A NEW chairman, five new clubs and four name changes emerged from the Wilson Fun Company Sheppey Sunday Football League annual meeting.

New outfits T’s Leisure, Lynten Athletic, Park Regis A, Woodcombe Sports Reserves and White Horse Reserves will replace the five teams that have dropped out.

Although the league will have the same number of teams the Island is one down after losing Denmaur Player and British Queen, and gaining only T’s Leisure.

The meeting in Sittingbourne began with Bill Tate unanimously voted in as the new league chairman. The former vice-chairman took a step up replacing John Smith who wrote in his annual report: “After 30 years serving this league and its members as a player, a referee, a council member, vice-chairman and latterly the honour of chairman it is time to go.”

The departing chairman’s last action was to welcome Mr Tate, the league council’s nomination, into the hot seat and the new chairman immediately paid tribute to the “sterling service” carried out by his predecessor.

Melvin Emmett, former secretary of Marshalls, takes over the role of vice-chairman. Other officers all unanimously elected were: treasurer Sue Russell, registration secretary Gary Marcham, fixture secretary/results co-ordinator Peter Williams, referee’s secretary Chris Russell, minutes secretary Jo Waters and council members Phil Spice, George Baker, Paul Cooper and Teresa Simlar.

With mutterings that senior 11-a-side football is on the decline in Swale came an early warning sign that clubs must put in more effort behind the scenes.

It was revealed that Andrew Bolton will be carrying out the duties of league secretary for one last season and that clubs should start thinking of nominating a suitable replacement.

It is now very difficult to find good football administrators willing to put in the time and effort to keep leagues running smoothly.

When it came to the constitution Genovar Athletic and Woodcombe Sports held their hands up and admitted they did not want to play in Division 1, Genovar because they felt their young side would “get slaughtered” and Woodcombe who felt “they would not survive”.

Their plea for sympathy was put to the floor and Beauty of Bath and White Horse came to their rescue and volunteered to take their places in the top flight.

There were no objections so the constitution is as follows:

DIVISION 1: Queen Phillipa, Goat Inn, Towns Club, Fox and Goose, Ypres Tavern, F&G Bapchild (formerly Fox and Goose Res), Fulston Zebras, Beauty of Bath, White Horse, Lynten Athletic (new).

DIVISION 2: Ant Hill Mob, Leysdown, Island Golf, Midas, Park Regis, Newington Village, Towns Club A, Genovar Athletic, Woodcombe Sports, T’s Leisure (new).

DIVISION 3: Grove Park, Murston Athletic, The B52s, Midas A, Brambledown Sports (formerly The Royal), IR Services, Park Regis A (new), Medway Gills Deaf FC, Woodcoombe Sports Res (new), Royal Hotel (formerly Wurth FC), White Horse Res (new), The Phillipa (formerly Queen Phillipa Res).

FIRST ROUND DRAW FOR THE LEAGUE CUP: Ant Hill Mob v Woodcoombe Sports, F&G Bapchild v The Phillipa, Fox and Goose v The B52s, Goat Inn v Lynten Athletic, Towns Club A v Leysdown, Midas A v Grove Park, Brambledown Sports v Midas, T’s Leisure v Beauty of Bath, Park Regis v Island Golf, Park Regis A v Newington Village, IR Services v Woodcoombe Sports Res, Murston Athletic v White Horse Reserves, Fulston Zebras v Medway Gills Deaf FC, Ypres Tavern v Genovar Athletic, White Horse v Queen Phillipa, Royal Hotel v Towns Club.