League restructure

[Darlogramps]

I don't really know if there is an easy answer. If you make the Northern Premier League go straight into Conference North you give step 3 Northern sides a 1 in 12 chance of getting to Step 2 whilst giving the rest of the county a 1 in 36 chance - not sure that will be interpreted as fair.

This isn’t true, firstly as teams don’t have an equal chance of promotion for a host of factors, such as finance. It’s like saying Norwich and Liverpool both had a 1 in 20 chance of winning the Premier League. They didn’t because Liverpool had the greater resources, better players and so on.

But keeping the same structure risks driving Northern clubs out of business, as the costs of travelling to Essex, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, Cambridgeshire and the West Midlands will prove excessive, unless sides in the North have a rich sugar daddy willing to cover the ever-increasing travelling bill. It also ensures a side without a benefactor has less to spend on the squad as they’re paying more on travelling. Again, this hardly seems fair.

I’m saying the current structure of Step 3 lacks geographic balance and thereby guarantees the North division stretching down to Essex, Oxfordshire and Herefordshire. I’m sure everyone agrees that is a complete nonsense and financially impacts the clubs further North more than central, Midlands clubs.

The best way would be to tip the balance the other way, so you have more Northern teams at Step 3. Trouble is this creates an imbalance further down the pyramid.

So there isn’t an easy solution but let’s not pretend the current set up is tolerable or sensible because it isn’t. Not when Gloucester, King’s Lynn and Hereford are classed as Northern teams.

[lo36789]

We've had 8 already this season, 9 next week when we play Boston. Makes no difference.

So in likelihood we'll have upwards of 10 away midweek fixtures which is an awful lot for a semi professional team.

Why would they all be away fixtures?

They won't be, but there is the potential for extra midweek away games.

So why say they would be?

Yeh "in likelihood" is different to "potential"

[lo36789]

I don't really know if there is an easy answer. If you make the Northern Premier League go straight into Conference North you give step 3 Northern sides a 1 in 12 chance of getting to Step 2 whilst giving the rest of the county a 1 in 36 chance - not sure that will be interpreted as fair.

There isn't an easy answer. Almost half of England's population live in London and the South East, and when you add in the West Country it's inevitable that teams from the northern home counties will creep into National League North. Expect away trips to Oxford City, Hemel FC and Chelmsford City in the next few years.

This is where my head goes as well. I also missed chance with opportunity above. There will always be imbalance because of population distribution in the UK.

Of you drew a line of where 50% live north and 50% live south I am not sure it would even be as far north as the division splits right now,

Also moving it would make the southern Division intolerable. The distance and time it takes to get east to west is insane compared to north to south due to infrastructure.

If you renamed the divisions as East and West then I figure the argument goes away somewhat it's only because of the title says North / South. If it said "most northern" and "most southern" then it is what it is.

[MB86DFC]

The ideal scenario would be for chorley, fylde and chesterfield to stay in the relegation zone, and for Wrexham to fall in and all drop down to our division. Also, if Kings Lynn and Brackley could go up, and Blyth could pull themselves out of it then the north / south line would have to moved, possibly then sending Hereford and Leamington into the Southern section. All idealistic I know but would make for a northern heavy league meaning we may have some increased away crowds at BM and shorter away trips, especially if South Shields come up with another more local team.

As an alternative thought, would it not be better to have less local teams so less competition for players?

[JE93]

The ideal scenario would be for chorley, fylde and chesterfield to stay in the relegation zone, and for Wrexham to fall in and all drop down to our division. Also, if Kings Lynn and Brackley could go up, and Blyth could pull themselves out of it then the north / south line would have to moved, possibly then sending Hereford and Leamington into the Southern section. All idealistic I know but would make for a northern heavy league meaning we may have some increased away crowds at BM and shorter away trips, especially if South Shields come up with another more local team.

As an alternative thought, would it not be better to have less local teams so less competition for players?

Think the truth is we are already competing with the likes of Gateshead, Spenny, South Shields for players as a sort of second tier of NE clubs. Pools and York being tier 1. Then there's a third tier of Blyth (not entirely clear what is going on in the background at that club some parts budget cut other parts Lee Clarke management), Morpeth, Whitby, Scarborough. Then Tier 4; Dunston, Marske and the larger northern league clubs.

Agree with your first point some well supported northern teams coming into the league would be a big bonus. Shields would bring plenty of fans, FC United always brought 100 or so (which is decent at this level). Got to think Chesterfield would inspire a decent crowd. Looking more and more likely we will lose Kings Lynn, well done to them good team this year, but in the absolute arse end of nowhere and a trek I'm sure may clubs wouldn't miss. Other than that nothing particularly to write home about for clubs who might come into the league.