Minutes of the Schools’ Association Football International Board (SAFIB)
Annual General Meeting held on
Saturday 23 June 2018 at the Glasgow Airport Holiday Inn, commencing at 1000 hrs

Delegates in attendance:
Nixon Morton (SAFIB Chairman – FAIS)
Owen Aiston (SAFIB Vice-Chairman – ESFA)
Mike Spinks (SAFIB Secretary/Treasurer – ESFA)
Dave Woollaston (SAFIB Assistant Secretary – ESFA)


Eunice Carter (Auditor – WSFA)
Alex Harkin (FAIS)
Keith James (WSFA)
Peter Lee OBE (Welsh Football Trust)
Gary Kennedy MBE (NISFA)
John Martin (ESFA)
Alex McMenemy (SSFA)
Bob Nesbitt (NISFA)
John Mann (WSFA) John Watson (SSFA)
Marc Lloyd Williams (WSFA) Edwin Ferris (NISFA)

Apologies for Absence
Apologies for Absence were received from Diane Fay (FAIS), Lukasz Sojski (PZPN, Polish FA), Allen McKinstry (Past SAFIB Secretary / Treasurer), Bob Docherty (Past SAFIB Secretary / Treasurer), Rod Houston (Past SAFIB Secretary / Treasurer), Teet Allas (Estonia FA), Vladimir Luptak (Slovensky Futbalovy Zvaz, Slovakia), Ville Sairanen (Suomen Pallolitto, Finland), Joonas Vilkki (Suomen Pallolitto, Finland), Bob Browaeys (Voetbal Federatiev Laanderen, Belgian FA), Bob Ramsey (NISFA), Les Donaldson MBE (SSFA), David Gilchrist (SSFA) and Gordon Pate (SSFA).

1. Welcome
Chairman Nixon Morton greeted all the delegates from their respective countries at the start of the meeting, particularly Marc Lloyd Williams from Wales who was attending his first meeting. In accordance with SAFIB tradition he was presented with a SAFIB scarf by the Chairman. He also gave a welcome to Eunice Carter, present in her capacity as the Honorary Auditor of the SAFIB accounts.

Nixon went on to thank Alex McMenemy and John Watson of the Scottish Schools FA who had put together the comprehensive weekend programme. A visit and guided tour of the home of Rangers Football Club, Ibrox Park, had been arranged as well as the Official Dinner at the home of Scottish football, Hampden Park, on the Friday night and an informal evening meal at an Italian Ristorante on the Saturday evening.

2. Minutes of 2017 AGM in Manchester (previously circulated)
The minutes were passed as a true and accurate record of the 2017 AGM in Manchester.

3. Minutes of Winter Meeting 2018 in Porto (previously circulated)
The minutes were reviewed and considered a true and accurate record of the 2018 Winter Meeting in Porto.

4. Matters Arising
There were no matters arising from either set of minutes.

5. Report from the Executive Committee Meeting
Dave Woollaston gave a report of the deliberations of the Executive Committee Meeting held on Friday afternoon, 22 June 2018.
• An Inter-County Cup between the WSFA and ESFA Champions was discussed
• SAFIB International Tournaments should be revamped as a “Five Nations International Cup” to attract sponsors
• In the Allen McKinstry Cup it was suggested that no more than 3 Academy players should be in any school team taking part
• A plea was made to the NISFA and SSFA to find girls teams from their schools to take part in the Rod Houston Cup
• The format of the 2019 Victory Shield needs to be discussed by the competing countries
• It was agreed that Host Associations at Centenary Shield matches no longer needed to provide water for opponents
• The Assistant Secretary would prepare a proforma concerning post-match refreshments at Centenary Shield games
All proposals were accepted.
6. Secretary’s Report
The Secretary, Mike Spinks, reported that the season had been another busy but enjoyable one with all SAFIB’s football events again being effectively completed. The Rod Houston Cup, staged at the Lilleshall National Sports Centre in Shropshire, had again been a huge plus for SAFIB. He thanked the Northern Ireland Schools FA for hosting the Victory Shield, the Scottish Schools FA for organising an excellent Allen McKinstry Cup Tournament in Glasgow and the Irish Football Association for an outstandingly successful Bob Docherty Cup in Belfast.

The Secretary paid credit to Fabio, Inspiresport’s representative at the Winter Meeting in Porto, for his superb organisation of the weekend. This had been another enjoyable SAFIB occasion and the same travel company had agreed to host the 2019 Winter Meeting. Delegates were later informed that this meeting would be in Milan, in conjunction with Inter Milan Football Club, over a weekend in January 2019.

7. Election of Office Bearers & Executive Committee

SAFIB Chairman
Nixon Morton (FAIS) brought his term in the chair to a close with an eloquent reflection of his year in office by expressing the view that it had been an honour, privilege and pleasure to be Chairman of SAFIB. He went on to speak of the fellowship and friendship of all those connected with the SAFIB family, congratulating all the affiliated organisations for their endeavours.

Nixon had attended as many of the SAFIB events as time would allow him and he had also been to several Centenary Shield games. As Chairman this season, all the tournaments had been positive experiences. His valedictory speech concluded by expressing his gratitude to the other SAFIB officers for their outstanding work and ready support.

The meeting then proceeded to elect, unanimously, Owen Aiston (ESFA) as the new SAFIB Chairman. Owen thanked the meeting for the honour of being chosen as the next Chairman and paid a glowing tribute to his predecessor Nixon for the professionalism and enormous amount of time and effort he had dedicated to SAFIB duties during his term of office. He then presented Nixon with an inscribed glass bowl and the subsequent spontaneous round of applause clearly indicated the respect that Nixon had earned from his SAFIB colleagues during the past year.

SAFIB Vice Chairman
The meeting was informed that this year’s nomination was the gift of the Northern Ireland Schools Football Association. They wished to delay their nomination until they had held their own AGM in Belfast next month. They would then inform the Secretary of their Council’s decision.

Secretary/Treasurer
Mike Spinks (ESFA) was unanimously re-elected.

Assistant Secretary
Dave Woollaston (ESFA) was unanimously re-elected.

Executive Committee
The Chairman, Vice-Chairman and Secretary / Treasurer are automatic members. In addition, the following were proposed and accepted: Alex Harkin (FAIS), Alex McMenemy (SSFA), Keith James (WSFA), Bob Nesbitt (NISFA) and John Martin (ESFA). The Assistant Secretary is the Minuting Secretary for this Committee.

8. Treasurer’s Report 2017-18
As SAFIB’s Auditor, Eunice Carter presented her detailed report on the Association’s Income and Expenditure Accounts for 2017-2018. It was again noted that the SAFIB Officers (Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Secretary, Assistant Secretary) had not submitted any claims for expenses during the season. Donations for Season 2018-19 would remain at £500 for Associations from the UK and Ireland taking part in SAFIB competitions and £200 / €200 for other Associations. Eunice reminded the meeting that some National Associations – Scottish FA (Victory Shield), Welsh Football Trust (Victory Shield and Bob Docherty Cup), Irish FA (Victory Shield and Bob Docherty Cup) and Football Association of Ireland (Victory Shield and Bob Docherty Cup) should each be sent invoices for £500. As SAFIB was currently without a sponsor it was important that SAFIB funds received these small though helpful contributions to its finances. Eunice believed a bill received after the SAFIB Winter Meeting in Porto (for the partners of delegates) should not be paid by SAFIB but by the individuals concerned.

Eunice concluded her report by verifying that the Balance Sheet was a true and accurate statement of the SAFIB accounts up to the end of the Financial Year on 30 June 2018.

9. Arrangements for Season 2018-19

Under 16 Boys Victory Shield 2018 (International Football)
The following arrangements were confirmed. The tournament would be staged in the Republic of Ireland in Tralee, using both grass and 4G pitches, and under the control of the Football Association of Ireland Schools. A suggested timetable of matches was as follows: -
• Monday 12 November 2018 – Scotland v Wales / Northern Ireland v Republic of Ireland
• Wednesday 14 November 2018 – Wales v Republic of Ireland / Northern Ireland v Scotland
• Friday 16 November 2018 – Republic of Ireland v Scotland / Northern Ireland v Wales
The squads will be staying in the Rose Hotel in Tralee, County Kerry. The SAFIB Chairman would be in attendance and would present the trophy after the competition’s conclusion on the last day of the tournament. A meeting with the team officials would take place during the week to ascertain their wishes for the future of the tournament. Consideration would be given to (a) the involvement of another country in Europe (in membership with SAFIB) to join the Victory Shield, (b) whether to continue with the same format of each country staging the event once every 4 years, (c) whether to revert to a home and away series of matches played throughout the season and (d) whether to continue dialogue between SAFIB and Inspiresport concerning the possibility of having the tournament in Spain.
Under 18 Boys Centenary Shield 2018-19 (International Football)
The following planned schedule of games was reported to the meeting.
• Thursday 7 March 2019 – NISFA U18 v SSFA U18 @ Crusaders FC KO 1900 hrs
• Friday 8 March 2019 – ESFA U18 v WSFA U18 @ Slough Town FC KO 1900 hrs
• Thursday 14 March 2019 – WSFA U18 v NISFA U18 @ Aberystwyth Town FC KO 1900 hrs
• Friday 22 March 2019 – SSFA U18 v ESFA U18 @ Inverurie Loco FC KO 1900 hrs
• Thursday 28 March 2019 – SSFA U18 v FAIS U18 @ Glasgow, tbc KO 1900 hrs
• Friday 5 April 2019 – ESFA U18 v NISFA U18 @ Redditch United FC KO 1900 hrs
• Thursday 11 April 2019 – WSFA U18 v SSFA U18 @ Cefn Druids FC KO 1900 hrs
• Friday 12 April 2019 – FAIS U18 v ESFA U18 @ Dublin, tbc KO 1900 hrs
• Thursday 18 April 2019 – NISFA U18 v FAIS U18 @ Bangor FC KO 1900 hrs
• Thursday 25 April 2019 – FAIS U18 v WSFA U18 @ Wexford, tbc KO 1900 hrs

Other tournaments
Under 15 Girls Five Nations Tournament – Bob Docherty Cup (International Football)
It had been agreed at the Winter Meeting in Porto that SAFIB would stage the competition, in conjunction with Inspiresport, at the Cambrils Park Centre in Salou in Spain. All countries had now paid a £1,000 deposit to Inspiresport and would travel to Spain on Sunday 21 April 2019, returning on Wednesday 24 April 2019. The tournament would follow its usual format of 3 matches in 3 days (Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday). Each country had to source its own flights (to Barcelona or Reus) or inform Inspiresport by the end of June if they wished the company to do so. Included in the price offered by Inspiresport would be the following – all food and accommodation (4 days / 3 nights), internal transport in Spain to and from the airport, match officials, pitches and training facilities, footballs / cones / bibs.

Under 14 Schools Five Nations Boys Championship – Allen McKinstry Cup (Inter-Schools Football)
The Northern Ireland Schools FA would be organising the 2019 tournament. Plans have already been agreed to hold the event starting on Thursday 23 May 2019 and concluding on Saturday 25 May 2019. The opening fixtures would be played on the Thursday evening followed by games on both the Friday and Saturday mornings. The Secretary would send a suggested format for the matches. The nominated schools include Cardinal Hume Catholic School (ESFA), Bishopston Comprehensive School, Swansea (WSFA), Boclair Academy, Glasgow (SSFA) and St Francis College, Cork (FAIS).

Under 14 Schools Five Nations Girls Championship – Rod Houston Cup (Inter-Schools Football)
The Secretary confirmed that the third U14 girls’ competition would take place at the Lilleshall National Sports Centre in Shropshire starting on Friday 12 October and concluding on Sunday 14 October 2018. The schools taking part would be Ysgol Gymraeg Bro Morgannwg, Barry (Wales), Sacred Heart School, Westport (Republic of Ireland), Bohunt School, Wokingham (England) and possibly St Ivo School, Huntingdon (England). Scotland and Northern Ireland were to check to see if any of their schools would wish to join the competition. Scotland have a problem in that the competition is 11-a-side and the SSFA only run a 7-a-side national cup for the U13 age group.

Other friendly fixtures
The annual fixture between the ESFA U15 Girls and their counterparts from the Republic of Ireland was due to be played at some stage during the season but details were not available. Members were asked to notify both the Secretary and Assistant Secretary of any other fixtures and the results of any other such games.

The following information had been received concerning matches against Australia Schools Under 18s in January 2019.
• Sunday 13 January 2019 Match v ISFA U18 @ Clifton College, Bristol
• Wednesday 16 January 2019 Match v Welsh Colleges U18 @ Cardiff Metropolitan University
• Thursday 17 January 2019 Match v WSFA U18 @ Cardiff Metropolitan University
• Saturday 19 January 2019 Match v FAIS U18 @ Home Farm FC, Dublin
• Monday 21 January 2019 Match v NISFA U18 @ Crusaders FC
• Wednesday 23 January 2019 Match v SSFA U18 @ Glasgow, tbc
• Saturday 26 January 2019 Match v ESFA U18 @ Stafford Town FC

In future it is hoped that a SAFIB official would help co-ordinate fixtures for any overseas school parties visiting the UK and Ireland from Australia Schools or New Zealand Secondary Schools.

10. Any Other Business

Nixon Morton, as the outgoing Chairman of SAFIB, was presented with an inscribed glass bowl by his successor, Owen Aiston. A similar glass bowl was presented to the Welsh Schools FA Chairman, John Mann, by Mike Spinks to pass on to his colleague Cledwyn Ashford, the SAFIB Chairman during Season 2016-2017.

Following a meeting which took place later in the day it was confirmed that, thanks once again to the support of Inspiresport, the 2019 Winter Meeting would take place in Milan. Delegates would be asked to make a financial contribution for any partners. All members would have to finance their own flights. Associations are asked to keep a record of schools that they have persuaded to take an Inspiresport tour.

In closing the meeting at 1240 hours, the new Chairman Owen Aiston thanked all present for their contributions, hoped everyone would continue enjoying what remained of the weekend and wished everyone a successful 2018-2019 season.

Mike Spinks
SAFIB Secretary
June 2018

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