Following a formal objection raised by Nytro North West after round 5 of the L&DAA teams of 4  league :-

To prevent any further misinformation the committee feels it prudent in the interest of clarity and transparency to present all communications between both parties, providing full disclosure and the reason for the actions taken by the committee on behalf of L&DAA

Formal objection received from Nytro North West

Hi Mike,

We aren’t happy.
Letter is below.

Formal complaint of breach of rules

Liverpool Teams of Four League, Round 5, Sunday May 4th.

Hi Mike,
I know you are trying to run a league and who would be a match organiser?  – but unfortunately the rules have been broken again, not once, but twice on last Sunday’s match.

The question is: Are double standards the accepted norm on matches you run?

Here’s why I ask.

1: You said anglers could not swap between teams.
If that is the case – and you penalised a Liverpool team after round three for fielding Kieran Wray in two different Liverpool teams – what is going on?
David Denton fished for an LAS team on round 5 last Sunday when he had already fished for Matrix LTB on round four on April 20th.

3: Dave Nicholls fished for your team, Dicko’s last Sunday when on round one on Match 30th he had fished for Nytro Black.

Our understanding was that he was registered with us or as an ‘extra’. If an angler or anglers are allowed to move between teams it isn’t a proper team event any more. It becomes a free-for-all and a joke.

3: On Sunday LAS got Steve Boyd from the Extras to make up the LAS Green team – I witnessed Lewis Wightman asking him – no problem, he had only previously fished as an ‘extra’ – and clearly Nixy has stepped in for you on your team as you were unwell. However, as stated, he’d already fished for us at Nytro in our black team on round one and the understanding we had with him was that he could potentially fish more rounds for us if required.

If you take Steve Wilson who was an extra on Sunday, knowing he had fished for Liverpool White on a round, it would probably not go down well if he fished for us next Sunday.

He understands the rules. He was teed up to fish with us on the series but when Liverpool White needed him when Paul Holding was away at a funeral in Ireland, he sent a text stating: ‘Alan, giving you advanced notice, I’ve been asked to fish with Ant and John Lloyd in the teams of four next Sunday.’ The clear inference was in essence that we could not select him going forwards as he had pitched in with their team.

Before I’m painted as the grand villain here let me make it clear Nytro aren’t the only people making these kind of observations  – Dean Meadows commented to one of our team after last Sunday that he could not understand why Dave Denton had fished for LAS when two weeks earlier he had fished in Dean’s section for Matrix

I’m all for helping people out and do not like to be confrontational as it is a small match circuit here in the North West and people want to enjoy their fishing unhindered by politics and certainly don’t like the idea of rules being manipulated.

Again, I ask you what is the point in drawing up and having rules if they are then ignored.

We are all for sportsmanship and keeping a competition running but  surely the phrase here regarding the rules has to be  ‘within reason’.

If Extras teams change personnel each week, as they do, it has to be assumed they are fishing for themselves.

However, having anglers moving here, there and everywhere – plugging gaps on short-numbered teams – like Liverpool did for two teams last week fielding Dave Denton and taking Boydy from the Extras cannot be on in our view, or regarded as sportsmanlike in the sense of a teams competition, surely?

It cannot be regarded as fair or reasonable – especially after we were not afforded the same treatment on round one. To make it clear here, Liverpool used Steve Boyd, taking him from the Extras last Sunday – but by the same token you wouldn’t give us an angler on round one after Steve Ball asked you for one.

And clearly Matrix are not blameless either. They had to know that Dave Denton had already fished for them on a previous round yet let him fish for Liverpool on Round 5. How about Colmic? They were a man shy on a round and fielded a three-man team. Could they also have had an angler from the Extras?

Liverpool clearly think they can take Extras to plug holes in teams when short – as per Boydy and Dave Denton and Kieran Wray.

To remind you, on Round One we were a man short for our Nytro Red team due to an angler misunderstanding that he was required – and as a consequence he went to fish in a match elsewhere.

Steve Ball came you you in person and politely requested an angler from the extras team to make our number up to four – but it was declined on the basis you wanted to keep teams of four as they were.

So what was so different about Round Five? Is it because we are nearing the end of the competition and as such the stakes are much higher?

I sincerely hope a sense of fair play and decency prevails regarding your decision about this complaint because rules have again been breached and what is the point of rules if they are ignored when it suits – because that is how it looks to us.

It’s a mess, isn’t it? How do you sort this out? Are you going to penalise teams who breached the rules, including Matrix for fielding one angler in two separate match group teams?

A precedent was set on round three with max penalties awarded against LAS Red and monies won re-distributed.

Incidentally, the question of raising a complaint was voted for by the whole Nytro group, who feel a point of principle is very much at stake here.

Yours sincerely

Alan Barnes
Captain
Nytro North West

Additional comment received from Nytro North West
As an additional thought, you can see how it benefits Matrix to help Liverpool. Letting Dave Denton fish for Liverpool helps to put a brake on their nearest rivals Drennan NW on round 5 in theirs (Drennan’s) efforts to stay neck and neck for the 1st prize. It appears to us that the rules are used and abused

Mike Dickson – initial response
Best discussed on Sunday morning at an open meeting before the draw where I will address the full complement of anglers involved in the league and read out exactly your concerns
I will agree I made mistakes Over  round 5 and anglers fishing in certain teams an over site on my behalf and certainly not in the way you have described to me
A personnel favourite of mine was quote (Are double standards the acceptable norm on matches you run ) Thank you for that after over 10 years of running matches without issue
Lots of your info is hear say with no grounding at all
You have 2 concerns the guys placed in my team and Liverpool team which I accept responsibility for and will be adjusted points wise accordingly
Please advice we’re you want this to go

Final comments received from Nytro North West
Michael,

You ask me to advise on where we want to take this.
The answer is we don’t care. We will not be at Sunday’s match.
We will not be broadcasting why on social media or other communication platforms; we just won’t attend.
We’ve had enough. Let’s leave it at that. Carry on however you want.
But in short, we don’t care how you sort it, we won’t be there.
Everything I have pointed out has a basis in fact and the truth. Honest journalists report facts, and check their facts before they report them. That’s what I have always done all my life as a journalist. I would never allege something or claim a falsehood were it not true.
I appreciate it is tough running matches. Been there, done it, got the T-shirt.
So basically do what you want on Sunday. It matters not to us any more and we’ve the backing of our sponsor who is aware we have decided to not attend the final round.

Alan Barnes
Nytro North West

Final communication from L&DAA

For the attention of Mr Alan Barnes and all Nytro North West Team Members

Following the conclusion of Liverpool & District AA’s (L&DAA) Teams of Four League 2025, the committee wish to address the objections raised by yourself on behalf of Nytro North West within correspondence received by Mike Dickson concerning Round 5 of the competition.

L&DAA fully acknowledge that mistakes were made in handling team shortfalls, individual representations and the replacements during the league.

We take responsibility for these oversights and we have taken corrective action including the deduction of points from the affected teams.

While we accept fair criticism and constructive feedback, the rhetoric and personal attacks directed by Nytro North West exceeded what L&DAA consider acceptable in a sporting environment.

The suggestion that these administrative errors were an attempt to influence the league’s outcome is entirely baseless.

Further more, the accusations questioning the integrity of our Match Secretary and the credibility of participating teams are not only unfounded but deeply offensive to all involved.

To be unequivocally clear, this was a genuine oversight and decisions were made in good faith to resolve the situation fairly on the day without prejudice or bias.

While we accept the validity of the objection regarding angler placement, which we have acted accordingly upon, we categorically reject the insinuations of any cheating, malice or any intentional deception cited within the complaint received from Nytro North West.

Furthermore, we have considered Nytro North West’s decision to remain absent from the last round of the competition. This act clearly brought the event into disrepute and left us no other option to consider disciplinary action being undertaken.

After thorough deliberation the Committee has unanimously decided with immediate effect, Nytro North West, including all affiliated team members, will no longer be permitted to participate in any matches or competitions hosted by L&DAA.

This decision was not taken lightly, but the nature of the accusations, the personal attacks and the disreputable action before us have left us with no alternative.

L&DAA remains committed to upholding the highest standards of fairness, respect, and sportsmanship. We appreciate the understanding of our members and will continue to work diligently to ensure the integrity of our events.

Should there be any question regarding this matter, we will remain open to direct discussion with Nytro North West and their team members to offer individuals the opportunity to clarify their position on accusations made.

Please direct any further comments to the L&DAA Committee.

Yours sincerely
Joe Farrell
Secretary
Liverpool & District Angling Association