Have We Gone Back In Time?

[cornishteddyboy]

Have we seen it all before? Have we gone back to the very late 50's, very early 60's?

Why.

In the 1959 season we had 4 levels of "Senior" Leagues - 1. South Western League - 2. Cornwall Senior League, 3. Cornwall Combination League, East Cornwall League and 4. - Mining Shield, Plymouth and District/Devon.

The South Western League was a mix of teams from Devon and Cornwall, soon to be dominated by Cornish teams. This will happen to the SWPL Premier within a few years and like before the Devon teams will get dissalusioned.

The Cornwall Senior League collapsed at the start of the 60's but was full of teams from across the county. It even had 2 divisions at one time. Teams such as Mullion, Nanpean, St Dennis, St Breward, Porthleven, St Just, Mousehole, etc. Sounds like the new SWPL West.

We then had the Cornwall Combination League and East Cornwall League. These contained teams such as Pz Reserves, Newquay Reserves, Culdrose, etc. Much as today, the teams may have changed but you can only get into those league by applying and being voted in. One good point is the chance of promotion into the SWPL West but onlyif you arn't a reserves side.

Then there were the "smaller Leagues", Mining Shield, Hart Cup, Plymouth and Devon, etc. Once again most of the teams are very much like those who were in them in those early days, village teams and reserves, 3rd and 4th teams. Very difficult to get out of. Virtually no chance of getting out of them into the Combo or ECL.

So like I said have we been here before?

Comments anyone. Shoot me down in flames.

[Magic Mike]

great point but i dont think this will happen, the new leagues will only make teams want to progress further, i know a lot of teams want to progress to a higher standard and with all the new leagues in place that should happen!!!!

[cornishteddyboy]

One of my points is you still have the closed shop of the Combo and ECL so even if a club wants to progress they can't.

Also to go beyound the SWPL Premier a club must have a sugar daddy such as Truro or a really good finacial set-up. Prehaps the Western League Division One should be made larger and ought to be regionalised say to West, East and North. The West section could have teams from Devon, Cornwall and teams from say as far as a line from Taunton to Weymouth. This will then inclued the North Devon teams and those from West Dorest and Somerset.

Hence there would be more travelling for a team going up from the SWPL Premier but not as far as having to play most of the away games around Bristol.

There must be a solution for progressive Cornish clubs somehow without needing a sugar daddy.

[Guest]

I thought the Devon clubs left because they had enough of the league. Anyone know any different?

[Richard Rundle]

One of my points is you still have the closed shop of the Combo and ECL so even if a club wants to progress they can't.

The East Cornwall League isn't a closed shop - win the Duchy League (with the appropriate facilities) and you gain automatic promotion.

--

Richard

[local_boy]

great point but i dont think this will happen, the new leagues will only make teams want to progress further, i know a lot of teams want to progress to a higher standard and with all the new leagues in place that should happen!!!!

Teams want to progress but are they able to afford it??

[Magic Mike]

in all walks of life especially sport money holds u back! if u aint got any u very often aint going to go anywhere!!