• Hello Guest, You'll need to login or signup to be able to post on here.

Non League show tonight, Mark Harris and structure.

A

Alan Riding

Too much time on my hands
5
Jul 31, 2013
1,083
1,352
Listened to Mark Harris on Radio Manchester tonight.
Looks like part of the new structure has been agreed. I'm sure more will come out soon, but no changes this coming season but from 2018-19 season 4-6 teams will be promoted from our league and same level leagues to form another 2 leagues above us. I hope I got this right but this was certainly the gist of his interview. Travelling and the bottleneck at our level were given as the reasons. This will also apply to Northern League teams but there's no guarantee that they will take it up.
The National League do not agree with the changes so there will be 1 promoted at National League North/South with playoffs between leagues!

Also well done to Matty Russell making it into the Radio Manchester team of the year.
 
Promotion to the next level is our realistic aim and hopefully these changes will deliver that, always assuming we don't end up champions next season (why not; we can dream can't we?)? Promotion beyond the next level is a good way away, so although an unfortunate stance set by the National League, if they want to "take their ball away", it is what it is. Also unfortunate for the clubs who aspirie toward promotion to the Conference Leagues beyond the 2018/19 season that their ambitions are being stymied by the selfish self interest of the big boys.
 
Twas ever thus, at all levels.
I won't hold my breath about the Northern League clubs playing ball, either
 
Is there a podcast of the show and if so anyone got a link?
 
I don't believe there is a podcast. We were asking Ian Burke at the Colls match on Monday.

Steve, The National League would not allow anymore places/promotions so with an extra league below Mark was saying that the Champions of what is now north and south would be promoted and a mini league playoff between the three runners up would have to be organised.

Much that I object to the way Mark Harris has gone about Witton's business over the last couple of years or so, he presented this change very well.
 
If indeed there is a season when 4 or 5 teams are promoted it will be anything but easy! Every team will throw every penny they can at it to try and get up.

Since we've been in the Counties there have been a couple of restructures that have lead to different promotions. Twice since we've been in it the top 2 have gone up (Salford &Trafford, Skem & Lairds) and not long before that 3 went up, one of which was Alsager.
 
Agreed, when/if more promotion places come up for grabs, clubs will be tempted to roll the dice, given the better promotion odds. Progressing will be just as tough if not tougher, with a greater risk of financial failure for those who have chanced their arm, but ultimately miss out ..... and of course some clubs will fall short, someone has to.
 
stebiggy said:
If indeed there is a season when 4 or 5 teams are promoted it will be anything but easy! Every team will throw every penny they can at it to try and get up.

Since we've been in the Counties there have been a couple of restructures that have lead to different promotions. Twice since we've been in it the top 2 have gone up (Salford &Trafford, Skem & Lairds) and not long before that 3 went up, one of which was Alsager.
Click to expand...
Interesting that it is fairly recent that more have gone up. Also I agree that more will throw money at it in the prospect of being promoted.

This season the top 5 are well clear but as we look forward to next, teams are already committing players with contracts, good or bad thing? ....... well time will tell. I suppose it's how much they are paying and whether it's worth it.
 
I'd quite like to see a few wild-card places up for grabs - allocated across the 'feeder leagues' - on the off-chance that those teams who have performed consistently over a number of years lose out to one-season wonders who throw excess funds at it; something that should never be encouraged.

That'd at least leave Linnets in a good position to benefit - and I'm not sure too many would begrudge them that. Of course, if they have another good season next year, then I'd like to think '74 would be in the running too...
 
Alan Riding said:
This season the top 5 are well clear but as we look forward to next, teams are already committing players with contracts, good or bad thing? ....... well time will tell. I suppose it's how much they are paying and whether it's worth it.
Click to expand...

There's 5 or 6 of our players that should be on contract Imo
 
Nicki said:
I'd quite like to see a few wild-card places up for grabs - allocated across the 'feeder leagues' - on the off-chance that those teams who have performed consistently over a number of years lose out to one-season wonders who throw excess funds at it; something that should never be encouraged.

That'd at least leave Linnets in a good position to benefit - and I'm not sure too many would begrudge them that. Of course, if they have another good season next year, then I'd like to think '74 would be in the running too...
Click to expand...

This is interesting. Wouldn't stop money being thrown at promotion, but for the genuine clubs who do things right and within their means but still get good results this would be a good idea on first viewing. Linnets are the first club to come to mind as Nicki says. Still going strong and just miss out each year.
 
josh89 said:
There's 5 or 6 of our players that should be on contract Imo
Click to expand...

Josh, this really is a big expense for clubs at our level and such a gamble. If you have a big asset, I mean BIG then I agree. Not sure we have anyone really in this category. From what I've seen so far, and I would give it a while yet, Adam Whitlock is possibly the only one.

You have to be careful, as players who sign contracts get paid whether they play or not. If they lose form or fall out with the manager then we have problems. Also you could get some players becoming complacent and believing they will be selected every game whether in or out of form.
 
Alan Riding said:
Josh, this really is a big expense for clubs at our level and such a gamble. If you have a big asset, I mean BIG then I agree. Not sure we have anyone really in this category. From what I've seen so far, and I would give it a while yet, Adam Whitlock is possibly the only one.

You have to be careful, as players who sign contracts get paid whether they play or not. If they lose form or fall out with the manager then we have problems. Also you could get some players becoming complacent and believing they will be selected every game whether in or out of form.
Click to expand...

Mitch, Mark Jones, Connor, Russy & Tom Bailey I would put on contract if possible, I agree that it isn't good for the finances but as Colls have shown the key to success is keeping a squad together and we haven't really done that in any of our seasons since forming (first year is obviously understandable)
 
The key to success as a football club, particularly one run by the fans, is financial stability and sustainability.

Players will want to stay with a successful well-run well-supported club, contract or not. Obviously if they aren't getting in the team (for whatever reason) they may well choose to go elsewhere to get game time if they are not on a contract - but as my namesake has pointed out, the converse is that if they are on a contract we (us, the fans, the owners) are paying them for doing nothing.
 
We've had 3 contracts so far. One spent the most of the season on the physio's bench, one was cancelled for family reasons around Christmas and the other lasted the season out.

That's 1 in 3 worked so far (and that's debatable as I don't think he would have gone anywhere anyway). I agreed with the decisions to give them at the time, but they are not something we should be handing out like they're going out of fashion. A few injuries later and the majority of our playing budget is tied down to players who can't play.
 
Think we have to be realistic here. We are in north west counties league, contracts at this level are a big expense to the club and a massive risk.
Would rather see us pushing money towards a ground and stability first and foremost.
Four years old, two cups and one promotion.......no bad so far!
 
What is the playing budget for a nwcfl club roughly? Do players get paid a small match fee if they play?
 
There's varying monies spent by clubs as said by Edge above.

Without doubt though, last years top teams all have considerable budgets:

Ourselves, Runcorn and Atherton have sizeable followings to fund a squad, and Bootle have the money of their tenants City of Liverpool.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top