Non-league football

[Matt]

One wonders therefore what is the point of remaining in the pyramid? Is the Vase and the FA Cup preliminary rounds sufficient a reason? I do wonder if a threat was made by the Northern League cups to split what the reaction of the FA would be. Probably couldn't care less.

 

Vase and cup runs, even if not that common are a major financial boost both in terms of gates and prize money. Exiting the pyramid would also leave club without a place in the football foundation ground funding schemes.

 

The desire to stay in an entirely NE league is far from universal in the NL so a number of clubs would defect to some other league, leaving a rump of clubs playing in a closed shop with no promotion or relegation or potential for a run in a national compeition.

 

There is no threat from the NL to the FA- it's the other way around. It would be a disaster for the regional game.

 

 

 

For the Northern League clubs, the reality is that financially there are limitations to where we can go so I'm not sure what forcing some of our teams to face more Yorkshire opposition actually does, other than force our better players to make a decision that may see them leaving the club to drop back to a Northern League outfit. At the same time that would probably have an affect on attendances. Essentially it threatens reduced participation and no one wins.

 

How many players will leave because they won't be able to make 5 or 6 games in a season? It's pretty standard at that level that you have a squad to cope with the reality that work commitments will mean you can't have every player available for every game.

 

Newly promoted clubs are often boosted by being a 'new ground' for a lot of away supporters and attendances at the next level are certainly no worse than the NL1. Often in this debate, the small matter of being possibly being promoted further up is not taken into consideration. And the Evo Prem has a few sides who will bring a very decent away support for a weekend game. Especially if there is the prospect of a night on the ales in Newcastle (which always proved popular with hordes visiting Blyth).

 

If the FA are concerned about the FA Vase - and I can see a point here as the domination we have shows it isn't a level playing field then I wonder if the compromise is let first division clubs have a crack at the FA Trophy. We wouldn't win it but could cause some upsets which would be exciting.

 

I think the FA will expect the promotion rules to iron this out in due course rather than make an exception for the NL which could cause other precedents when they next come to reshuffle the divisions.

[Wilky]

well I guess we will find out but our chairman is very much against it on financial grounds. I'm assuming it is why that god awful fencing has been erected around the whole of Craik Park as an attempt to hold the ground not being up to scratch. But if it is as rosy as you say there will be no issues but I'm sceptical. Some of the players I understand have expressed concerns and I believe mid-table NL clubs are monitoring - the fact that these players could play at a higher level already but choose not to is suggestive enough that it will be a problem.

[ponsaelius]

Big result for Shields today winning and Hyde getting beat. They look nailed on for the title now.

 

Can see them making easy work of the Premier next season too.

[Yorkie]

Haven't been off top spot for months, have they? Hope they and Scarborough go up together, the latter won 5-1 today as well.

[ponsaelius]

They've been second for a little while, admittedly due to having games in hand.

 

There's a fairly good chance all 3 could go up automatically without the need for play-offs.

[Matt]

Big result for Shields today winning and Hyde getting beat. They look nailed on for the title now.

 

Can see them making easy work of the Premier next season too.

 

Not sure about easy work- only the champions go up automatically so there is little room for error. That level is hard to judge until you know what's going on at other clubs, each year there are a few who get money behind them and a few who fall on hard times.

[ponsaelius]

Yeah that's true enough. However considering how well Darlington and Spennymoor did straight off the bat I'd fancy them to do well.

[Yorkie]

Is it really not the top two who go up? All the tables I've seen have that dividing like after 2nd.

[ponsaelius]

It is yes. However there is 1 extra automatic place which goes to the best 3rd placed team at Step 4 (so out of all 6 leagues), based on points per game.

 

Last time I checked there was a good chance it would be from this divison, so long as all 3 kept doing so well.

 

 

[ponsaelius]

Current 3rd placed teams and PPG.

 

NPL North Scarborough 2.14

NPL South Bedworth 1.83

Isthmian North Potters Bar 1.9

Isthmian South Greenwich Borough 2.05

Southern East Beaconsfield Borough 2.08

Southern West Bristol Manor Farm 1.77

 

At the moment Scarborough still just ahead.

[Matt]

Is it really not the top two who go up? All the tables I've seen have that dividing like after 2nd.

 

I was referring to 1 up in the Step 3 leagues (from Evostik Premier into National North)

[ponsaelius]

Northern League fixtures are continuing to be decimated by the weather at the moment. Request has been made to extend the season by a week to try and get fixtures finished. This is an all too familiar story in non-league football. Now I'm very much a traditionalist in most things but IMO there has to be questions asked about the non-league season and the calender in which it runs. It is almost inevitable every year that fixtures throughout winter will be decimated and that teams will be left playing multiple games a week in the latter part of the season.

 

Is it not a more sensible idea to start the semipro and amateur non-league season earlier in the summer, and allow it to run later the following year, with a significant winter break sandwiched in between. This would certainly limit the number of games that are obliterated by the bad weather. It would also probably provide extra revenue for clubs in that it will see greater attendances when there is no other football on for people to consume.

 

Generally I'm strongly against the idea of a winter break in England, but that's because the facilities of the PL and Football League are generally more than capable of dealing with adverse weather. The non league game is different.

[Guest neesy111]

Would agree generally with that, but would be a number of knock on drawbacks for teams and players doing that.

[Disco]

Know what you mean but the proper bad weather didn't start until the end of Feb when they'd be back playing anyway. Financially allowing they'd be better off sacking off all the pointless cups they have.

[Paully]

A draw for South Shields tonight will secure their third consecutive promotion!

[Paully]

Third promotion in a row for South Shields - five points from their last four matches required to win the league assuming Scarborough win every match!

[Wilky]

Meanwhile in the Northern League Marske I think pretty much guaranteed to win the league now. 12 games in 20 days is insane for them but they are only 13 points behind with 8 games in hand now. I can't see them losing half of those sadly and we have done our best in recent weeks to drop points, including Markse hammering us down there.

 

In truth they have been the best team in the division this season and if we had won it would have been due to fixture congestion. That said in recent seasons that same fixture congestion has worked against us but hey ho.

[Guest]

Third promotion in a row for South Shields - five points from their last four matches required to win the league assuming Scarborough win every match!

 

How much do you stand to win?

[Paully]

Hebburn played their third match in four days last night and lost 2-1 at home to Tow Law - heavy legs and a red card for Chowey who had notched four the previous night!

 

Should still go up looking at the remaining matches!

[La Parka]

Harrogate Town have thrown money at it this season. Turned professional and are in the playoffs despite being managed by a clueless dullard of a chairmans son. Hope they go up because it would be great for the area as York are in free fall.

[Wilky]

Northumberland Senior Final tonight at SJP. Always feels strange cheering the opposition to NUFC but Howay the Peth!

 

Tonight is also probably the night Marske go above us in the league and that will be that. Fair play to them, been by far the best team in the NL this year and will see them next year as we are both promoted (forced or otherwise)

[Paully]

Northumberland Senior Final tonight at SJP. Always feels strange cheering the opposition to NUFC but Howay the Peth!

 

Tonight is also probably the night Marske go above us in the league and that will be that. Fair play to them, been by far the best team in the NL this year and will see them next year as we are both promoted (forced or otherwise)

 

A mate of mine will be playing for Morpeth - Chrissy McDonald - he played at SJP in the final for Whitley a few seasons ago!

[Yorkie]

Harrogate Town have thrown money at it this season. Turned professional and are in the playoffs despite being managed by a clueless dullard of a chairmans son. Hope they go up because it would be great for the area as York are in free fall.

 

Tragic what's going on at York, they're pitiful and it's only a few years since they were in the League 2 playoff.

[Guest chopey]

Jarrow Roofing closed down, anyone remeber the video of the loudest fan in football from there ?

[Infinitely Content]

Aye read about that yesterday, withdrawing from the EBAC Northern League after 35 years in existence. Shame really. Recently had a few ex Newcastle & Middlesbrough players on their books in John Campbell & Bruno Pilatos.