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Living in the past
Reporter: by KEVIN RICHARDSON
Date online: 02/07/2009
Bamford seek new challenge
ANDY BARTON, the Bamford Fieldhouse captain, has accused the Armstrongs Office Furniture Saddleworth and District Cricket League of having an “archaic attitude”.
Barton’s blast was prompted by his side’s four-run defeat at Bootle in the regional final of the ECB National Knockout Cup.
He claimed the league’s refusal to switch the fixture against Greenfield, which meant Bamford had to give up home advantage against the Merseysiders, was the difference between winning and losing.
Bamford have made it known they are looking to join another league and have sent out more than a dozen letters to other competitions in Lancashire asking to be considered for entry if an opportunity arises.
Barton raged: “The league, because they refused to rearrange a game, cost us the tie.
“We would have beaten Bootle if the match had been on our ground.
“The ECB Knockout Cup is the most prestigious competition in local league cricket and I’ve spoken to a lot of people who have said it was a farce that the league didn’t allow us to change the fixture against Greenfield.
“Other leagues do it, so why can’t the Saddleworth League.
“It was an absolute disgrace and it’s about time the league moved into the real world.”
Bamford joined the league in 1994 and have won the title on four occasions, including three times in the last four years.
Leaders by 50 points, they are on course to claim the championship this season.
It is no surprise that Bamford are looking for new pastures as they applied to enter the Central Lancashire League in 2005 and 2006 but lost out to Monton and Weaste and Clifton, respectively.
A letter sent by Bamford to one league, said: “We have recently been disillusioned by the quality that we face week in week out in the Saddleworth League and would relish a sterner challenge”.
Barton went on: “Bamford are trying to enhance the league, but every time we take a step forward, the league knock us back and we’re getting fed up with it.
“We’ve provided the ground for an Inter-League game and also players for the side, but not any more. They’ll get nothing from us.
“We don’t want to move, but things have got to change. The league must move away from their archaic attitude.”
Reacting to Barton’s attack, league general secretary Trevor Harrison said: “There is no provision in the rules to change fixtures.
“We’ve also got to look after the interests of all the other clubs in the league, not just Bamford Fieldhouse, who enter the National Knockout Cup on a purely voluntary basis. It is not entered on merit.
“If Bamford want to make an issue of it, the correct procedure and place is to submit a rule-change proposal at the annual meeting where every club has a vote.
“The selection of players for the league team is actually done on merit and I don’t see how Bamford, as a club, can refuse permission for players to represent the league when the players are invited personally.
“Amateur players do not have a contract to play for Bamford, unless Mr Barton knows something I don’t.”
Have Your Say
mr trevor harrison, after reading this article i am shocked to the core and find it hard to believe that the saddleworth league would hinder a club in ANY cup competetion away from the saddleworth league. would it not be good to promote the saddleworth league instead of it being know as a CLUB VILLAGE LEAGUE..... i feel its time to change the committee!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Fortunately for Bamford, Mr Barton can choose his players better than his words! "Arcadian" refers to a region of Greece. I think he means "archaic" as in old-fashioned, stuck in the past etc.
mr trevor harrison, if the league team is done on merit has you say, after watching plenty of league games from uppermill cricket club to moorside cricket club this year i would have thought that bamfordfield house cricket club would be your league team!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! is there any players better man for man?????
The cat is amongst the pigeons now...
The SDCL rules are in the stone age. Why not send a questionaire to players for their opinion on rule changes rather the people who dont play anymore.
*Legside wides
*fielding restrictions in 1st team games
*2020 back on a sunday in front of a fullcrown etc
so the future is to engage mercenaries from all over at the expense of Bamfords own players....Please will some other league take this team so the saddy league can get back to playing amateur cricket how it should be..WELL SAID MR HARRISON....
Barton has to realise that he doesn't own the league. Anyway sounds like he needs to buy some more talent if they are only good enough to win at home, what a baby!
Typical Mr Barton, another excuse when his invincibles get beat by a better side! Maybe you got beat by four runs because YOU was in the side instead of another 'superstar'. You cant spell bat or bowl you must be a specialist fielder! The wheels will fall off the fat controllers train one day!
Perhaps Mr. Barton was not aware, but on the day he struggled to turn out three teams, his opponents in the Saddleworth League, Greenfield C.C. were also turning out three teams, (each of which had eleven players).
Mr Anderson, the saddleworth league is and always has been a "CLUB VILLAGE LEAGUE"...Until the majority of all of the other clubs vote otherwise. Mr Barton and his "amatuers"(lol)want something more so will some other league please let them have it so the saddy league can play village cricket.Also, more Bamford players were selected for the league team but could'nt make it ..why?
This guy Barton needs to grow up and pick all his toys up and bugger off into another league.He's a spoilt little boy who cant get his own way all of the time. The Saddleworth and district league does'nt need this kind of attitude and behaviour and should stay as it is,a village cricket league.
The archaic attitude of the Saddleworth league seems to be no more apparent than in the bar at Bamford Fieldhouse itself, I was refused service at the Bamford Fieldhouse bar for a can of coke because I was wearing cricket whites!!! I could have sworn I was at Bamford Fieldhouse CRICKET Club??? I nearly asked Mr Barton if he'd let me take my bat out with me when I batted against his "amateurs".
What are the chances of Skol ( Mr cheese and onion) catching the league side? Oh on the catching front i did see him fielding at Bamford and he couldnt catch a cold!!!
mr joke, you certainly have the right name, for sure, how can anybody want to play a sport and not achieve more and improve. it sounds like you dont or ever have played cricket. as for the amateurs at bamfordfield house cricket club surely people like seeing good players play (i know i do) instead of watching a standard just a little higher than oldham alliance league..... now get a life
With the game of cricket moving forward at such a fast pace all local leagues will have to move with it or die with the dinosaurs , whether its village cricket or proper cricket !!!
the saddleworth league is dire apart from the odd decent player, nobody watches, facilities are antiquated and sub standard,the majority of grounds are like farmers fields,the saddy league is an insult to village cricket run by old men with no thought for change.
Pleased to see that the Chron have edited the article by replacing the word "Arcadian" with "Archaic".
It would be an insult to the brave Arcadian soldiers who fought back to back with King Leonidas and the Spartans at the battle of Thermoplyae to liken them to the Saddleworth and District Cricket league committee
Not the most sensible thing AB has ever done however he should be complemented with the way he has lifted the bar in the SDCL. What we shouldnt forget is the support he has given the league since they joined, a few years back was he not the League's sponsor and I am sure Shaw will be forever grateful for the way he helped them out with their travel to IOM for a Lancs Cup game. Well done to TH for his strong response lets hope a happy medium can be reached.
Whilst there may sympathy for Bamford, this is not the first time such a request has been made. S&DCL rules state "The fixtures shall be arranged and fixed at a meeting in November and all league fixtures to be arranged previous to any other fixtures". The exec. only adminster the rules if clubs want change they should do so at the AGM
You have to wonder about the self-esteem of players like Marshall, McKeown and Shadford. All ex-county pros who could hold their own in a Premiership League such as the one Bootle play in, or the Huddersfield League, but they prefer play for Bamford and be big fish in a small pond.
People use this forum to talk about improving the standard of the SDCL, how can Bamford be considered visionary here with no junior section? Visionary would be to invest current funds into youth development & structured coaching aiming to produce LCCC players of the future, not invest in past LCCC players.
Let’s hope things do change & things improve for the better, but for all clubs, not just for those clubs with players & hangers on who drink Laurent-Perrier.
You have to wonder about the self-respect of players like Marshall, McKeown and Shadford, all ex-county pros, who seem content to turn out every week as big fish in a small pond.
@ Backdoor 5
Bamford do have a youth section, in fact they were crowing about employing a professional coach this season (Some of us have been doing this for 20 years). However their commitment seems fragile, they withdrew their U17 side because of players' exams!
Point of order Backdoor 5 my son played against Bamford a couple of weeks ago and unless i need glasses they had three qualified coaches and four other guys helping out - keep up the good work Bamford time will tell - all the best
is this all getting a bit out of hand or is the pooh going to hit the fan (or a glass table with people lying underneath) are people really that bothered about bamford cricket club? is it jealousy? i suppose its publicity for the new and refreshed cricket club for weddings and parties.......... bookings are now being taken for xmas..
mr casinokid..how could you see anything at Bamford from your vantage point, only your shoes were showing from a.b's rear end.mr anderson is obviously fitting windows and conservatories for a living in and around heywood, might we all go and see the good that is prevailing at bamford with the junior section and local loyal Bamfordian senior amateur players supporting them.lol.
Its a pity Mr Bartons investment in the club doesnt stretch beyond the playing and bar staff (marked improvement on the latter this year). This club is a farce not the league. What happens in 5 years when AB pulls the plug. No support, no thriving junior section, no social aspect, rubbish 2nds. Let them join another league.
The league has turned into an absolute joke!! and so have the people on this forum!! GCC you didnt get served as you wer walkin into Bamford's sports bar with your whites on and your 8 toed feet!!
Hangers on!!! I was asked by my close friends and ex team mates to go to Bamford ( jason,darren,liam). Having played cricket most of my career with 2 of those players i thought i would go. Would you do the same backdoor 5???? I must say Backdoor charlie that for you its always better not to speak and people think you are a numpti than to speak and remove all doubt!!!!!!
So who for the 1st team is scoring for heyside this week? My money is on joke but hope he dosent drop the score book like he did at bamfordshire. Seriously though joke i think you should the honourable think and retire and become a full time scorer!!!!Thanks for that bye for now
The saddy league would be a better cricket league without this money orientated rochdale outfit...stick to saddleworth and district !! when has heywood been any where near saddleworth.
Seems there are alot of jelouse people in the saddleworth league, yes bamford have an awsome team, yes if your not picked for it your village and yes if you dont wanna try giving them a game why bother turning up in the first place, enough said get your fingers out other teams
Heyside CC have no jealousy of the bamford bombers!Let Mc Shuffle spend his thousands on shabby newts it gives them something to do through the week post comments on here or facebook!Good for a laugh tho!Natural yogurt all round!Ian Austins had more rips you fruits!
I dont understand these people backing Bamford up by saying the others are jealous.I know for a fact that the club i go to,and watch on occasion,spend their money on 1 professional and sometimes bring an overseas amateur over and the others are locally well known cricketers.Our club,and im sure other clubs within the league,could buy a team if they so wished but prefer to play by the rules and within the spirit of the game.
I have no sympathy for this man or his club. He won't mention the fact he demanded the regional semi v Clifton CC had to be moved as he had players in the inter league game the day the fixture was due. This caused CCC to play a massively weakened team, with as many 3rdXI players as firstXI! Stay away from the CLL, you're not welcome!
Not a big fan of Bamford but I have to say the way the Saddleworth League have acted is a joke. If Bamford were to progress in the competition or even win it, it would have been seen as a boost for the whole league. A bit of good publicity for the league in general.
I think league's board have shown themselves to be petty and bitter on a number of occasions in the last few seasons.
Most players in the league relish the challenge of playing Bamford's 'amateurs'.
By ArthurD @ 02/07/2009 11:53:48
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