Richardson/Spens - what next?

[Keith Rose]

This evening I emailed the secretaries of all Scottish clubs and the captains of this season's teams. The text of that email was:

Options for reform of Richardson and Spens Cups from 2015-16 season:

Richardson Cup

Format:

1. Retain the knockout format;
2. Groups - 2 groups of four, top finishers in each group to meet in team finals, bottom of each group to play-off for relegation. Advantages of groups is that each team would get at least three matches, four in the case of first- and last-place;
3. Four team all-play-all during one weekend of Fri/Sat/Sun or Sat/Sun/Mon

Team numbers:
1) 16
2) 8
3) 4

Team size:
1) 8
2) 7
3) 6
4) 5

Pools – max size 12, published at start of season

Eligibility (bona fide rules):

Currently -

To be bona fide a player should have:-
a) Paid the required membership fee for the current season* and
b) Satisfied at least one of the following:
Represented the club in other competitive events during the current or preceding season;
Participated in the club’s graded internal tournaments in the current or preceding season;
Has not represented another Scottish club in the Richardson Cup in the previous three seasons and lives, works or studies within 30 miles of the proposing club’s normal meeting place. In remote areas this distance will be extended to include the nearest appropriate club.

Suggestions:

Remove a) – Impossible to prove one way or the other;
Retain - Represented the club in other competitive events during the current or preceding season;
Participated in the club’s graded internal tournaments in the current or preceding season;
Has not represented another … But delete from ' .. and lives …'
Add - Must be SCO registered and/or have played in Scotland the previous season. Players not SCO registered but attending university or working in Scotland are eligible but evidence must be provided at least seven days in advance of playing.

Time control:

1) Retain 40 in 2 hrs + 30 mins quickplay;
2) Increments, but not all clubs have digital clocks;
3) Current time control but increments in the final.

Also for consideration - playing at central locations (cost, and therefore entry fees, would be factors). Could be shared with Spens matches;
Alternatively, area/grouped venues, e.g. Glasgow, Edinburgh & Dundee areas.
Playing on a Sat and Sun of several weekends if groups/league format(s) find favour.

Spens Cup

Format:
1) Retain the current knockout format, first-match losers enter the Rosebowl;
2) Scrap the Spens;
3) Groups as with Richardson suggestion but maximum of 5 teams in each group. Any more than 10 entries would need 3 groups.

Team size:
1) 5
2) 4

Eligibility (bona fide rules):

Currently
To be bona fide a player should have:-

a) Paid the required membership fee for the current season* and
b) Satisfied at least one of the following:

Represented the club in other competitive events during the current or preceding season;
Participated in the club’s graded internal tournaments in the current or preceding season;
Lives, works or studies within 30 miles of the proposing club’s normal meeting place. In remote areas this distance will be extended to include the nearest appropriate club.

Suggestions:

Remove a) – Impossible to prove one way or the other;
Retain - Represented the club in other competitive events during the current or preceding season;
Participated in the club’s graded internal tournaments in the current or preceding season;
Remove - Lives, works or studies …

Permit an unattached or surplus player to play for a club with which he/she is not a formal member.

Also for consideration - playing at central locations (cost, and therefore entry fees, would be factors). Could be shared with Richardson matches;
Alternatively, area/grouped venues, e.g. Glasgow, Edinburgh & Dundee areas.
Playing on a Sat and Sun of several weekends if group/league format(s) find favour.

Further consideration in due course regarding Rosebowl.

I also sent the contents of the earlier postings in this forum to get them started and I have asked for feedback by end of June

Further thoughts would be welcome.
.