Devonian Posted February 5 Report Share Posted February 5 Any news on the FA Investigation to league structures in the west. Is it expected that any regionalisation of the Western League will commence in time for next season Quiet Man 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baldy Posted February 5 Report Share Posted February 5 Been wondering that myself. I think it may well be imposed after the shambles of last season. OR maybe we will lose the extra step 5 to another part of the country. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philheybrookbay Posted February 6 Report Share Posted February 6 Spoke to John Pool yesterday and nothing was mentioned. Plenty of other stuff but not reorganisation 🫡 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triggs60 Posted February 6 Report Share Posted February 6 I think @Ian Pethick has mentioned recently but what is the issue? The travel isn't as great in the Western League as it has been over recent years with more of "our" sides being promoted. If it went back to 3 or 4 promoted from each Step 6 league, where would it leave that standard of football? Also, as which level would clubs and/or players be willing to travel? I think Step5 have had a travel grant this year ( @Philheybrookbay, can you confirm?), surely that's the way to stay? Ian Pethick 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Pethick Posted February 6 Report Share Posted February 6 42 minutes ago, Philheybrookbay said: Spoke to John Pool yesterday and nothing was mentioned. Plenty of other stuff but not reorganisation 🫡 Think the re org/merger is as dead as a dead parrot. Some day we might see minutes of what happened and was said in smoke filled FA rooms. Only then will we understand the promises made and broken, what the red lines were and who crossed them and the involvement of the various personalities and vested interests. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devonian Posted February 6 Author Report Share Posted February 6 As Western League membership seems to be moving inexorably South-West ward (I believe six Cornwall four Devon, 5 Bristolish and three other) , the geographical issues seem now more for the Bristol area clubs rather than Devon and Cornwall. Surely still better for all to have a league of 18 clubs based down here ish and avoid clubs travelling such long distances on a regular basis. I can’t say I am an expert on this - what would be the arguments against? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Town Fan Posted February 7 Report Share Posted February 7 It's worth remembering that two Step 5 leagues in the the old Western League area would mean no play-offs. Whether you like them or not, they do keep the season alive. If more teams from the west get promoted and the balance shifts this way, it simply means the Helenic and Wessex league boundaries will move westwards too. Look on a map and you'll see the area covered by these two leagues roughly equates to the Western League area. A very good point was made previously, at some point longer journeys will become necessary in the National League System. Luke Gibbons 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
le boss Posted February 7 Report Share Posted February 7 Surely teams who have aspirations to climb the ladder who are then restricted by boundary changes will feel short changed. The whole point of the ladder is to play a higher standard not play teams just because they are nearby. Not sure I agree with forced promotion but clubs know well in advance the implications of rising through the leagues. Local football stagnates if there is no change or one team is dominant for lots of years. Luke Gibbons, Footy follower, The Town Man and 2 others 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luke Gibbons Posted February 7 Report Share Posted February 7 Completely agree @le boss. The forced promotion is a tricky one. I'm with you, it can stagnate at that standard if a side is completely dominant and doesn't move up. Possibly a "if a Club wins X amount of titles in a row then they have to be promoted or relegated". Either way, I'm glad I don't have to make the decision on behalf of the Leagues. Thecupfootballblogger 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philheybrookbay Posted February 7 Report Share Posted February 7 4 hours ago, Luke Gibbons said: Completely agree @le boss. The forced promotion is a tricky one. I'm with you, it can stagnate at that standard if a side is completely dominant and doesn't move up. Possibly a "if a Club wins X amount of titles in a row then they have to be promoted or relegated". Either way, I'm glad I don't have to make the decision on behalf of the Leagues. Thing is....its not the leagues who decide. Its the National FA who decide the constitution of leagues. The rules for promotion and none taking are pretty harsh. Look at Andover FC as the main example. So today we've had an email for any club wanting to move leagues either lateral or down to fill in before deadline of 31st March. And yes. It's a form I don't expect to fill in!!!! Unless we fancy a season in the North West Counties League 😆😆 Luke Gibbons and Thecupfootballblogger 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
le boss Posted February 7 Report Share Posted February 7 9 minutes ago, Philheybrookbay said: Thing is....its not the leagues who decide. Its the National FA who decide the constitution of leagues. The rules for promotion and none taking are pretty harsh. Look at Andover FC as the main example. So today we've had an email for any club wanting to move leagues either lateral or down to fill in before deadline of 31st March. And yes. It's a form I don't expect to fill in!!!! Unless we fancy a season in the North West Counties League 😆😆 So what is the point of a team competing well in a league, gaining a promotion spot, only to back out? It’s no secret that money is needed to achieve this, be it on or off the field. There is little or no financial incentive for these teams to win the leagues or cups- the prize money in this county has always been piss poor - so teams that moved from club to club to follow a manager just wanted to be big fish in the little pond?? It happened at Blazey, St Austell, Bodmin, Porthleven and Falmouth to name but a few but whilst these players have lots of medals, it feels like a lack of achievement. Happens is junior football too I might add. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foul Throw 3 Posted February 8 Report Share Posted February 8 13 hours ago, Philheybrookbay said: And yes. It's a form I don't expect to fill in!!!! Unless we fancy a season in the North West Counties League 😆😆 Why not? Too much travel? 🤣🤣 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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