Promotion to / relegation from SWPLP

[Can't keep up?!]

Thought i would put a feeler out there to the idea of their being the SWPL 2 promotion slots each year from both SWPL West and East divisions being 1 automatic place and then a play off between either 2nd and 3rd or 2nd to 5th.

Clearly ground requirements may impact on this but it would provide teams and supporters alike with a more interesting finish to a season.

People may argue that some Div 1 West and East teams are not good enough. Camelford are an example of this not being the case with a likely top 10 finish this season.

Cannot comment on the east teams but from playing Liverton United in the charity cup final this year clearly they are a force to be reckoned with aswell.

What are your thoughts?

[baldy]

You're not the first to suggest it.

As far as I know the FA/Pyramid rules do not permit any more promotions than exist.

I believe the League's hands are tied on this occasion.

[skippy]

You're not the first to suggest it.

As far as I know the FA/Pyramid rules do not permit any more promotions than exist.

I believe the League's hands are tied on this occasion.

Promotion and relegation within the SWP is governed by the League rules not the FA. I am generally OK with only promoting one club from each Div 1. My only objection is if a Devon or Cornwall club is relegated from the Western Premier (Barnstaple were close this season) then the SWP Div 1 champions are forced to play off for one promotion place. Imagine the uproar if champions Newquay were denied promotion!

A more reasonable option in my opinion would be for the third bottom SWP Premier club to be relegated in this scenario. Presumably this would require an amendment to the League rules to be proposed and voted at the AGM.

[baldy]

League rule 13.3 states that

"Promotion, relegation and lateral movement of Clubs shall be in accordance with the principles established by the Leagues Committee of the FA" which doesn't give the Peninsula League much wriggle room, I think.

Even if Barnstaple had been relegated, there would have been no play-off cos Buckland have been promoted (straight swap).

I still like the idea of 3 up but I don't think it's gonna happen.

[Can't keep up?!]

_{Power in numbers, 1 up 1 down is boring. Look at Prem to Conference, this does not apply here. You end up with teams also in SWP who finish near the bottom who probably arent as good as the top teams in SWPL Div 1.}

_{Would be great to see Helston for example taking on premier teams. If they come back down, they come back down but this makes the lower league stronger as evidenced by the Championship where we are starting to see a collection of 6-8 teams that could get into the Prem and last 3-4 seasons.}

_{Rant over}