Junior Alliance League attracts a record 211 teams
THE Peterborough and District Junior Alliance are counting down the days to another record-breaking season.
THE Peterborough and District Junior Alliance are counting down the days to another record-breaking season.Fast approaching its third decade, the Hereward Teamwear and Trophies-sponsored operation has rapidly grown into one of the biggest junior football leagues in the entire country.
With teams from as far afield as Kings Cliffe, Boston, Rippingale and Sawtry all taking part each week, the Alliance gets bigger every year – and at last night's annual meeting they had the statistics on hand to prove it.
From humble beginnings with just 12 clubs entered back in 1981, the 2009/10 league calendar will see a record 211 different teams competing across seven different age groups.
And despite the colossal amount of work required to keep it all running smoothly, league secretary Hazel Burgess admitted she cannot wait to get started.
She said: "It is a really bumper year for us and I am pretty sure 211 teams is a record for us which we are very proud of.
"When we started all those years ago it was a very small operation but we are proud to say we are one of the biggest leagues in the country for junior football.
"Of course we wouldn't be able to cope without the help of everyone on the committee who do a great job to make sure all the leagues run as smoothly as possible.
"And I am delighted that we are not losing any teams at all from last season except those who have out grown the league and will move on to youth league level.
"Coming in we have six new teams who I am sure will be a great asset to the leagues they play in.
"All in all it should be a fantastic season and we are all really looking forward to getting going for the coming season."
IN total there will be six entirely new clubs in the Junior Alliance next season.
Boston United Community School will compete in the Under 9, 10 and 11s, Eye Junior FC in the Under 9s, Hungate Rovers in the Under 11 and Under 14s, Ketton in the Under 13s, Pinchbeck Juniors in the Under 10s and the Richard Scott Soccer School in all age groups from Under 10s up to Under 14s.
THE four teams leaving the league are Guyhirn, Estover, P&T Panthers and Stanground Juniors. All will play in the Youth League next season.
JUNIOR Alliance chiefs announced they will be offering a helping hand to member clubs next season.
After becoming one of only five leagues in the country to be awarded Chartered status, the league will now be in a position to offer some financial assistance for those wishing to take coaching and first aid courses next season.PLANS to launch a competitive girls football league have been put on hold.
It had been hoped that a league under the Junior Alliance banner would be up and running by September, but after a lukewarm response, plans have been shelved.
RESPECT will be the name of the game in the Junior Alliance next season.
The league piloted the FA scheme, which is aimed at making junior football a less intimidating environment for youngsters to play, last season.
A big part of Respect is the roping off of pitches which prevents parents and fans getting too close to the players which can lead to problems.
Last season the roping off of pitches was optional, but from September all pitches in all age groups will have to be roped off after a change in the rule book was announced last night.
IN a break with normal league protocol newcomers Hungate Rovers have been admitted into the top flight of the Junior Alliance.
In the past new teams have usually been required to start in the lowest possible division regardless of the level they have played at in previous seasons in other leagues.
However after impressing at the recent Alliance six-a-side tournament at Chestnut Avenue, league secretary Hazel Burgess announced Hungate were one of the exceptions to the rule.
She said: "We would normally start them in Division Three but they played in our tournament to show us what they could do and we were impressed.
"It has happened once before with Corby Hellenic, who ended up winning it every year so there would be no point putting Hungate in Division Three.
"So we decided to allow them into Division One as we have seen that they will be able to compete with teams at that level."
THE Junior Alliance season will begin on September 5 and finish on May 1.
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Weather for Peterborough
Friday 19 March 2010
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