We know everyone is rightly focussed on protecting themselves and their family at this time, but we wanted to share some league news with you as we all look forward with hope for some level of normality in the future. In the meantime, please follow all the government advice so that we will see you all later in the year.
Member Clubs 2021 Season
You will be aware that at the end of the 2019 season GMCL changed the rules for application to join the league to 31 March prior to the preceding season so that we were able to tell our member clubs the make-up of the competition and the promotion and relegation positions in the coming season.
The first relevant deadline date was 31 March 2020 for the 2021 season, and we are pleased to confirm that, with the appropriate resignations issued to their own league, Heaton CC and Golborne CC will be joining us for GMCL2021. Heaton CC will be joining the Championship Division and Golborne CC joining Division 1 and they will add strength to our competition across all their teams.
We will however be losing Greenmount CC who as you probably know by now will be taking on the challenge of the Lancashire League. We wish them the very best in their new competition. The club and members have played a key part in the development of GMCL and we thank them for that. They will be a strong addition to the Lancashire League.
We were also saddened to hear recently that there will be no competitive cricket at Bamford Fieldhouse in 2020 so we also give thanks to them for the contribution they have made and particularly to Andy in his support of our cup competitions.
The 2020 season remains unresolved at this difficult time for us all but we have already made it clear that the 2021 divisions will start as 2020 should have started however as you can see from the above there are already changes to take into account in determining the divisional structures.
What we can confirm at this time is that we have asked Heywood CC to take Greenmount’s place in Premier League 2 as it was Heywood that finished in 6th place when the divisions were split at the last reshuffle and we have not played since. Heaton CC will therefore take the vacant slot in the Championship.
Golborne CC will be taking a place in Division 1. We will focus on how we will do this and how we place the relevant second teams after the challenges of this summer are resolved.
That’s it for now,
Thanks to all our front-line workers, particularly those in the NHS.
Please stay safe.