New non League division below National South/North

Talk about other football teams at all levels. AND ANY Glos City related threads, even if talking about the groundsharing.

Moderators: Admin, Ralph, asl, Robin

RegencyCheltenhamSpa
Posts: 29759
Joined: 21 Nov 2009, 03:27
Old news I know but I have only just realised that another division is being added to sit alongside the Southern League, Northern Prem and Isthmian League. I assume it will be a Midlands/Central League. It will have its own feeder league, and will have promotion/relegation to/from National League North and South.

Idea is to reduce travel times for teams in the middle of the country who could find themselves going to Weymouth or South Shields despite being based near Nottingham.

Teams like Grantham and Kings Lynn will be pleased I imagine.
leohoenig
Posts: 2157
Joined: 20 Nov 2009, 10:50
Contact:
The idea (which will not be achieved) is to make the whole structure better suited to teams in the North, especially the North-east, and to halt the southward movement of boundaries between "North" and "South".

The additional "Midlands League" will be operated by the exisiting Southern League. Currently 72 teams play in the three divisions at this level. Next season, there will be 88 in four divisions.

The next level down, Step 4, will also be increased by a division. Currently there are 136 clubs in six divisions. Next season there will be 140 clubs in seven divisions.

As a result of this, only the bottom team in each of the current step 6 divisions will be relegated, with the top team in each of the 14 leagues at Step 5 being promoted, and the top 12 second teams, decided on a points per game average. With the exception of a small number of teams whose grounds do not come up to standard, promotion is compulsory- a plan which has met with opposition, mainly from the Northern League.

The number of leagues at step 5 will remain at 14, there will be some shuffling around and may be a 20 team limit applied on each division.
The Step 5 Leagues are
Northern, North West Counties, Northern Counties (East), Midland Football League, United Counties, Eastern Counties, Essex, Spartan South Midlands, Southern Counties (East) [formerly Kent], Southern Combination [formerly Sussex], Combined Counties, Hellenic, Wessex and Western

There will be an increase at Step 6, with two new divisions. One will be administered by the North West Counties, the other by the Eastern Counties with some representation from the Essex. Essex is currently the only area in the country not covered by a Step 6 League

Currently, all the Step 5 Leagues above run a Step 6 division, except Essex. The Hellenic has two Step 6 divisions.
There are three independent Step 6 Leagues, East Midlands, West Midlands (Regional) and South West Peninsular.
Ralph
Posts: 4830
Joined: 23 Dec 2009, 01:56
Excellent write up Leo. I wasn't aware of the changes
RegencyCheltenhamSpa
Posts: 29759
Joined: 21 Nov 2009, 03:27
Morpeth currently top of the Northern League. Would be a long away trip for anyone! Shildon probably the best equipped to go up. Easily on a par on the pitch with South Shields and Spennymoor who found the Northern Prem Div 1 pish easy after finally getting up. Stadia may be a concern. Whitley Bay will happily volunteer to go up if no one else wants to.
Post Reply