They think its all over...It is now!

After 133 days in the wilderness we've finally heard the news we've all been waiting for, The Journal is coming home! 

In its absence, The Somer Valley Supplement has tried to keep the flag flying, providing an outlet for local sports news across the Somer Valley. Since the Journal went into lockdown we've brought you 40 local sports stories. This wouldn't have been possible without the support of Radstock Town Football Club, Welton Rovers, Paulton Rovers, Midsomer Norton Rugby Club, Somer Valley Tennis and Midsomer Norton Cricket Club. 

Most importantly, the biggest thank you of all goes to you - the readers. The Somer Valley Supplement has had nearly 4.5k views from around the World! We are particularly big in the United States and the Czech Republic! Who thought that Somer Valley sport could be so interesting, particulalrly at a time when we didn't actually have any sport to talk about!

This website is now closed! It will remain live as a reminder of what we achieved in lockdown, but our greatest achievement was to see the return of Becky and her team. From now on, you can get all your sports news in The Journal!

New Balls Please!

Its more than just the balls that are new up at Writhlington Tennis Club! The Club that entered lockdown has emerged bigger and better than ever before. The newly named Somer Valley Tennis Club now boasts three village venues where members can play in Chilcompton, Timsbury and Farrington, as well as Writhlington’s 4 indoor and 4 outdoor courts.

Club Chairman, Bryn Jones, explained that the Coronavirus lockdown had many unexpected consequences, for the Club and its members.

“Our transition to Somer Valley Tennis has been an unexpected positive consequence of Covid 19. My committee, a brilliant hardworking team of volunteers and I have seized the moment and taken a major leap forward in creating a new platform to promote tennis across the Somer Valley.

Tennis has a golden opportunity to capitalise on the surge in interest in the sport because it can be played in a socially distance way and was one of the first sports to come out of the lockdown.

With excellent support from the LTA and the opportunity given to us because of Covid 19, the new Somer Valley Tennis platform will be able to facilitate tennis being played at a number of venues across the area, promoting the brilliant sport that people from all ages and abilities can play, at a standard that suits them.”

Competitive tennis also returned to the Avon area this week with the start of the “Lockdown League”, which includes a Somer Valley team. If you are interested in finding out more about Somer Valley Tennis Club, whether you are an experienced player or someone looking to pick up a racket for the first time, then visit https://clubspark.lta.org.uk/SomerValleyTennis for further information.

Paulton Rovers off to a flyer at Chipping Sodbury

Paulton’s new look side got their pre-season underway against a much changed Chipping Sodbury, who since last season had themselves a change in manager and personnel.

Paulton started in the ascendancy with newcomers Cottle, Jackson, Llewellyn and Hailston all making good early impressions.

Cottle was linking things up well through the middle, Jackson had the beating of his full back, Llewellyn was winning 2nd balls and breaking things up in midfield and Hailston was providing a decent outlet up front.

With Withy and Gay looking fit and combining well down the right, and Dempsey was looking strong in the tackle at the back, Paulton controlled the first half and it was no surprise when Cottle opened the scoring after good interplay on the right enabled him to cut in and shoot left footed into the far corner from the edge of the box. Soon after a strong run down the right from Withy, who dug out a deep cross from the by line and Jackson finished well at the far post. 

Will Hailston scored twice
on his Paulton return

Mid-way through the first half quick passing between Cottle and Gay found Hailston 12 yards out who found the bottom corner to register his first goal on his Paulton return, which was soon followed as Llewellyn won back possession as Sodbury tried to play out from the back and was bought down in the box. Hailston coolly slotted from the spot for his 2nd and Paulton's fourth.

Wholesale changes at half time for both teams disrupted the flow of the game, although it continued to be played in a very competitive spirit. Early on the Sodbury right back was replaced after being caught by a mistimed Ibrahim challenge that earned him a caution 5 mins into the half. Llewellyn was also an early victim of a clumsy mid-air challenge that meant a heavy fall, and was replaced by Seviour soon after. Full time at The Ridings, Chipping Sodbury 0 Paulton Rovers 4.

Match Report from John Rendell

HELL AND HIGH WATER: GETTING NON LEAGUE FOOTBALL STRATED AGAIN

Radstock Town get Covid Ready

August 1^st marked the tentative return of non-league football, 141 days from its suspension on Friday, March 13^th. Whilst the 2020/21 season hasn’t begun, its pre-season has, behind closed doors at least, so is this a cause for celebration or will it prove to be a false dawn?

Clubs at Steps 5 and 6, the level of the Non-League pyramid occupied by the Toolstation Western League, can begin their League season from Saturday, September 5th, ahead of the Southern League, which is set to start on September 19th. However, Leagues at this level have become increasingly reticent about publishing their fixtures, with the Ebac Northern League stating that their season will only begin when “spectators are allowed to attend matches” and their fixture list will only be released “once the issue of spectators is resolved nationally”.

Whilst optimism about fans return has been growing within the game in recent weeks, the news that pilot events at cricket, horse racing and snooker had been postponed on July 31st sent shockwaves across the non-league pyramid. A spike in Coronavirus cases has set the Governments unlocking timetable back by at least two weeks. In Blackburn with Darwen, social media reports indicated that Clubs have been told to stop contact training and not to play friendlies. Given the Prime Ministers statement on Friday, football at every level is facing the very real prospect that its return will be delayed, in spite of the FA’s announcement that its own Cup competitions are scheduled to kick off at the start of September.

Indeed, Friday’s announcement has also served to change the tone of footballs conservation within itself about what constitutes a safe return. The Football Association’s position is that: “A return to competitive football should only happen once clubs and facility providers have completed the necessary risk assessments and comprehensive plans are in place.” Inevitably, this has prompted much debate as to how the FA’s guidance should be interpreted. What is required as opposed to advised. 

Whilst the Head of the National League System, Laurence Jones, made it clear in a letter sent to Western League Clubs on July 18th, that any pre-season fixture must be played behind closed doors, the door was left open for Somerset County League sides to play in front of “socially distanced” spectators. That door was closed on August 4^th when Mr Jones issued a further letter extending the behind closed doors ban to the NLS Feeder Leagues, what the FA refer to as the “Grassroots” of the game.

The other loophole, concerning the legal status of football clubhouses has also been addressed by the FA. As a licenced premise, football clubhouses are subject to the same regulation as pubs and restaurants, but the FA have clarified that “there should be no entry to the ground for spectators” from such venues. The fact that the FA have been forced to issue such a statement after only one weekend of friendly matches, highlights a fundamental weakness with their own communication strategy.

Had the Prime Minster chosen not to “squeeze the brake” on unlocking Britain, Clubs would have undoubtedly looked to those choosing a more “liberal” interpretation of the guidance as the benchmark. But that is no longer the case and social media references to bars being open for Saturday afternoon matches, have been replaced by explicit announcements that fans are not allowed to enter grounds to watch games.

The initial optimism was undoubtedly fuelled by the notion that whatever guidance had been put into place, football would largely be left to police itself when it came to monitoring Covid-19 compliance. Neither the Leagues or the County FA’s have the resources to ensure anything more than a Risk Assessment has been published, whilst guidance provided to Match Officials clearly states that “Referees are not responsible for clubs, players or spectators complying with The FA

guidance. The home club and their Covid-19 officer have responsibility for managing these matters to the best of their ability”.

As the rest of the country began to re-open, the momentum to get us back playing had become almost irresistible, until Boris put the brakes on. Now the narrative is very different, with local lockdowns and coronavirus cases on the rise.

As it stands, Western League Clubs selected to play at the start of this seasons FA Cup competitions will do so without fans in the ground. Presumably, those not willing to make this sacrifice will forfeit their place in the competition. The FA may believe that non-league football at the Western League level will start on September 5^th, but with evidence that Leagues are withholding fixtures until Government provides clarity around the spectator situation, this is looking increasingly unlikely.

Most worrying of all is the prospect of a second Coronavirus wave, which has clearly fuelled Government policy in Bradford, Manchester and Leicester. If local lockdowns continue to be enforced this will have obvious repercussions on Leagues abilities to carry out their fixture schedules and then there is the Great British weather!

Last season, the Western League First Division, where Welton Rovers and Radstock Town play their football, had completed two thirds of its fixtures when the Coronavirus pulled the plug on the League campaign. Yet the Southern Counties East League First Division, which plays its football at the same step of the non-league pyramid had completed 79% of their fixtures, meaning their teams had almost half as many matches outstanding as their Western League counterparts. This discrepancy was not caused by the Coronavirus, rather it was a result of a particularly bad winter for the South West of England.

Local lockdowns, a second wave, fans in grounds and the Great British weather. These are the challenges facing the restart of non-league football. Yet arguably the greatest challenge the Western League will face this season is not when it will start, but when it will finish. In his July letter to Non- League Clubs, the Head of the National League System clearly stated that the league season will end no later than Saturday, May 15^th. In recent seasons it has been the FA’s intransigence around this end date that has proved so problematic for Leagues, particularly at the base of the pyramid, sometimes requiring Clubs to play on consecutive days in order to meet the deadline.

If Coronavirus has taught the football family anything its that we really are all in this together. If there can flexibility at the start of the season, particularly when it comes to getting fans into grounds, then why can’t there be the same flexibility at the end of the season? Telling Leagues at the base of the pyramid that they must conclude their matches by a specific date, come Hell or High Water, is challenging enough, but when you are faced with Hell AND High Water, it feels particularly unfair.

Norton Waits for the Return of Rugby

Midsomer Norton Rugby Club remain unclear as to when we'll see competitive rugby return to Norton Down. Currently, the Community Game sits at point B on the Rugby Football Unions "Return to Rugby Road Map", which allows for small group training. 

The RFU, having submitted their Return to Community Rugby Action Plan to the Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, hope to announce a move to Stage C "soon", which would allow larger group training and some close contact, yet a return to match play still remains some way off. 

However, the Club has not stood still and volunteers have been working to create a new pitch at Norton Down, as well as replacing some of the old boilers in the changing rooms. When the Government give the green light for rugby to return, Norton will certainly be ready on and off the pitch. In the meantime, the clubhouse remains open on a Saturday, for members, between 2pm and 8pm.

The Blame Game

On Friday 17th July, 126 days after competitive football was suspended, the Football Association announced that the Government had approved its plan for the return of the National game. Non-league football now has a roadmap to return, as long as it has the “necessary modifications in place to mitigate the transmission risk of COVID-19”. The phased return to competitive football starts now, with competitive training for up to 30 people. From August Clubs can play pre-season friendlies, with a view to the League season starting in September.

For the Toolstation Western League, the 2020/21 season can begin from Saturday, September 5th, ahead of the Southern League, which is set to start on September 19th. The FA are urging Clubs, players, coaches, match officials, league officials, volunteers and fans to read their guidance, in addition to the latest Government guidance on COVID-19.

The FA press release, hailing the return of competitive football, made clear that: “A return to competitive football should only happen once clubs and facility providers have completed the necessary risk assessments and comprehensive plans are in place.” And in so doing the FA gave the clearest indication that making football Covid-19 compliant was going to be someone else’s problem.

Whilst their press release congratulated themselves on “working hard over recent weeks to prepare guidelines for the safe return of grassroots football”, they omitted to identify who would be responsible for ensuring this guidance would actually be met, leaving Clubs, players and officials in limbo as to whether the FA’s protocol was a suggestion or a requirement.

As licenced premises, football clubhouses are subject to the same regulation as pubs and restaurants, leaving local Councils with the responsibility to monitor their compliance and investigate complaints. Yet outside the clubhouse, who will be responsible for monitoring social distancing and test and trace? Leagues may be the first port of call, but will complaints made to them simply be passed on to County FA’s to investigate?

Football's greatest challenge to become Covid-19 compliant rests on the limited resources and expertise available at the base of the pyramid. Volunteers already hard stretched to manage a matchday now find themselves with the unenviable task of managing social distancing in the stands, bars, turnstiles and toilets. During play, players must regularly sanitise themselves and the ball, especially when it leaves the field of play.

Government guidance requests that players “avoid unnecessary breaking of social distancing such as pre-game handshakes, huddles, face-to-face confrontation with opponents and officials, and scoring celebrations.” Bad news if you are a star striker, good news for match officials, unless of course match officials are set to be given new powers to manage on field Covid-19 breaches?

If Club Officials were left scratching their heads about just how much work they’d need to do get their ground Covid-19 compliant, many were left fuming at the FA’s stipulation that pre-season fixtures must be played behind closed doors. 

Given that gatherings of more than 30 people are currently not permitted, this revelation is hardly surprising. However, as early as June 19th the FA told the Step 5 and 6 Leagues, of which the Toolstation Western League is one, that Clubs cannot resume their season ‘behind closed doors’. Pedants will point to the fact that “season” does not mean “pre-season”, but if we’ve got to the stage where we are attributing as much weight to what the FA aren’t saying, as what they are, then Non-League football really is in a parlous state.

As football, at every step of the pyramid, rebuilds in the wake of Covid-19, communication from the Government and the FA must be crystal clear. Pre-season provides Clubs with an opportunity to claw back valuable revenue denied to them over recent months by the global pandemic. Whilst many fans will celebrate the safe return of football, the economics of the game, particularly at the base of the pyramid, rely on pints, pies and programmes.

Any measures limiting Clubs income, coupled with the increased costs of becoming Covid-19 compliant, not to mention the “impact on travel costs” for match officials, recognised in the FA’s own guidance document, could push Non-League Clubs past a financial tipping point that means they’d be better off not playing. It’s hard to believe that the FA haven’t recognised this fact but then again they didn’t consult the Step 5 and 6 Leagues on any of the provisions they were considering putting in place to restart football, provisions that apply from the Vanarama National League to the Toolstation Western League. 

Its worth reflecting on the fact that when it came to ending the 2019/21 season, the FA treated the National League differently to the way they voided the Leagues below, including the Southern League and the Western League. Yet when it comes to restarting non-league football, all Steps appear to be treated equally, save in one respect. The strat date. The Chairman's opening remarks at the June 19th meeting clearly stated that "if at Steps 5 & 6 we start before Steps 3 and 4, then you will find a flood of people turning up at Step 6 matches as they are the only matches available for people to attend, which would then contravene Government Regulations. Thus we must remain together in this as a untied set of Leagues." By July 18th this position had changed. Clearly when it suits the FA they are perfectly happy to treat the Steps differently, so why can't this be reflected in their restart guidance?

The FA’s failure to consult, coupled with the failure to clarify which measures are mandatory, is likely to lead to a two-tier approach to compliance, where those with the resources and inclination are likely to take a dim view on those perceived to be playing fast and loose. The football family, like the rest of society has had to come to terms with the greatest restriction of liberty any of us have ever known. For any of us to continue under that regimen we must have absolute clarity on what is required of us and ultimately what is to happen to those who won’t make the effort or the sacrifice for the greater good. Otherwise, what is the point?

Midsomer Norton Cricket looking for the Stars of Tomorrow

Midsomer Norton Cricket Club’s senior players returned to action earlier this month and younger players now have a chance to play the game for the first time in 2020.

Starting on Friday 24 July at 6.45pm, All Stars Cricket for children aged 5-8 years old will get under way for the first of six weekly, Friday evening sessions. To attend, all you need to do is to register at the ECB website.

All Stars Cricket provides a fantastic first cricket experience with six weeks of jam-packed fun, activity and skills development. The programme is designed to introduce children to the sport, teaching them new skills, helping them make new friends and have a great time doing so.

Every child that registers will receive a backpack full of goodies, including: 

• Backpack
• Cricket bat
• Cricket ball
• Personalised shirt with your child’s name
• Cap

All children returning to All Stars, will receive a new bat, ball, personalised t-shirt and a set of stumps.

Also on Friday, between 6-7pm, the club will be open for registration for Under 9,11,13 and 15s players.

New members are always welcome at the club, so if you (or one of your children) are interested in joining the club, then please contact the Club.