaps unintentionally, forced the discussion to be continued under a different thread. Let us hope that the future of Merseyside and Greater Manchester is not forced into line the same way as this thread!

[Site Support]

John, thanks for your comments.

Eric forwarded his post to us and we put it under the new heading. *our fault...slap wrists*

The heading presented a more balanced view and better reflected the thoughts of both sides.

I have locked this thread to avoid any further confusion.

Please address any comments related to this issue under the thread...

"The Merseyside and Greater Manchester Issue".

Thanks,
Site Support