AGM –
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING – MINUTES
Wednesday 19th July 2023
VENUE: Online (via Teams)
Present: Mark Hignett, Cameron Hignett, Lee James, George Hounsell, Paul Bullock, Dai Lewis
1.Chairman’s welcome
Association Chair, Mark Hignett, welcomed all present to the 2023 AGM and thanked all for their attendance. Mark shared some of the highlights, success and challenges of the past season. Successes included the winning of Midland Counties league titles by our U15 Boys and U16 Girls representative squads; successful secondary school finals days and an excellent Primary Schools’ finals day which has now been named The Alan Jones Primary Schools’ Finals Day in recognition of his years of support and drive for the association. Particular thanks to Lee James and George Hounsell for the success of this season’s Primary competition and the finals day itself and to Cameron Hignett for the success of the Secondary competitions and finals. Challenges have continued to be similar to recent years in terms of decreased funding (including the loss of the ESFA Administrator grant from June 2023 onwards) and volunteers.
A new website has been developed to help take the association into the next phase of its existence and this went live in June of this year. This will bring a number of efficiencies, not least with regards interschool cup draws and direct input of results from games.
Mark wished to place on record the support received from Steve Wilderspin (Vice Chair), Cameron Hignett (Administrator), Lee James (Primary Competitions Coordinator), George Hounsell (Assistant Primary Competitions Coordinator), Mike Thomas (Inter-County Secretary) and all the representative team managers. He also expressed thanks to Sean Gorman (Treasurer), Jan Butler (Child Welfare Officer) and our Primary Competition sponsors; Kidz-in-Focus, Crossbar Group and Shropshire Trophy and Bowling Centre.
Mark apologised that none of the intended centenary season events and celebrations had taken place and explained that this was due to a lack of support for the organisation of them. A small celebration meal is in the early stages of planning for the day of (or as close to as possible) the initial meeting to set up the association in February 1924.
Mark Hignett
Chairman, 2022/23 Season
2. Apologies:
Sam Peate
Mike Thomas
Aiden Tisdale
Steve Wilderspin
3.Items for AOB
Sustainability and forward planning for key roles in the association (Mark Hignett)
Representative to Shropshire FA (Mark Hignett)
FA/ESFA Clearance (Mark Hignett)
- Minutes of last meeting
Proposed as a true record by George Hounsell and Seconded by Lee James
5. Primary Schools Competition Report
We had the below number of teams enter:
Telford – 65
Shrewsbury – 88
North Shropshire – 71
South/East – 8
Telford area numbers are affected by having no schools in the small school’s competitions and village school’s competitions.
The finals held at Shifnal Town FC (Acoustafoam Stadium) on Saturday 13th May were a great success and many commented on how much they enjoyed the day.
We had finalists on the day from:
Telford – 6
Shrewsbury – 8
North Shropshire – 4
South/East – 0
With the winners coming from:
Telford – 3
Shrewsbury – 3
North Shropshire – 3
6.Secondary Schools Competitions
- SSCFA running 16 countywide Knockout competitions plus one League competition (Two leagues)
- 34 schools/colleges entered
U12 Boys County Cup – Thomas Telford
U13 Boys County Cup – Thomas Telford
U14 Boys County Cup – Burton Borough
U15 Boys County Cup – Burton Borough
U16 Boys County Cup – Telford Priory
U18 Boys County Cup – Thomas Telford
U19 Boys League 1 – Haberdashers Adams
U19 Boys League 2 – Haberdashers Adams
U12 Boys Presidents Trophy – Madeley Academy
U13 Boys Presidents Trophy – Meole Brace
U14 Boys Presidents Trophy – Madeley Academy
U15 Boys Presidents Trophy – Belvidere
U16 Boys Presidents Trophy – Priory
U12 Girls County Cup – Meole Brace
U13 Girls County Cup – Thomas Telford
U14 Girls County Cup – Thomas Telford
U15 Girls County Cup – Thomas Telford
U16 Girls County Cup – Priory
Reflections/Recommendations
Another positive season with successful finals nights. Pleasing to see a range of schools winning the various competitions and a number of teams playing in their first final for a number of years.
7. Inter County Competitions Reports
U14 Girls report:
No report received.
U14 Boys report:
No report received.
U15 Boys report:
Shropshire 2 – 3 West Midlands
Shropshire 2-1 Staffordshire
Shropshire 5-0 Staffordshire
Shropshire 3-1 West Midlands
Shropshire U-15 boys team crowned Midlands County Champions for the second year running.
It’s a phenomenal achievement by the lads, winning the league for two consecutive years coming from a very small County like Shropshire. The squad have been very committed and worked very hard for each other all season, led by inspirational Captain Isaac England from Shrewsbury School and Managed by Ryan Hickman and Charlie Torr from Ercall Wood school. Some highlights were beating West Midlands 4-2 away at the start of the season and coming from behind to edge past Staffordshire in another 4-2 thriller to decide the league.
Players player went to Oliver McTweed, supporter’s player Brandon Wust and Daniel Shore, Managers player was Caster Taylor and golden boot went to George cross who scored an incredible 8 goals.
The team is looking forward to next year`s Midland’s league and have ambitions of lifting the National Cup trophy, something no other Shropshire team has ever achieved.
U16 Girls report:
A tough start to the season saw the girls suffer heavy defeats to West Midlands and Oxfordshire (National Cup), but they grew as a team and had a very impressive season from there. Results were beating Staffordshire 2-0 & 6-1, Lincolnshire 2-1 & 3-3, Worcestershire 1-0 & 0-0, Warwickshire 1-1 & 0-1, losing the other game to West Midlands 2-1.
The girls performed to a very high level and became a very competitive side by the end of the season. Standout performances came from Tilly Edge, Bess Watson, Kia Ricks and Eva Stanley, with Maisie Docherty finishing as top goalscorer with 9 goals in 10 games.
U16 Boys report:
No report received.
8. District Schools FA Reports
North Shropshire
Very successful season with an increased number of teams and opportunities facilitated. A number of individual team successes and a number of children signed to professional clubs.
Shrewsbury
No report received.
Telford & Wrekin
Increasing the girls football offer next season to year 7, 8 and 9.
South Shropshire
No report received.
9.ESFA Report
It has been another busy and successful season for the ESFA and I have continued to serve as one of the elected council members for the Midlands. I have again served on two sub-committees; Representative Football and Governance.
The AGM Part 1 took place online on Saturday 8th July 2023. The association Chair for next season will be Marvin Robinson (Honorary Auditors appointment to Independent Council Member) whi is an ex ESFA Schoolboy international from Wolverhampton who played professionally for a number of years. The Vice Chair will be Nick Loftus, also from Wolverhampton and one of the Midland Council members.
Congratulations go to Mary Webb School for reaching the final of the ESFA Boys U13 Playstation Small Schools Trophy (losing 10v11 on penalties), Thomas Telford School for reaching the finals of the ESFA Boys U15 Playstation Schools Cup for B Teams (losing 2v1), ESFA Boys U16 Playstation Schools Cup for B Teams (losing 0v2), ESFA Boys U18 Playstation Schools Cup for B Teams (winning 3v2) and Shrewsbury School for reaching the final of the ESFA Boys u18 Schools Trophy (losing 1v3). Congratulations also go to Jay Sangha of Thomas Telford School who was selected to represent the ESFA U18 Boys squad this season.
The administrator grant from which we have benefited over recent years has been ceased due to a change in KPIs linked to The FA business plan which ring-fences certain income. This sees our association’s annual income decrease by £4000 from this month.
A monthly summary of ESFA activity can be viewed via a link on our SSCFA website to the ESFA website where ‘Membership Matters’ is published. https://schoolsfootball.org/for-associations/membership-matters/
Mark Hignett
ESFA Chair and Council Member (Midlands)
10. Treasurer’s Report
Verbal record of accounts was given. The balance sheet is available upon request.
11. Appointment of Council
President, Steve Biggins, Chair, Mark Hignett , Vice Chair, Steve Wilderspin, Administrator, Cameron Hignett, Treasurer, Sean Gorman, Secondary Competitions Coordinator, Maelor Owen, Primary Competitions Coordinator, Lee James, Assistant Primary Competitions Coordinator, George Hounsell, Post-16 Competitions Coordinator, Maelor Owen, Disability Football Officer, Vacant, Child Welfare Officer, Jan Butler, Development Officer, Mark Hignett, Inter-County Secretary, Mike Thomas, a representative from each of our four District Schools’ Football Associations: T&W Dai Lewis, Shrewsbury TBC, North Shropshire George Hounsell, South & East TBC.
12. Election of Executive Committee
President: Steve Biggins
Chair: Mark Hignett (Successor being sought)
Vice Chair: Steve Wilderspin
Secretary: Vacancy (Administrator to provide cover in interim)
Treasurer: Sean Gorman
Development Officer: Mark Hignett
Proposed by Lee James and seconded by Dai Lewis
13. Election of Representative Team Managers
U14 Boys Jack Dainty, Mike Jones
U14 Girls Chris Marsden, Phil Cooper
U15 Boys Will Smithson, Dan Cohen, Sam Peate, James Astley
U16 Boys Mike Thomas, Charlie Torr, Ryan Hickman
U16 Girls Sam Peate, Charlie Bailey, Mary Logan
Proposed by Mark Hignett and seconded by Paul Bullock
- Rule Change Proposals
Adoption (or not) of Standard Code of Rules for Education (SCOR-E)
Proposed by Mark Hignett, Seconded by George Hounsell
SCOR-E unanimously adopted for season 2023/24 onwards.
It is the responsibility of the winning teams to enter the match result into the association website (www.sscfa.co.uk) within 48 hours of the match taking place. The winning team must upload the results within 48 hours of the fixture being played, failure to do so will result the result being reversed in favour of the losers.
Proposed by Maelor Owen, Seconded by George Hounsell
Rule unanimously adopted for season 2023/24 onwards.
15.Date of next meeting– TBC
16. AOB
- Representative to Shropshire FA:
Vacancy remains unfilled. Volunteer to be identified if possible.
- FA/ESFA Clearance:
Reminder to inter-county managers that all the management teams must be cleared to be present at pitch-side for all fixtures. Cameron will contact all those that don’t currently have clearance and when he does this needs to be actioned as a priority. If they are unsure on what to do, they must contact Cameron ASAP.
- Sustainability and forward planning for key roles in the association; importance of securing volunteers for vacant officer roles as well as new volunteers to support the association.
