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Secretaries Meeting
Meeting Date 16/01/2015
Schools’ Association Football International Board

Minutes of the SAFIB General Meeting on Friday 16th January 2015
at the Movenpick Zurich Airport Hotel, commencing 14.30hrs

Delegates in attendance:
Robert Nesbitt (SAFIB Chairman & NISFA)
Gordon Pate (SAFIB Vice Chairman & Scotland)
Mike Spinks (SAFIB Secretary/Treasurer)
Dave Woollaston (SAFIB Assistant Secretary)


Alan Johnston (ESFA)
David Gilchrist (SSFA)
Gary Kennedy (NISFA)
Chris Falvey (The FA)
Anne King (The FA)
Nigel Brown (ESFA)
Alex Harkin (FAI)
Fergus McDaid (FAIS)
Cledwyn Ashford (WSFA)
Keith James (WSFA)
Mario Margreiter (Oesterreichischer FB, Austria)
Ville Sairanen (Suomen Pallolitto, Finland)
Jose Alcocer (Federation Francaise de Football, France)
Walter Fricke (DFB, Germany)
Vladimir Luptak (Slovenski Futbalovy Svaz, Slovakia)
Thomas Spoerri (ASF-SFV, Switzerland)

Amy Hobbs (FAW Trust)

Apologies
Apologies for Absence were received from Jim Boyce (FIFA/UEFA), Orit Raz (Israel FA), Bob Browaeys (Koninklijke Belgische V.B, Belgium), Jean Claude Guintini (Federation Francaise de Football, France), Jean Francois Niemezcki (Federation Francaise de Football, France). Christian Pijpers (Koninklijke Nederlandsche V.B, Holland), Jeroen Roest (Koninklijke Nederlandsche V.B, Holland), Matthias Eiles (DFB, Germany), Lukasz Sojski (PZPN – Polish FA), Bogden Basalaj (PZPN – Polish FA), David Vailing (Slovenski Futbalovy Svaz, Slovakia), Joonas Vilkki (Suomen Pallolitto, Finland), Neil Ward (FAW Trust), Peter Lee (FAW Trust) & Alex McMenemy (SSFA)

1. Welcome
In welcoming representatives to the meeting, the Chairman asked all delegates to stand for a few moments in silence as a mark of respect for Dave Woollaston’s mother who had passed away peacefully the previous weekend. Bob Nesbitt then made particular mention of those attending for the first time – Amy Hobbs (FAW Trust), Jose Alcocer (Federation Francaise de Football, France) and Chris Falvey (The FA). A welcome was afforded to Mike Spinks who was attending his first SAFIB meeting as Secretary. Bob thanked Thomas Spoerri from the Swiss FA for his very considerable efforts in making arrangements for the weekend. He concluded by expressing the wish that the weekend be as successful and informative as possible.

2. Minutes of 2014 AGM in Cardiff (Previously circulated)
The minutes were reviewed and considered a true and accurate record of the 2014 AGM. They will be officially ratified at the 2015 AGM in Dublin next September.

3. Matters Arising
There were three points of accuracy / amendment:
• Under the section “Secretary / Treasurer” the following statement should be inserted in the minutes – “It was agreed that Mike Spinks and Dave Woollaston become signatories for the SAFIB bank account”
• The details of two venues in this season’s Centenary Shield had changed
• It was noted that the Northern Ireland v England U16 Victory Shield game had been played at Dungannon Swifts and not at Portadown as indicated in the AGM minutes

4. Executive Committee
The meeting received a report on the Executive Committee meeting, which had been held earlier in the day, including:
• The recent retirement of John Read from his post as Chief Executive of the ESFA was announced although most members were aware of the situation. Anyone wishing to contact John should do so by writing to the ESFA office in Stafford who will forward it
• A report on negotiations for a new format for the Victory Shield in conjunction with BSkyB was given by the Secretary. It was agreed after much discussion that the 2015 tournament would be held over a one week period. The suggested dates and venue, to be confirmed, are for the tournament to take place between Saturday 31st October and Thursday 5th November at The FA’s complex at St George’s Park. A further meeting would be called at Wembley Stadium to discuss the whole matter in more detail
• As SAFIB Secretary Rod Houston had had meetings with UEFA in which he briefed UEFA personnel on the current membership and activities of SAFIB, had held discussions on possible future collaboration and was reassured that UEFA was seeking to identify opportunities for collaborative work. Rod had felt that there was undoubtedly goodwill towards SAFIB but the process of follow-up would take its time. The new SAFIB Secretary, Mike Spinks, was asked to contact Rod Houston so that a meeting could be arranged for both himself and Rod with UEFA
• David Gilchrist requested the return of the original Centenary Shield (which the Scottish Schools FA had donated) now that a new trophy was being utilised. Dave Woollaston confirmed that the original was currently housed in the ESFA offices in Stafford





5. Competitions
Sky Sports Victory Shield 2014-15

The results of matches were as follows:
Thursday 31st October 2014 – Wales 1-0 England – played at Bangor City FC
Thursday 31st October 2014 – Scotland 1-2 Northern Ireland – played at St Mirren FC

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Friday 7th November 2014 – Scotland 1-2 Wales – played at St Johnstone FC
Friday 7th November 2014 – Northern Ireland 0-1 England – played at Dungannon Swifts FC

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Thursday 20th November 2014 – Northern Ireland 0-2 Wales – played at Ballymena FC (shown live on Sky TV)
Thursday 20th November 2014 – England 2-0 Scotland – played at Yeovil Town FC (shown live on Sky TV)

P W D L F A Pts
Wales 3 3 0 0 5 1 9
England 3 2 0 1 3 1 6
Northern Ireland 3 1 0 2 2 4 3
Scotland 3 0 0 3 2 6 0

Wales were congratulated on their success in this season’s Victory Shield, the first time they had lifted the trophy for 59 years. Cledwyn Ashford (Chairman WSFA) spoke of the emotion of his season with the Champions. The meeting was of the view that the competition had been well conducted by participating Associations with 3 double headers on the evenings of Thursday 31st October, Friday 7th November and Thursday 20th November. The first two rounds of matches were recorded by Sky and the goals were shown later on Sky Sports News. The final round of matches on Thursday 20th November had both been televised live by Sky, with the Northern Ireland v Wales game starting at 6 pm and the England v Scotland match at 8 pm.

Sky Sports Victory Shield 2015-16
Hannah Brown, from BSkyB, had met with the Home Nations members earlier at the hotel to discuss a changed format, the preference of Sky, for the 2015-16 tournament. The proposal was for 2 matches on Sunday afternoon, 2 matches on Tuesday afternoon with the last round of games to be at a local Football League ground on the Thursday evening. These last 2 games would be shown live on Sky TV. This occasioned, as it had at the morning’s Executive Committee meeting, considerable discussion before the members decided to refer the matter to a meeting of participating Associations that would be held at a later date.

U18 Centenary Shield 2014-15
The following planned schedule of games was confirmed to the meeting.

• Friday 27th February 2015 – ESFA U18 v WSFA U18 @ Truro City, KO 7 pm
• Thursday 5th March 2015 – WSFA U18 v SSFA U18 @ Bangor City, KO 7 pm
• Friday 6th March 2015 – ESFA U18 v NISFA U18 @ Eastleigh, KO 7 pm
• Tuesday 17th March 2015 – NISFA U18 v FAIS U18 @ Ballinmallard United, KO 5 pm
• Thursday 26th March 2015 – FAIS U18 v WSFA U18 @ Wexford, KO 7 pm
• Friday 27th March 2015 – NISFA U18 v SSFA U18 @ Comber, KO 5 pm
• Friday 10th April 2015 – SSFA U18 v ESFA U18 @ Dumbarton, KO 7 pm
• Friday 17th April 2015 – WSFA U18 v NISFA U18 @ Llanelli, KO 7 pm
• Friday 17th April 2015 – FAIS U18 v ESFA U18 @ Sligo Rovers, KO 7 pm
• Thursday 23rd April 2015 – SSFA v FAIS U18 @ Spartans, Edinburgh, KO 7 pm

The meeting noted that the age qualification date for the Centenary Shield would be boys born on or after 1st January 1997.

The meeting noted certain fixtures that had been arranged against Australia Schools in January and February 2015. It was to be hoped that from 2016 onwards all fixtures by touring teams from abroad (principally Australia and New Zealand) should be co-ordinated by the SAFIB Secretary and / or Assistant Secretary.

The Secretary was asked to inform the Australian touring party that they needed to pay their affiliation fee of £200 before their first tour game to officially join SAFIB and as an insurance security.

Other tournaments
International Schools Football – U15 Girls Tournament for the Bob Docherty Cup
David Gilchrist (SSFA) informed the meeting that this event is due to be hosted by Scottish Schools FA and will take place at the Toryglen Football Centre, Glasgow, from 6th – 9th April 2015. All matches will be played on astrograss. Accommodation for the 5 teams (England, Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, Scotland and Wales) would be at the Holiday Inn, Glasgow Airport.

The contacts for the event are David Gilchrist in the first instance and then Alex McMenemy and John Watson when the tournament is taking place. A programme will be prepared so all countries were asked to furnish John with the names of their players and their schools.

Slovakia indicated their interest in attending the 2016 Bob Docherty Cup competition. It was agreed that any team from abroad should have their accommodation and meals paid for by SAFIB.
Inter-Schools Football – British Isles U14 Schools Championship for the Allen McKinstry Cup
The NISFA intimated that it is pleased to host this event, which will take place in the Belfast area from 21st to 23rd May 2015. All accommodation would be at the La Mon Hotel and Country Club. Bob Nesbitt undertook to inform the competing national associations that the cost of the venture will be in the region of £3,000. Payment from each school would be needed in advance of the tournament. This had not been the case with one school in the 2014 event run by the ESFA. In fact, the offending school had not paid until August following the tournament in May.

The 2015 tournament format would be as follows:-
• Teams to arrive in Northern Ireland on the morning of Thursday 21st May
• 3 matches to be played concurrently on Thursday evening at 5 pm
• 3 matches to be played concurrently on Friday morning at 10.30 am
• 3 matches to be played concurrently on Saturday morning at 10.30 am
• Teams to depart from Northern Ireland on the afternoon of Saturday 23rd May

It was indicated that Allen McKinstry, previous Secretary of SAFIB, would be there himself to present his trophy at the conclusion of the tournament.

Members were in agreement that SAFIB should investigate the possibility of the sixth team at the Allen McKinstry Cup being a school team from the continent. The Secretary was asked to write to the affiliated countries to offer this possibility to them all and to report the responses he received to the AGM.

Other friendly fixtures
Members were asked to notify the Secretary of fixtures and results.

Alex Harkin announced that a friendly girls’ fixture between the Republic of Ireland U15 girls and England had been agreed for Saturday 21st March 2015 at Home Farm Football Club in Dublin with a lunch-time kick-off.

6. SAFIB AGM 2015
The FAI and FAIS confirmed preparedness to host the 2015 AGM, at a hotel in close proximity to Dublin Airport, on Friday 11th and 12th September 2015. The theme for the meeting had still to be decided. Alex Harkin was undertaking the arrangements for the weekend.

7. SAFIB Winter Meeting January 2016
On rotation the Dutch should be hosting the next Winter Meeting but since there was no one from Holland present in Zurich other countries were asked if they would be prepared to be hosts. A venue for the meeting would be intimated to members after Mario Margreiter had had an opportunity to consult with his colleagues in Austria. Mario indicated that the meeting, if held in Austria, would be in Vienna. Walter Fricke indicated that Germany would be prepared to host a future Winter Meeting in Frankfurt.

8. Arrangements for the Weekend
Thomas Spoerri had furnished the meeting with detailed arrangements for the weekend by way of a brochure which had been handed out to all delegates. He confirmed the venues in the hotel for the weekend meals on Friday and Saturday nights. He outlined the Saturday morning seminar by his colleague from the Swiss FA, Laurent Prince, on the topic of U12 to U17 football in Switzerland and the afternoon visit to the Lindt Chocolate Factory in Zurich both of which members were particularly looking forward to.

9. Any Other Business
Cledwyn Ashford read out an email from Gavin Reen (FAW Trust) who had moved to work within the world of Wales Golf at the Celtic Manor Hotel. Gavin concluded his message with the hope that everyone would “keep growing the wonderful game within your countries.”

At this point each of the continental members gave short reports on schools football in their countries. All were well received by the meeting.

Walter Fricke passed on greetings from Matthias Eiles who was now working for the Referees Department within the German FA.

Dave Woollaston and Mike Spinks were asked to follow up the Peace Cup initiative (which could attract UN funding). The Secretary was also asked to write a message from SAFIB to Jim Boyce who had recently been awarded the OBE. Gary Kennedy was congratulated on his MBE which he had recently received at Buckingham Palace from the Prince of Wales.

Details of the agreement with inspiresport, covering support for the Centenary Shield, the Bob Docherty Cup and the Allen McKinstry Cup were re-iterated. The bulk of income goes towards supporting the staging of the Bob Docherty and Allen McKinstry Cups. Members were reminded that all matches in these three tournaments should be referred to as games in conjunction with “inspiresport.” Appropriate acknowledgement to the company should be given in programmes and in any material circulated prior to matches taking place.

Thanks to Bob Nesbitt for chairing the meeting were proposed by Gordon Pate.

10 Presentations
Before closing the meeting at 16.15, Bob Nesbitt made two presentations. One was to Nigel Brown the previous Chairman of SAFIB. The other was to Thomas Spoerri of the Swiss FA who had masterminded the whole weekend. The Chairman thanked all present for their contributions to what he felt had been a most successful meeting.

Mike Spinks
January 2015


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