Among the older members of the LCU there are those who remember a time when the movement of a player from one club to another was an unusual and noteworthy event. Membership of a club was generally for life. This is not the case anymore. On the one hand the prospect of large scale movement between clubs might be considered disruptive and a problem for clubs who rely on long standing members to provide volunteers to run their clubs and coach their youth. A counter argument of course is that player mobility encourages clubs to improve their facilities to attract new members, including those from other clubs.
From a regulatory point of view there are only limited restrictions on players transferring between clubs. Competition regulations provide that in-season transfers can only take place with the permission of the relevant competition committees. At other times a player may freely move between clubs subject to the constraint that he or she must be in good standing with their former club i.e. have paid their membership subscription. But this only applies up to the 1st July of the previous year. In cases where clubs are still selecting players after this date who have not paid their subscriptions then this is deemed a tacit acceptance of the status quo and cannot be held over the player to prevent him or her moving the following season.
The way in which transfers between clubs operate is something that may well be worth discussing at the forthcoming Open Conference of Cricket Leinster [1st October]. While it would not be contemplated that players should be prevented from moving club the manner in which this is done and the regulations governing the process may need some tweeking.
But first the figures [these apply to the end of July and are unlikely to change much if at all by season end.]
The figures relate to Open Competitions but it is also worth noting that 12 players in Womens Competitions also moved club since last year.
The total number of players changing club this year is 105. This compares to a figure of 126 between 2014 and 2015. With over 1800 players putting on the whites [or colours] so far this season - this represents 5.7% of the playing population. Of course this affects individual clubs differently.
| CLUB | OUT | IN | Balance |
| Adamstown | 3 | 5 | 2 |
| AIB | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Ashbourne | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| Bagenalstown | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Balbriggan | 2 | 3 | 1 |
| Cabinteely | 2 | 1 | -1 |
| Carlow | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Castleknock | 1 | 3 | 2 |
| Civil Service | 6 | 6 | 0 |
| Clondalkin | 0 | 6 | 6 |
| Clontarf | 3 | 2 | -1 |
| Cork County | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Dundalk | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Dundrum | 7 | 2 | -5 |
| Greystones | 3 | 5 | 2 |
| Halverstown | 1 | 0 | -1 |
| Knockharley | 2 | 0 | -2 |
| Laois | 2 | 0 | -2 |
| Leinster | 9 | 3 | -6 |
| Longford | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Lucan | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Malahide | 3 | 0 | -3 |
| Merrion | 6 | 6 | 0 |
| Mullingar | 1 | 0 | -1 |
| North County | 3 | 2 | -1 |
| North Kildare | 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Pembroke | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| Phoenix | 5 | 7 | 2 |
| Railway Union | 5 | 4 | -1 |
| Ringcommons | 1 | 3 | 2 |
| Rush | 3 | 2 | -1 |
| Sandyford | 8 | 3 | -5 |
| Slieve Bloom | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Swords | 1 | 4 | 3 |
| Terenure | 3 | 1 | -2 |
| The Hills | 5 | 4 | -1 |
| Tyrellstown | 3 | 4 | 1 |
| Wexford | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Wicklow | 2 | 5 | 3 |
| YMCA | 6 | 5 | -1 |
Anyone with thoughts on the way in which transfers between clubs are managed can provide feedback using the Comments section either on their own behalf or for their club or by sending them directly to cricketleinster@gmail.com.
If there is any issues that need to be addressed we can include as part of the agenda for the Open Conference at the end of the season.