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Hereford Fc

Tez

Tez

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Jun 24, 2013
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Just browsing their forum. Now that they've successfully negotiated leasing Edgar Street for the next five years, inevitably their fans are looking ahead with relish to their inaugural season. Obviously they should command a decent fan base and not unnaturally after the swift fall from grace of their former club, some are anticipating that they'll be far too big a prospect for NL Step 5 or 6 and are toying with the notion of perhaps starting life a little higher up at Southern Premier Division One, whereas others seem confident they will start life in the Midland Premier League (NWCL Prem level?).

Question here is are either assumption likely? Would the FA not place them in the MPL at Division One level regardless of possible following or is it still solely dependent on if the Premier Division has space they could be accommodated?
 
Suspect it will depend on whether the ML Premier has spaces. I think the FA are fairly amenable to filling leagues higher up the ladder, but is it likely they'll have spaces? I have no idea about the relative promotion prospects of those in ML1, but see that having re-started in ML1 Hinckley are challenging near the top and I doubt if they'd be happy if a new club leapfrogged them if they get promotion.
 
Two things.

1. It depends if they managed to claim 'phoenix' status. If they did then they are entitled to start in Step 5 (I think - it seems to change every season!)
2. It also depends on their interview with the FA as to whether they can convince them it will not be safe for opposition to host games at step 5/6 given their anticipated crowds. This is where trusts are able to come into their own, as they have membership figures which to an extent prove the level of interest. The more members HUST achieve, the more likely they are to convince the FA they need to start higher up the pyramid.
 
If I recall, after the Chester 'issue' (when they were placed in Step 4 much to the annoyance of some clubs), the default position for Pheonix clubs (if they can prove this) is Step 5 unless they can prove extenuating circumstances as to why they should be placed in Step 4. Darlo and Scarborough started of at this level with little problems and we and Rushden a level below. So in my view, I don't see why an exception should be made for Hereford unless they have a compelling case otherwise.
 
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Atticus Finch said:
If I recall, after the Chester 'issue' (when they were placed in Step 4 much to the annoyance of some clubs), the default position for Pheonix clubs (if they can prove this) is Step 5 unless they can prove extenuating circumstances as to why they should be placed in Step 4. Darlo and Scarborough started of at this level with little problems and we and Rushden a level below. So in my view, I don't see why an exception should be made for Hereford unless they have a compelling case otherwise.
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Darlo is a red herring. They were a 'new club' as they didn't get phoenix status. The rules have also changed since Chester as they now say two divisions below where the previous club was, with a maximum level of step 5.

New clubs are always step 7.

All of the above can be overruled by the FA on grounds of safety (as it was for us, but not for Stockport Town last season).
 
Thought that was the case. I think, not unnaturally, there is perhaps a few fans getting a little carried away and making assumptions. As you point out Mark, they've still to be interviewed by the FA for starters.

Good luck to them all the same. I think they should have a healthy enough following and whether they start life at Step 5,6 or 7, it can only benefit the coffers of the other member clubs.
 
Indeed they did, a friendly buy-out by all accounts. Interesting choice of sponsors, the Lad Bible ...
 
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