ESBFL – Resumption of Football – 10/04/2021

The ESBFL competition will resume in earnest from this Saturday 10th April 2021 with matches being played in both the “Knock Out Cup” and “Reserve Knock-Out Cup”.
The Registration and Transfer of players is now closed (31st March), as per Rule, so no player can be “Signed On Match Day” nor registered or transferred at any time for the rest of this season.
Please note that for this season, the ESBFL will not be charging for player registrations and transfers over and above the “gratis” allowance.
Currently, “WGS” advises that there are seventy (70) players / officials, with connections to Member Clubs, who are recorded as being “suspended” for offences committed on or before to the last League matches on Saturday 19th December 2020.
Now some of these players / officials might well have served their match / matches suspensions but it is the Member Clubs who should clear these suspensions from “WGS”.
Therefore please check “WGS” to ensure those players are eligible to play / or not, as the case maybe, for this coming weekend or thereafter.
There is every likelihood that some player / official’s suspensions will carry over to next season and a “Ground ban” is just that, that person cannot attend or be involved in any match where their Club / Team is involved.
Finally, the Government guidance is that NO Spectators should be watching grassroots football at the present time, this obviously raises issues with Clubs who use Council facilities on open Recreation Grounds, therefore please read the guidance and wherever possible adhere to the advice given.