Zero tolerance on Player Poaching

The issue of Player Poaching, which is the practice of team mangers approaching young players from other teams and their parents directly and trying to persuade them to switch teams, is becoming increasingly widespread. More and more teams are having to fold due to their players being poached to join supposedly better teams with the promise of more facilities and better chances of winning trophies.

Twyford Comets have decided to take a stand against this and have issued a policy statement which has been adopted by the club and is now part of the club’s operating guidelines.

If you would like to read the full statement please go to the ‘About us’ section on this website.

The Captains Role

Captain taking responsibility

As a captain, you have no special status or privileges under the Laws of the Game, but you do have a degree of responsibility for the behaviour of your team.
To promote Respect, the referee will work with you, as the team captain, to manage the players and the game effectively.
Even if you are some way away from an incident when the referee feels he/she needs you involved in a discussion with a player, the referee will call you over. This will ensure that, as the team captain, you remain the point of contact for the referee.

How Captains can help to instil Respect:

  • Ensure you wear a Respect captain’s armband – this will be provided by your manager
  • Together with your opposition captain, make yourself known to the referee before the game. He/she will ask if you are clear about your responsibilities
  • Ensure all your players understand what they can/cannot do in relation to the referee and what is meant by ‘unwanted behaviour’. No-one’s trying to curb enthusiasm – just instil more discipline. This can only benefit your match – and football as a whole
  • Ensure your vice-captain (appoint one if you haven’t got one) is aware of these rules, in case you are unavailable for a game, or have to leave the field

“It’s not enough to be a great player to be a captain. You have to be a great leader who commands and shows Respect.”

Fabio Capello , England manager

Dutch Exchange

Some years ago Twyford Comets ventured into International competition.  A chance conversation between two air traffic controllers at Heathrow and Maastricht in Belgium led to the start of an exchange arrangement between Twyford Comets and a Dutch football club, R.K.U.V.C. from Ullestraten a village in Holland near the Belgium border and close to Maastricht. Boys at the under 12/13 age group take part in this exchange which started with the visit of a Dutch team to Twyford in 1981.  The following year the same Twyford Comets team made the return trip to Holland and this arrangement has continued to the present day.

During the exchanges the boys go to local sights and stay with host families to learn a little of the British way of life. On the return trip to Holland the Comets children stay with their host families and get to understand a little more about the Dutch culture, language and way of life.

Whilst in the UK, the visiting team are shown around local sites of general or historic interest, there have been visits to Windsor Castle, Thorpe Park, Chelsea and Wembley Stadium tours plus swimming, bowling and watching football games at Reading FC and Rugby games at London Irish. The adults who accompany the touring party are entertained in the evenings with various events such as snooker, race evenings and parties. The visiting team also play several games of football against teams from the local area and other Comets teams. The highlight of the visit is a cup match played between the two U12/13 teams played at Henley Town FC under floodlights followed by the presentation evening. A similar itinerary is put together in Holland when the Comets go over to visit.

The club has a Dutch Committee which organises the whole schedule of both home and away visits but the touring team is expected to raise the necessary funds by organising fund raising events during the year. Originally we obtained sponsorship for this cup from The Twyford Motor Company but since they have left the village various companies and individuals have sponsored it.