The Non-League Thread

[Marc]

1 minute ago, Smiley Culture said:

Incredibly harsh on them if they were reprimanded for not finishing their season. As a 9th tier side run by, largely, volunteers, there’s only so much they can do to ensure games are played. What’s done them even more is an FA Vase run. 

I can’t say I’ve ever heard of it but surely they must be asking for the season to be extended. 

Yeah, I agree, I'm not sure what the best resolution is. Extending the season wouldn't be fair on their opponents, but not extending it wouldn't be fair on Northwich. If they were on course for mid-table I guess they'd just forfeit a couple of games.

At step 9 they're probably paying some players a couple of hundred quid a week or game.

[Smiley Culture]

16 minutes ago, Marc said:

Yeah, I agree, I'm not sure what the best resolution is. Extending the season wouldn't be fair on their opponents, but not extending it wouldn't be fair on Northwich. If they were on course for mid-table I guess they'd just forfeit a couple of games.

At step 9 they're probably paying some players a couple of hundred quid a week or game.

Don’t know about up north but I know a few lads who play the equivalent level down here, the Essex Senior League and they’re all on nothing. 

I do know that Bishop’s Stortford, two leagues higher and relegated from one below the Conference pay about an average of £125 a week to their players. 

[Marc]

2 minutes ago, Smiley Culture said:

Don’t know about up north but I know a few lads who play the equivalent level down here, the Essex Senior League and they’re all on nothing. 

I do know that Bishop’s Stortford, two leagues higher and relegated from one below the Conference pay about an average of £125 a week to their players. 

My mistake I though step 9 was higher than what it was. Step 9 and 10 clubs around Norfolk and Suffolk all pay, but it would be more like £30-50 a game. Maybe they pay around here because the travelling is so far. The equivalent league around here is the Eastern counties/Thurlow Nunn league which is Norfolk, Suffolk, East Cambridgeshire and North essex so two hour away games and leaving work early on a tuesday etc is common. In Essex or London the clubs would all be within an hour of each other i'd guess? 

Below is a map of the equivalent league in the country, look at the travelling in Devon and Cornwall, ridiculous.

 

[Smiley Culture]

11 minutes ago, Marc said:

My mistake I though step 9 was higher than what it was. Step 9 and 10 clubs around Norfolk and Suffolk all pay, but it would be more like £30-50 a game. Maybe they pay around here because the travelling is so far. The equivalent league around here is the Eastern counties/Thurlow Nunn league which is Norfolk, Suffolk, East Cambridgeshire and North essex so two hour away games and leaving work early on a tuesday etc is common. In Essex or London the clubs would all be within an hour of each other i'd guess? 

Below is a map of the equivalent league in the country, look at the travelling in Devon and Cornwall, ridiculous.

 

I think there are some clubs in the Essex Senior that do pay, but not too many. 

Most teamsin the Essex Senior League are in East London, rather than Essex and if they are in Essex, they’re more in the West of the County so not far from London. I think the longest journeys are undertaken by Basildon and Southend Manor at that level. 

Theres a big overhaul of the leagues at that level and above this Summer, I’m not sure how exactly it’s going to happen but I believe there’s now a Midlands based Southern League to be brought in to prevent some of the crazy journeys you get at that level now as the league stretches down to the South West of England. 

[Stan]

Sutton 0-2 Bromley at half-time.

Butler, Sutton's goal-keeper escapes a red card after bringing down the Bromley striker. 

[roversgirl]

Fylde coming from 1-0 down to beat Sutton 2-1 at Mill Farm yesterday! That result means they are now well in the play offs with just 4 games to go...this is dream land for the club in the first season at this level. No team will want to play Fylde in the play offs - on their day they have shown this season they can beat (and hammer) ANY side in this league! 

[Smiley Culture]

Been to Bishop’s Stortford v Hereford today. Hereford have all but secured the Southern Premier League title with a 91st minute winner to win 1-0 today. 

The game was attack v defence with Hereford having double the amount of points Stortford had before kick-off and it got worse as a spectacle when one of Stortford’s centre-backs got sent-off for two bookings. He could have no complaints, he was booked for a foul, gave away a penalty and was then rightfully shown a second yellow and sent off. 

Hereford missed a penalty, drawing a good save from the Stortford keeper, who had an absolute blinder of a game. 

The second half was all Hereford, they threw everything at Stortford and only the Stortford keeper and some last gasp defending kept them at bay. 

It looked as though Stortford would battle to a point, for which their defensive performance deserved but a near post header from a corner in the first minute of four added on broke their hearts. 

I should mention that I was mightily impressed by Bishop’s Stortford, who are suffering a bit and have a pretty small budget which has led to them relying on youth, with a number of those coming through the system at the club and they fielded a very youthful side today and they all stood up and put in a performance against a side that have scored over 100 goals and now earnt over 100 points this season. 

[Smiley Culture]

39 minutes ago, Cannabis said:

Hereford blimey, remember them.

Yeah, them. Got as far as League One in about 2008/09.

Had a serious of terrible owners, the club was liquidated and the fans started their own club. They’re about to win back-to-back promotions and will be in the Conference South next year. 

Brought a good few hundred fans but apparently two coaches got stuck in traffic and never made it so they’d have had a few more today. 

[BounceAroundTheGround]

The league Hereford are in could have 3 teams on 100+ points, and the top 5 are all above 90 points. 

 

 

Bizzare league.

[Smiley Culture]

Hereford won the title on Tuesday night with a win against Biggleswade, IIRC.

They'll be in the Conference South next season.

[roversgirl]

No Rovers game tomorrow so off to AFC Fylde to watch them play Solihull in a huge game in the race for the play offs!

[BounceAroundTheGround]

On 19/04/2018 at 20:39, Smiley Culture said:

Hereford won the title on Tuesday night with a win against Biggleswade, IIRC.

They'll be in the Conference South next season.

Yep think you're right. Hopefully not too long until their in the football league, their support is superb.

On 20/04/2018 at 18:28, roversgirl said:

No Rovers game tomorrow so off to AFC Fylde to watch them play Solihull in a huge game in the race for the play offs!

Did Jonny Smith look good?

[roversgirl]

6 hours ago, BounceAroundTheGround said:

Yep think you're right. Hopefully not too long until their in the football league, their support is superb.

Did Jonny Smith look good?

Yesterday, no. But most games I've seen this season he has been one of the better players. He is still inconsistent as you would imagine as he is still fairly young and inexperienced but he has the pace and skill to be a decent football league player. I'd love to see him back at Fylde next season whether they are League Two or National League, but not sure whether that will happen. However, I don't think he would be good enough to compete in the Championship right now.

[Stan]

Macclesfield have won automatic promotion from National League in to League Two.

Salford City (owned by some ex-Utd players including Gary Neville, Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs) have won promotion to the National League from their Northern division.
 

[Smiley Culture]

This may be of interest to some, probably not mind, but there’s a restructuring taking place in Non-League Football this year at the 7th (the current Northern, Southern and Ryman Premier’s) and 8th tier (the regional leagues to the Northern, Southern and Ryman leagues), where new divisions in the Midlands area will be created. 

I imagine this is due to the amount of travelling some teams do currently and because of the number of games postponed, meaning a more regionalised League should cut down on travel times/costs/player unavailability. Bishop’s Stortford had rearranged midweek games in Merthyr Tydfil and Hereford this season, so in theory, it should stop that sort of thing. 

The new leagues are shown on the maps in the link 

https://www.evostikleaguesouthern.co.uk/step-3-and-4-league-boundaries-for-the-201819-seas-47185

When the provisional divisions are drawn up, I’m unsure  

 

[Stan]

Good idea. My mate's brother played for Brackley last season and they had to do some ridiculous travelling. Now playing for Hemel and it hadn't changed much but for non league clubs it's hard enough as it is trying to pay for everything let alone travel the country when you're meant to be in a division where not much travelling is meant to be done! 

Hopefully this makes a difference for the clubs and introduction of a Midlands league is a good idea. 

[Smiley Culture]

Yeah, I know a lad who’s played at Conference South level and he had to sleep in his car on occasions when getting home from places like Truro and Gloucester in midweek. 

The Midlands got the short straw and teams were travelling to places like Cumbria, which is mad really. 

[tlr]

A decent move, anything to ease the strain the likes of Workington and Kings Lynn must feel can't be a bad thing. I suspect everything will be finalised later this month when they traditionally sort the following season's constiution (and of course the play offs are finished). I am sure there will already be a few drafts though, just waiting for the final touches. 

[BounceAroundTheGround]

Watched second-half of Boreham Wood vs Fylde yesterday. Boreham wood were the better side until Fylde brought on some creative players  and they had a few chances, but Borehamwood defended well.

 

[The Artful Dodger]

Tranmere in the play off finap again, hope they come up this time.

[Smiley Culture]

29 minutes ago, The Artful Dodger said:

Tranmere in the play off finap again, hope they come up this time.

Are they? There’s about 8 teams in the play-offs now and I have no idea how they work. 

[Stan]

3 minutes ago, Smiley Culture said:

Are they? There’s about 8 teams in the play-offs now and I have no idea how they work. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2017–18_National_League#Play-offs

2nd and 3rd get a bye to the semis.

4th-7th play a knockout. Winners play 2nd and 3rd respectively (not sure how it's decided who plays 2nd and 3rd though?)

Then winners of those play the final and get promoted along with 1st place.

[Smiley Culture]

30 minutes ago, Stan said:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2017–18_National_League#Play-offs

2nd and 3rd get a bye to the semis.

4th-7th play a knockout. Winners play 2nd and 3rd respectively (not sure how it's decided who plays 2nd and 3rd though?)

Then winners of those play the final and get promoted along with 1st place.

Utterly daft. 

Wasnt broken, didn’t need changing. 

[Danny]

Are Sutton backed by anyone? Would be mad seeing them promoted.

[Smiley Culture]

5 hours ago, Danny said:

Are Sutton backed by anyone? Would be mad seeing them promoted.

If they’re promoted. 

The EFL are voting on fake pitches next month (I think) and if they vote no, Sutton, if they win promotion, either have to rip up a multi-million pound pitch or be relegated from the Conference.