Junior League chairman John Welsh said that there is no benefit in highlighting results of umpteen-goal victories and it only highlights poor practice when teams are banging in goals for the sake of it.
Welsh said: ‘This is a subject that has been spoken about before and the Junior League committee has decided that results above 5-0 will not be published.
‘This started on Sunday and because the Junior League minutes were not ready for last Thursday’s Combination delegates’ meeting, our recommendation could be overturned at the next meeting but I very much doubt it.’
Results will now be recorded as Club A beat Club B or Club C lost to Club D.
So will the lack of big results take the competitiveness out of matches?
Welsh said: ‘Certainly not. Anyone who watches football from the under-11 age group up will tell you that games are competitive despite them not playing for points because it is development football for the players.
‘Does a youngster who has been on the end of a high score defeat then need it publicised and sometimes headlined in the media – No.’
So if a player scores a hat-trick in the opening five minutes of a game and his team goes on to win 6-0 then that player’s achievement will not be given to the media?
‘We have to draw a line somewhere and it has been decided that line is 5-0,’ said Welsh.
‘Club’s with websites may publish facts like that and of course there is social media which clubs and players use as well.
‘As chairman of the Junior League for the past 15 years, I’m extremely proud of the strides made in junior football and the emphasis remains on development and winning is not the be-all and end-all.
‘Development football is working very well; we’re producing many players with good technical ability and several have gone on to play at professional clubs and others have had the opportunities to trial with pro clubs as well.
‘All that is down to the hard work put in by the many, many coaches at clubs who continue to develop our young players.’
