Chaps charged

May 11th | Chaps Utd Legal Department

Bromsgrove League have made an example of Chaps United, charging them for fielding an unregistered player.

Whingers Hizza Utd made a detailed and formal complaint after their lucky 1–1 draw away at Chaps United, suggesting that Chaps had fielded an unregistered player. They had taken photographs, video footage, and gone through many boxes of tissues on the sidelines during their plan to hypocritically complain to the league about the incident.

Here at Chaps United, we have been on the end of suspect opposing players many times—I myself have endured it throughout all my years of playing Sunday league football—however as any true gent who loves the game will tell you, this is just part and parcel of the game for Sunday league. The games are meant for enjoyment; an opportunity to play with your friends and to get some exercise, let off some steam. Since it is not as serious as Saturday league football, commitment levels are not the same and from time to time teams struggle to find players. But any true footballer will agree that it is always better to get a game on than call it off due to a lack of numbers.

If this rule were enforced religiously—and therfore fairly—I estimate that as many as 25% of all Sunday league games would have to be investigated. But they are not, because no decent teams make the complaint, partly because the likelihood is that they have had to field unregistered players themselves from time to time (I wonder if Hizza's conscience is clear), but mainly because it is not gentlemanly conduct and seems counter-intuitive to the progress of Sunday league football, especially considering the struggle it faces currently in the local area.

Chaps United will take the charge on the chin and continue to play out the rest of their season. Rules are rules, and fools are fools. We enjoy our football, win or lose (and we've certainly lost a few in style!) and know that there is nothing to get our knickers in a twist about, if you're not laughing you shouldn't be playing Sunday league!