Ismail loves the summer fun (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Ismail loves the summer fun

8:14am Tuesday 10th March 2009

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SUMMER-loving Ismail Esat has ambitious plans to revolutionise junior football.

For Ismail has a vision to introduce summer football so that youngsters would no longer have to play through the harsh winters.

It may be seen as controversial in some circles but it is aplan that Ismail has thought long and hard about.

“I seriously believe that playing football in the summer months is the way forward for mini football,” said Esat who has been involved in local football for more than 30 years. “I have been speaking to a lot of parents and managers and carried out my own survey and they have all said their children are fed up with having to play in freezing conditions.”

The plan is to run under sevens to under 11s leagues at seven-a-side and nine-a-side from March to September – and overlap with fixtures with the two leagues which would be directly affected.

Ismail added: “I would be delighted if existing winter leagues decided to work alongside me on this but I am happy to form a breakaway league if there is enough interest in playing football in the summer.

“I am very serious about this matter. I just want to sow a seed and see what happens.”

But the two junior leagues that will be directly hit if the plan got the green light doubts whether it will go ahead.

And Accrington and District Boys League secretary, Alan Greenwood, said the idea was a non-starter.

He said: “You have to admire his endeavours but personally I think it is a bit of a non starter and it has not been thought through properly.

“You can’t be playing on park pitches virtually 12 months of the year and that is what would happen if this plan got the go-ahead. I don’t think councils would allow it and I would not be very happy if our teams were approached and asked to join a summer league.

“We have had a harsh winter but those were extreme circumstances. As far as I am concerned, there is plenty of summer football available to be played in tournaments and mini leagues.”

Craig Wilkinson, secretary of the East Lancashire Football Alliance, said in theory it was a good idea but doubts about whether it would work.

He said: “I can see where Ismail is coming from and there are pluses to his argument. But it is not as straight forward as starting up a summer league. There would be a lot of bridges to be crossed and arrangements to be made, for example, finding pitches that can be used, before anything could go forward.

“It is an idea that has been brought up to our committee members but I can’t envisage us wanting to lose our younger teams. We have made great strides as a league over the past few and are hoping to push for Charter Standard status. We don’t really want to weaken our league by letting the younger team leaves.”

And Wilkinson said there are other issues to be addressed as well.

“There are a number of the children who play cricket during the summer,” added Wilkinson. “and we have worked hard to forge links with cricket clubs. There is also the matter of clubs holding their summer football tournaments which are one of the main sources for raising vital funds. A summer league would clash with such tournaments so I am not too sure how that would work.”

Dave Burgess, chief executive of the Lancashire FA, said the plans do not break any rules but wondered about the logistics of it.

“As far as we are concerned, no rules will have been broken if this league goes ahead,” said Burgess. “The close season rule, where no football can be played throughout the month of June, only applies to 11-a-side football.

“The next stage would be for the league to write to us to get it sanctioned and we would contact any other leagues who could be affected.

“If they have any objections then they would have to be taken in to consideration.

“However, I think it will be difficult playing on council run grass pitches during the summer.

“That is usually a time when pitches are closed down for vital work to be carried out in readiness for the new season.”

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