How Many Teams Going Up ??

[CoachKT]

We (That is Bere Alston United) appear to have blown our chances of finishing in the top two in ECPL Div One, but I have heard a rumour that due to the restructuring for the 2nd year running in the SWPL and the possible influx of new teams in ECPL Div One next season (i.e. Elburton Villa Res, Plymstock Utd Res and Plymouth Parkway Res to name just three), plus of course the possible disappearance of Padstow FC, there may be three or possible four teams going up.......Can anyone confirm this ???

[Guest]

Crikey KT that’s a bit negative. You have five matches left and you still have to play second place St Stephen. And yes you have the more difficult run in but you can’t give up just yet. A win at Tavistock on Wednesday would do your team a world of good.

You could well be right insofar as the restructuring is concerned; I am led to believe that the league may get the go-ahead to have a 32 team constitution.

At the moment all that can happen is that the bottom two of the Premier Division will be relegated and the top two of Division One promoted with the bottom team in Division One relegated to the Duchy League and the top team of the Duchy League promoted to Division One.

Let us say that CCFA allow the ECPL to have a 32 team constitution.

1. Will the bottom two of the Premier Division currently Bodmin Town and Padstow United be relegated and the top two of Division One promoted. That would leave the Premier Division still two teams short. This could mean the top four of Division One being promoted or the bottom two not relegated.

2 Would it be right and proper to keep Bodmin and Padstow in the premier Division? The pair finished in the bottom two in the last seasons and only avoided relegation through the league adding two more teams. Should the pair be given another chance?

3 As I understand it the Likes of Plymouth Parkway, Elburton Villa and Plymstock United Reserve teams have every right to transfer over into the ECPL if they so wish to. This would bring in another three teams with very good facilities.

4 This leaves the current Duchy League champions being promoted to the ECPL. But there you have another problem in that St Stephens Borough cannot play at their current ground Warfelton in Saltash but from what I can gather they are attempting to use the Third Generation pitch at Salt Mill Saltash. The pitch I believe is completely surrounded by a high mesh fence. And someone may correct me here, no dugouts and the spectators will most probably have to stand outside the fence to view the game Again I may be totally wrong so if someone wants to come on here and correct me then please do.

This nonsense of voting clubs in and out the league has to stop and that the ECPL committee should decide who comes in and who goes out which I believe they will.

Again it is down to the CCFA to firstly decide that the ECPL can have 32 teams and then for the league to decide who is promoted/relegated and who is aloud into the league from outside.

I'm afraid plastic pitches has to be a complete no-no, for a start who will be covered for insurance for playing on such a surface. But - are the CCFA against this type of surface. The main thing in all this is that player’s protection and safety has to be first and foremost in every ones eyes.

So in answer to your concerns KT I suppose the answer at the moment is no one knows. I would suggest you get your players motivated for the challenge for the second spot and forget about the other issues. They will happen if they happen.

This saves me sending you a PM.

Before anyone chips in about the rights and wrongs of having Devon teams in the ECPL. We have gone through this The league title is only a name. The constitution allows teams from both Devon & Cornwall to be in the league so there is no argument - whether you like it or not. That is it. It might actually be time to change the league name to the East Cornwall & South West Devon League. Now that will rasie a few eyebrows.