So from http://www.sccu.ndo.co.uk/Bulletin1995-6.docx, a meeting in September 1995 noted
But in November(6) National League. The BCF is setting up its own National League, starting in January under the direction of Simon Brown, in direct competition with the 4NCL. Dates are to clash with 4NCL ones and it’s clearly meant as a hostile takeover. We’re not sure whether it already has the Management Board’s OK, but if not it seems to be a formality. It stems from deep dissatisfaction with the way the 4NCL’s run, and if your Editor tried to give details he’d be at risk of getting them wrong. Someone said, and no one dissented, that if we’re to have two rival leagues it is important that they clash with each other and not with county matches or other things. The BCF would obviously prefer it if the 4NCL just folded. Someone said the BCF seemed to be rushing things, given that the 4NCL season starts soon and the new League hasn’t been officially announced yet. Someone else said, with doubtful relevance, that it had been in the air for a year or more.
It was still going to take place (March 1996)The Management Board met on Saturday 18th November 1995
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International Director Simon Brown is to resign if he hasn’t already. Pressure of work is one reason, but we gather he would have struggled on had it not been for differences with the President over the BCF’s submission to the DNH. We have no details. There was actually a motion of (?no) confidence in the President, the second one in a few months, and while none were unconfident there were a few abstentions.
The BCF National League, SDB’s pigeon, is now in some doubt. He will try to start it this season, but it won’t be before March and it depends on sponsorship coming through.
One of the causes of the disputeThe (SCCU) Executive met on Friday 22nd March 1996 at the Durham Castle
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(3) National League. The President said that the BCF expects to start its National League “this yearâ€, apparently well before September and could easily be May but details were scant. An unnamed sponsor is probably coming up with a substantial but undetermined sum over a five-year period. It is thought that the new league will (?eventually) stretch to quite ordinary players, but again information was limited.
But thenBCF MANAGEMENT BOARD
Very selectively, some things from the meeting of 9th March 1996. Your Editor was only there by proxy so hopes he’s got it right.
4NCL has not paid game fee and won’t be graded by the BCF unless it coughs up. It is to be FIDE-rated, by the Welsh Federation, which seems to have raised the odd hackle because essentially it’s an English event and the BCF should have been asked first. Don’t think anyone’s making formal objections
A BCM report suggested some sort of internal revolution in the 4NCL during the final weekend of 95-96. The BCF proposal of a rival league disappears without trace from then on.The MB met on Saturday 15th June 1996 ..
(2) Game Fee. Practically all the fees due are in. The 4NCL has paid.