Boost for Local Cricket Club

The May Bank Holiday is normally one of the busiest cricket weekends of the year, yet this will be a strange one for Midsomer Norton Cricket Club, with the coronavirus outbreak ensuring that during lockdown not a ball will be bowled. 

2019 saw all 3 of the club’s Saturday sides in the top two of their respective leagues and the ladies team winning the Somerset Softball Cricket Competition for the second year running. Such has been the success of the ladies that the club is now running two ladies’ sides. This was the most successful playing season in the club’s 140 year history. The 2019 season also saw the youth section going from strength to strength with over 80 children signed up for All Stars and club sides being coached and run at under 11s,13s and 15s levels. 

‘Due to the current covid-19 lockdown it has been impossible to contemplate when and if the 2020 season will start which is a great disappointment to us all following the successes of 2019,’ explains club Chairman Graeme King.

‘When we will actually start this season is anyone’s guess, if at all,’ adds Graeme. ‘However it is not all doom and gloom as we are very active behind the scenes with our coach Jake posting online fitness videos and the Outfield Music Festival team running a very successful Saturday evening online music quiz. The club’s members are keeping in touch using in-house social media.

A further boost to the club has been the announcement from local solicitors Thatcher + Hallam that notwithstanding the fact that not a ball has been bowled, they are nevertheless continuing to support the club with their sponsorship cheque for the 2020 season. Thatcher + Hallam are a specialist sports law firm already supporting several local clubs and earlier this year hosted the ‘Off The Ball: Sport and The Law’ conferences.

‘We are absolutely delighted to be supporting Midsomer Norton Cricket Club in any way that we can, particularly at this really difficult time,’ says Thatcher + Hallam partner George Persson. ‘I know that the club, as with other local sports organisations, has the full support of the whole community. One of the key members of the ladies’ team at the club is Annette Swain. Annette is also a member of our Litigation + Dispute Resolution team, so all of us here are keenly aware of the frustration felt by Annette and her colleagues as we all wait until it is safe to play again.’

2019 also saw the demolition, rebuilding and refurbishment of the clubhouse at the Withies Lane ground. Once cricket resumes not only will the facility be available for the players, but also the community at large.

Virtual Silverware for Radstock Town

The Coronavirus might have foiled Radstock Town’s bid for promotion this season, but it couldn't stop the Miners winning the first (and hopefully last) Virtual Cup competition.

The Virtual Cup was the brainchild of the author of the FansofWesternLeagueClubs twitter feed, who wanted to run a competition to keep fans amused during lockdown. Using the simple format of rolling two dice to decide the final score of matches, "Nick" ran a Champions League style tournament allocating all 41 Toolstation Western League Clubs to groups, before proceeding to the knockout stages.

The Miners faced local rivals Shepton Mallet in the final and had the game be played on grass, First Division Radstock would have gone into the match as big underdogs against their Premier Division neighbours. And so it proved in the Final, with Radstock coming from behind to take the victory by four goals to three.

Radstock took the lead through Ryan Child only to be pegged back before half time with an equaliser from Mallet's Joe Morgan. Despite a bright start to the second half, Radstock fell behind, through a Jack Fillingham chip. Yet the Miners were not giving up without a fight and promptly levelled through Simon Millard, only for Shepton to retake the lead from the penalty spot.

Former Paulton and Welton player James Billings nearly put the game beyond doubt for Shepton, only for his effort to be ruled out for offside. With only 3 minutes left in the game Radstock were a long way away from lifting any silverware, so cometh the hour cometh the man and Elliott Dugan tapped home from close range, following a free kick into the Shepton box. Yet the drama wasn't complete, as Nathan Legge had a chance to win it for Shepton, only for Radstock’s James Rustell to secure the winning goal late into stoppage time.

Did any of that really happen? Virtually! The full match commentary was played out in real time on twitter and whilst the result was predetermined by the role of the dice, the match action was broadcast thanks to the imagination and research of the social media accounts author, plus a few helpful suggestions from some of the players involved!

On their way to the Final, Radstock saw off Premier Division opposition in the form of Westbury, Roman Glass and Bridport. The Miners also topped their Group which featured Cadbury Heath along with fellow First Division sides Warminster Town and Almondsbury.

Social media fan, known only as "Nick", devised the tournament as a way of paying for NHS heroes to attend a game at the wining Club next season. However, with the Western Leagues announcement that any NHS staff member can attend a League game for free next season, Nick has evolved his original idea, in conjunction with Radstock Town, to provide a group of key workers in the Radstock area with the opportunity to enjoy a game at Southfields next season.

Radstock Town Needs You!

Like all grassroots football clubs, Radstock Town are asking fans not to forget about them while the Coronavirus lockdown continues. With its clubhouse out of action, the Miners have lost out on valuable revenue that would have been used pay their utility bills, as well as support the club's groundworks and pitch renovations.

With this in the mind, the Club have set up a Go Fund Me page and are encouraging supporters to make donations. Club Chairman, Simon Wilkinson said; "If you are able to help and donate even a couple of pounds all this will help towards ensuring the clubs survival both on and off the pitch."

The Club are calling upon anyone affiliated with them, past and present, along with anyone in the Radstock community to help support the Miners in any way they can. The Club would also welcome any donations of painting and building supplies they could use on the dressing rooms, grandstand, dugouts and pitch. 

Simon Wilkinson said: "If you're clearing out your garage, shed or van and you come across any paint, weed killer shower heads or lights, we'd love to hear from you. These items could be a huge support to our Club."

Covid-19 Financial Support offered by the Western League

Following the Football Associations decision to void the 2019/20 season, the Toolstation Western released a statement to all member Clubs on March 27th, setting out a seven point plan to “help with the cash flow difficulties that the abandonment of the season has caused”.

All forty one Western League Clubs have now received a payment of £600. As the season has been declared void, prize money and sponsorship has been shared equally across all Clubs, a decision the League could not have taken had the future of the 2019/20 remained unresolved.

In addition to the cash payment, the League have also suspended player registration and transfer fees incurred between 1 December 2019 and 27 March 2020 and affiliation Fees for the 2020/21 season will not be invoiced before football can resume.

The Government have set out a number of financial initiatives designed to support the leisure industry, promoted by The FA. However, the Western League have set up their own interest free loan scheme, available upon request, for up to £1000.

Western League General Secretary, Andy Radford said: “The Western League Board are well aware of the difficulties faced by our member clubs at this unprecedented time and we believe it is imperative that we take action to ensure the well being and future of all in the League. We want to do everything we can to help with the cash flow difficulties that the abandonment of the season has caused”.

Toolstation Western League Keeps Podding Along

Ian and Tom wearing #Footywatch t-shirts supporting
 the Cystic Fibrosis Comfort Fund.

Their season might have ended but the Toolstation Western League Podcast team are continuing to produce their weekly programme. Now in its fourth season, Western League Bulletin Editor, Tom Hiscott and presenter, Ian Nockolds, have produced over 125 episodes of the weekly podcast, featuring interviews with managers from the Western Leagues Premier and First Divisions.

“We’ll keep the Podcast going for at least another month, when our season should have ended”, said Ian. “This weeks episode is an absolute belter. We spoke to two managers challenging for promotion, Plymouth Parkway’s Lee Hobbs and Calne Town’s Ben Redford. Both giving a frank account of what the FA’s decision to void the season means to their Clubs”.

Over the next few weeks the Toolstation Western League Podcast will carry interviews with managers, players, match officials and supporters, to find out how they are coping with the Coronavirus lockdown and the lack of football. Ian said, “Its not all going to be doom and gloom, Tom is giving us his recommendations on what to watch on the tele and we’ll be speaking to all our guests about what they are most looking forward to when football resumes. One season may have ended, but another will begin and that should give us all a sense of optimism for what our Clubs can achieve”.

The Toolstation Western League Podcast can be found at http://toolstationleague.com/podcasts.php and is available on itunes.

Free Entry to the Toolstation Western League for NHS Staff

The Toolstation Western League will be offering NHS staff free entry to all its League matches next season, in recognition of their exceptional work and sacrifice during the Coronavirus pandemic.

The virus has forced the League programme to be abandoned this season, but when football does resume, the Western League Board have asked all member Clubs to honour the contribution of NHS workers by allowing them free entry into games. Those wishing to make use of this special offer will be required to show a valid form of NHS identification at the turnstile.

Since 2015 the Toolstation Western League has run a scheme whereby serving members of the Armed Forces can gain entry to league games on production of a military ID card. The NHS scheme will run at least until the end of the 2020/21 season, with Clubs able to extend the offer further if they wish.

Radstock Town U18s Looking for Players

Radstock Town FC are looking for players to join their successful Under 18s side in the 2020/21 season.

Games are played Midweek evenings in the Wiltshire County Floodlight League.

Players should register their interest by clicking here.