Originally Posted by stevelockett

This answer is without the benefit of checking the information beforehand!
I thought it was against NFA rules to be coached while you are competing in a match. Not that that stops it happening, the role of bank runners could be viewed as coaching and I have seen several instances of anglers getting much more practical help while they fish a match as well.

From a personal point of view, I would not object if someone was fishing a match I was fishing and they had a coach sat with them. I know that most anglers in that scenario would not actually be able to fish in the way the coach wanted them to and some would fight against fishing in the way someone else suggested.

On the more specific point of you moving on, Ian, perhaps you should try a more targeted approach to your own sessions. Go to venues which are dominated by a method you are unfamiliar with and see if you can make it work in practise.
Once you have been catching fish on that method, then try entering a match and see if you can turn up 'blind' to new venues and compete.
How would that make you feel, if you were turning heads from your first visit to a venue?