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SUNNY, DRY? WHAT'S GOING ON?

Looks Like We might Get Some Games In Today

A bit of a change in the weather from what we're used to. From parkas to sou' westers to sun block. And all in the space of a few days.

Apparently, travel advisors tell tourists complaining about the weather to just wait 10 minutes. And they're dead right. We've gone from Artic to sub-tropical (a slight exaggeration but compared with the weather we've had recently, allowable surely) and, fingers crossed, the weather people are hopeful for the rest of the month.

It goes without saying that if we have a monsoon or a mini-ice age over the coming weeks you know who to blame.

PUT THAT FAG OUT

Council Premises Are Smoke Free Zones

Regardless of what you smoke, cigarettes, pipe - or anything else - you cannot light up anywhere on council sports premises or any other premises which are "communal" or where paid employees work. We have been advised that councils and other letting organisations will refuse to rent their pitches to clubs which don't abide by this legal requirement and may cancel already agreed hiring arrangements where there are reports, or evidence, of non-compliance.

You willl need to be matchless in the changing rooms saving your glowing performances and any other fiery moments for when you're on the pitch.

GLOOM, DOOM and DESPAIR in GUERNSEY

Our Boys Crash Out to 90th Minute Islanders' Winner

Sadly, no good news to report from our trip to Guernsey. We played well but with the scores tied at 2 all lost out to a last gasp Guernsey goal. For a full match report please go to the National League System Cup news page. Photos of the game can be found on Photobucket

The Guernsey Channel Television company is broadcasting a match report on Monday. If you follow this link http://www.channelonline.tv/channelonline_sport/ then click on the Report Sport programme screen, you should be able to watch their 'Report Sport' programme which will include the match report.

You can see additional clips at http://www.channelonline.tv/channelonline_sportnews/displayarticle.asp?id=483692and http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/8514935.stm.

YOUR PASSWORD

Ask and You Will Receive?

Like lots of websites you use, the league asks for a password and access to some of the faciltities on our website is not possible unless you provide one. But what should your password be?

First up; as with life in general we're not all created equal. This - although it pains me to say it - is a relatively trivial website. You should not use the password here that you use to secure your bank details or other genuinely important stuff. So the first rule of passwords is that you will almost certainly need at least two.

The second rule is another slightly saddening one; when it comes to keeping your important data safe you are at most risk from family and friends. So; don't share passwords and don't reveal important ones - to anyone.

Third rule? Don't try and do it yourself. There are lots of password checkers that will help. A good one can be found here. Give it a try; make up a phrase you can remember - footymad11? - and try it in the checker. When you get a good one - 4th rule: don't trust internet password checkers - change it round slightly and then log on and change your password for your details here.

Finally, I repeat, please remember not to use a password that protects really important personal information on websites that don't need that amount of protection. (The more often you use a password the more times it exists "out there" in the interweb and the more likely it is to be discovered). You need at least two passwords.

While logged on please remember to check your details; particularly date of birth, post code and email address. If they are wrong or missing please fill-in the correct information as this is a great help to us when we need to match players and referees etc with data from other bodies like the FA and so on.

HAITI STILL NEEDS YOUR HELP

They've Not Given Up - We Shouldn't Either

Amazingly and miraculously, survivors continue to be pulled from the rubble in Haiti. The dignity and courage of this devastated people as they struggle to come to terms with what has happened is incredible. Seeing people who already had so little finding the strength, determination and spirit to rebuild their lives says, surely, we can do something from the comfort of our armchairswhich is simple, effortless andrequires no great courage or fortitude; and send them some money.

The response from the ordinary man and woman in the street in the UK has been staggering in its generosity but Haiti STILL needs all the help it can get.

The easiest way to send effective help is to make a donation. Click here to see how quickly and easily you can do your bit to make things just that little better for the struggling Haitians.

If you would like to help on a more permanent, continuing basis, click here for details on how you can intervene directly in a child's life and play a positive part in improving their future.

Our league has been around for over 100 years and some of our clubs for as long or possibly longer. With that kind of permanence in mind, I would ask all our clubs to consider "adopting" a child, paying the small monthly sum out of general club funds. Just think, your club could help bring up the next African, Asian, South American prodigy. (If nothing else, Arsenal will be grateful :)). Seriously, your managementcommittee will be considering this at its next meeting and I ask all our clubs to also give it some thought.

And finally; please don't forget Gift Aid. If you take that extra moment to provide the required details you add more than a quarter to the value of your contribution at no additional cost to yourself.

Whichever route you choose, please remember that, as far away from this appalling tragedy as we are, you CAN do something to help. Do it now. Please.

POSITION FILLED - JOB DONE

Cuffley Reserves Get Their Man

Cuffley FC were looking for a Reserve team Manager and turned to the website, amongst other channels, to advertise their vacancy.

The club filled the position and had this to say about the effectiveness of the website, "Following a response from the Advert we successfully appointed a manager on Thursday night . Many thanks for the use of the Website (and) it was definitely the best way of advertising from the 3 methods we tried and (we) had a good response from it."

Advertisingon the website works and would work for your firm or business just as well. For further details contact leaguemanager.biz.

Clubs with vacancies to fill or other requirements to advertise should get in touch with the league in the first instance (advertising on our website for clubs is free).

POSITION VACANT

Successful Club Requires New 1st Team Manager

Park Street Village FC are looking for a new manager to develop their1st Team playing in the Herts Senior County League Premier Division.

PSV are looking for a manager who is motivated, enthusiastic and equipped to see the team continue to succeed. We have a great pool of players, with an outstanding mix of youth and experience, and the appointed manager will have the full backing of the players and the club committee.

If you feel this opportunity - to put your managerial talents to work for an ambitious club - is right for you and a chanceyou have been waiting for, please get in touch with our Club Secretary, Ged Deacon - 07866 744310 - or by email to admin@parkstreetvillagefc.com.

Tremendous Excitement, Clubhouse Goes Mad, Beer Stocks Exhausted

This headline could so easily describe the scene in your clubhouse on a Saturday as the league's results come in.

You can just picture the excitement amongst your players as they watch the County league tables change before their eyes as Audrey and the wonder of the web do their stuff.

If you have a TV in your clubhouse, connecting it to the internet via a cheap PC and a dial-up telephone connection is easy, costs pennies and is immensely interesting (that bit's not true, possibly). The introduction of very inexpensive Netbook computers - costing less than 200 in many cases - and the availability of "dongles" providing 3G+ access (as fast as many household internet connections) makes setting up a TV to show County league results very straightforward and relatively easily affordable for most clubs.

Showing the results and tables as they come in and are updated will increase the number of people using your bar making investment in the small amount of equipment required self financing.

Watch your teams' fortunes ebb and flow on the telly - for more details get in touch with Brian Smith.

Getting Results On The Move

www.hsc.leaguemanager.biz/mobile

Anyone who has a mobile phone can take advantage of a free, all-new service introduced by the makers of our website - leaguemanager.biz.

You can use your mobile to access league information - including the latest results and up-to-the-minute league tables - when you're not at your PC simply, quickly and for no additional cost (other than what your network provider charges you for internet access). Regardless of the make of phone or ISP you use, if you have internet access on your mob - sometimes called 3G - you're in.

It's free to get details of fixtures, results, league tables; even the address and contact details of the club you're playing and telephone numbers for the match referee and assistants. Very handy on a Saturday when you don't know where you're going or you've got a possible no-show. Click here for more details.

A tip. If you can, set your font size to the smallest your phone allows. You will then see all the information on one screen without having to scroll from side to side.

Club Secretaries - Check your Details?

Everybody in the league relies on the details provided by clubs and recorded on the website. Whether it is a league officer sending out information, a home club wishing to confirm a match or referees and players looking for venue details, everybody turns to the website.

Changes in club officers, team colours (check with the general secretary before changing yours), new grounds (inspection required?) and other key information go on all the time. Please make sure you check the details recorded for your club and update them where necessary.

Emails with website logging-in details have been sent to all club officers. If you have appointed new officers oryou need a reminder please let me know and they will be re-sent.

Is Your Email Address Correct?

League rules say that every club must have a monitored email address. If yours hasn't charges could follow.

It is a league requirement for clubs to use the website to enter their match result cards and to record goal scorers. Please make sure that your club is equipped and organised to do this.

Ideally the club secretary would be the club officer with access to the internet and email. Other club members can be designated as your contact point but they must appreciate that the league will expect them to provide a consistent and reliable link to the club in the secretary's place.

If you would like additional usernames and passwords for anyone in your club (who may be operating as your internet and email "officer" for example) please let me know and I will set them up and email them their logging-on details.

Is Your Ground Up To Standards?

Lawrence Workman, the league development officer, will be visiting all our grounds throughout the beginning of the season to ensure that they meet our standards requirements. Match officials also provide regular feedback to the league via their match reports.

Appendix 'A'

The criteria we measure our grounds against are contained in Appendix 'A' to our rules. This is printed in our annual Directory and Rule Book and on the Noticeboard and all clubs are encouraged to check that they continue to meet the requirements therein.

Action was taken against clubs last year and where restrictions or additional requirements were imposed then these remain in force until the underlying reason for them has been remedied or otherwise attended to.

Of particular concern are those clubs which previously conformed to standards but have since experienced weather or other damage which they have not rectified and the small number of clubs given dispensation regarding temporary accommodation or other facilities but which have stopped meeting their end of the agreement.

The league will take action against clubs letting their standards slip and this could, in exceptional cases, include a requirement to play at another location, demotion or expulsion from the league.