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35 year old player/ coach, qualified Level 3 coach available to become part of your club's coaching staff.
Quite right Robin. Carrick had a great season and congratulations all round. We should also congratulate Simon Johnston, Mark Hawthorne and James McCollum on their awards and the North-West awardees Lawrence Moore and the ageless Decker Curry.
Great to see quality, loyalty, and success being recognized at the highest level across various sectors.
Many deserved congratulations to Simon Johnston on his Coach Of The Year Award, tho last time I checked Simon is very much a product & very proud to be from that part of County Armagh just at the top of the Shankill Road called Woodvale.
Both Simon and James are of course products of local cricket in general and I apologise as my comments have clearly offended some people. My apologies also to my colleagues at Waringstown Cricket Club for speaking out of turn.
Great to see Carrick recognised as Club of the year...the First XI squad under Ian Parkhill had a fantastic season winning 4 trophies,backed up by league wins for the 2nds,4ths and Under 15s,showing great strength in depth.
Re: Jonathan Lyttle
Since when have Simon Johnston and James McCollum been Waringstown homegrown talent?
One thing I do agree on is the scorers huts do need to improve and get bigger
Jonathan
Would that not be an example of Lurgan's home grown talent and tradition ?
RE Jonathan Lyttle
'Another example of home grown talent and tradition which Waringstown excels in by investing time and support to all'
Since when has James McCollum been homegrown talent? Was he not poached from Lurgan....
You are 100% right Mikey. It was said in the context that other clubs also spend heavily so it is no guarantee. You still have to win on the field and you have to beat teams that also spend.
All the major trophies in the recent era have been won by clubs who invested heavily in players whether openly or covertly so we are in agreement. I don't know where it ends but it is virtually impossible for an amateur club to compete with a semi-professional team and that's the same in all sport.
Just want to pass on my congratulations to Simon Johnston and James McCollum on their awards. True recognition of talent and ability for both. Simon an excellent coach both at club and representative level and James who has great potential for the future both at Waringstown and with Ireland. Another example of home grown talent and tradition which Waringstown excels in by investing time and support to all.
Clarence please stand corrected. Money does buy you success and trophies.
You may not see it every year but over a period of time the wealthier clubs, in all sports, will be most successful. They might not win leagues and cups every year but they will be there and thereabouts. Take ulster rugby and look at big spending ballynahinch, look at city and Chelsea in the premier league, the big spending French rugby clubs, real Madrid in the context of European football. It's all relative at the end of the day and Irish cricket is no different.
Andy,
The basics should be in place as set by the Grounds Committee. Come in Neil and confirm?
My campaign was for for better spectator facilities but more seating has lost its appeal with nobody to sit on the seats. Also, toilets-we are worse than the Irish League and that's a low entry point. The Beatles sang "Money can't be me love" and it can't buy you trophies either.
As a scorer with twenty years experience I wish to register my dismay at some of the scoring facilities in Premier League grounds. The scorebox at Waringstown is an example to all clubs but there are grounds where you are in a garden shed with no windows that can open or if they do open you ar exposed to elements. Some boxes have not been cleaned or spruced up and clubs should address the shortcomings during the winter months. I think of our international ground with a garden shed ready for the skip or another leading club where the scorebox doubles up as a store for equipment. Clearly unacceptable when you take in amount of money being spent on players. NCU should seek to make clubs meet a minimum criteria but based on talking to scorers. Things can be tough enough when scoring on a Saturday but when you think of the comfort at Moylena or the view from the Lawn you feel out of place stuck in a shed directly from B&Q.
as Lee says - investment on the infrastructure of some grounds in the Premier League!! I have always believed that there must be some level of ground criteria for "up the leagues" never mind basic "facilities". I know, I know Mr. Ed. - I won't mention a certain scoreboard or the luxurious changing rooms in South Belfast!! I really can't see the business case for such spending - unless you qualify for Europe!! As I said before, and there have been so many examples over the years, when the cash cow dies we'll see what happens.
So CIYMS have got the cheque book out for what must be one of their better signings of Nigel Jones. At first when I read the News Letter article on the signing I thought to myself here we go again at CI, but surely they should receive some praise for their investment in sight screens, covers and nets?
If only more clubs followed suit and spent more money on facilities instead of on players. Should the NCU not set minimum level of ground equipment and facilities if a club wants to be in the Premier League?
