** IMPORTANT NOTICE ON SELECTION POLICY **

August 2006

This year is the first year that the Bedfordshire Football Association changed its policy on how many substitutes can be named on a fixture from three to five. With the number of possible substitutes you can make remaining at three.

This means therefore that a minimum of two players will not play any part of a fixture, despite giving up their afternoon or evening to come and be with us.

My personal opinion is that it is football, and it happens, but I understand also that my opinion comes from being this clubs manager and wanting to have as many options as I can mid-way through a game. However, with my hat on as a player I also understand that it is very frustrating and disappointing to spend 3 hours on a Saturday afternoon with your team mates but yet not seeing any action and so, as a club, we have decided to change our policy on squad naming in order to try and help minimise this issue.

We will be naming 14 players by text BEFORE the day of the game. These players MUST text me or call me back to confirm their attendance otherwise their squad place will be in jeopardy. It is not enough to tell someone else to tell me – you must take responsibility and tell me yourself. Once I have received these confirmations I will then notify two further players that they are selected for stand-by, and they have the option of coming down to watch the fixture and if someone drops out last minute they will step in.

I would be grateful therefore if you didn’t tell anyone about your selection until the day of the game, to allow me time to speak to individuals about their involvement before a match day.

It is absolutely essential that you understand that we have a strong group of players at this club, and there will be occasions this season when you WILL get the opportunity to play – but there will also be times when you might not make the squad.

If you have not been contacted on your usual mobile number – you can either call me or assume that you haven’t made the squad. Please therefore make sure that you keep us up-to-date with all changes in contact details.

Can I request also, that you all let me know with as much prior warning as possible about the weeks when you cannot make training or a club match?

I hope you understand the importance of everyone enjoying Wednesday night sessions as part of the greater Kings AFC community, and I hope you see the benefit of us changing this policy in the way I have set out here.

Finally I’d like to stress how grateful I am for your support in this issue and also how much we all appreciate having your support by the side of the pitch during league and cup games.

Yours faithfully

Steve Wilson

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