16 replies to this topic

[britman]

Well,

After wondering around the CCL Forum, it appears that meetings are to be taking place in January regarding Step 5.  Any ESL folks attending?

[Sorry]

Indeed meetings taking place early Jan - every club invited upto them if they attend. Burnham will be for sure

[britman]

Thanks for the reply.

Just a lot a ramblings about the ESL joining up with the Kent League.  This is a big issue, and I hope all the team will be represented at the meeting.

[Stop Whinging]

I have heard something slightly different. The creation of a County League . The top division being step 5  (ie ESL) second step 6 and the rest 7. Its based on the Sussex County concept. EOFL and Essex and Suffolk Border League merging. May be bull but a good source told me that FA want all counties operating on same basis. - Lets see!.

[Sorry]

Basically there is 14 Step 5 leagues and only 12 avaliable promotions to Step 4 so, as a number of ESL clubs have found in the last few years, those numbers don't fit.

How the FA rectify this I don't know hence the meeting. Will be an interesting one that's for sure

[Basil-Don]

Sorry-theres always at least two step 5 champions who dont apply to go up,theres never been a case that a step 5 club has won their championship with a eligible ground and not been promoted, although im aware of the shameful treatment of Enfield 1893 last season. The restructing will lead to two things-clubs having to find thousands for ground improvements and more travelling-more proof if it was needed that the FA really do exist in a bubble totally unaware of problems facing clubs.

[Krooner]

Being the Extremely Small League I guess you lot will be put out to pasture

Happy New Year

[thecoldend]

The National meeting was completed yesterday.  Any rumours flying about people know about as a result of what was said?  

On the Tony's non league forum people are saying it's the Combined Counties, United Counties Or Sussex County League possibly up for re-organisation?  No real mention of ESL?

I personally think to freshen up the ESL (as someone else has written on another thread) some clubs from ECL need to be moved like FC Clacton, Stanway, Wivenhoe etc and definite promotion between ESL and EOFL needs to be established?       The problem occurs when you see ECL are struggling for clubs especially at Div 1 level (step 6) and which EOFL clubs actually want promotion to Step 5 with the upgrade of facilities, floodlights etc bring prohibitive.

Are there any EOFL clubs willing to make step up?  

Rumours also that once again there will be no relegation from Ryman Div 1 North... which means no new teams again?

[Sorry]

The FA are releasing a statement concerning this today. The clubs will get chance to vote on this on Sunday - only if they attend the meeting

[Sorry]

As promised statement from FA

The Football Association is now in a position to update Leagues and Clubs on the current position with regard to a review of the Step 5 / 6 structure of the National League System.

There was always the intention, as part of the overall restructure, to align the number of promotion places to Step 4 with the number of relegation places available.  With Step 4 now established with 6 Divisions and 12 possible relegation places, the Leagues Committee established a Review Group charged with the task of exploring the possibility of reducing the current 14 Step 5 Divisions down to 12.

A consultation process commenced in September with the Review Group meeting individually with each of the Step 5 / 6 competitions.  Following these meetings it was established that there was a majority of leagues in favour of such a reorganisation taking place at Step 5.  At a meeting with all Step 5 leagues held yesterday (8 January) at Burton Albion FC the Review Group presented their current thinking.  An example of how a new structure might look was presented.  It was emphasised that the example shown included all current Step 5 clubs and did not take into account if the club fully complied with the appropriate grading criteria.  There will also be two season’s normal club movements by way of promotion and relegation to take into account. The meeting also highlighted the following:

• That every effort should be made to establish 12 Step 5 divisions each of 22 clubs.
  
• To be included, Clubs must achieve Ground Grading Category F, as independently verified, by 31 March 2013.
  
• So as to not disadvantage any club, all clubs that meet the F Grade will be included in the new structure and to facilitate this, in the first season, 2013/2014, the number of clubs in each division may vary between 22 and 25.
  
• By adjustments being made to the number of relegated clubs from Step 5 over the following one or two seasons, numbers would reduce to 22 clubs.

The next stage of the consultation process sees all Step 5 clubs invited to attend a series of regional meetings to consider the current situation and have any concerns explained to them.  These meetings are to take place as follows:

    Sunday 15 January at the Thurrock Hotel, Aveley
    Sunday 22 January at The West Riding County FA offices in Leeds
    Sunday 29 January at the Leicester Marriott Hotel
    Sunday 12 February at Yeovil Town FC

Based upon the feedback from both the leagues and clubs meetings the Leagues Committee will determine the way forward.  The Review Group will also be looking at Step 6 in more detail in the coming months.

Commenting on the project Mike Appleby, Leagues and Clubs Manager, emphasised that this was very much work in progress and that no final decision had been made: “There are a number of inaccurate rumours circulating at the present time and we must await the outcome of the consultation process before any final recommendation is made.

“Part of the original aims of the restructure process was to try to equalise the travelling of clubs.  It is inevitable therefore that some clubs will find an increase in their travel whilst some will see a reduction”

“The leagues themselves have asked that Step 5 and 6 be reviewed and we are following this through but I reiterate that no decision has been made and will not be made until the consultation process has been completed”.

Should any restructure take place it will take effect from season 2013/2014.

[Novice]

Does anyone know how many of the current ESL teams have the necessary ground grading requirements and how many others would be in a position to have them in place by 2013?

[smallsy]

Is there anywhere showing a possible line up for the ESL once these changes come into play?

[Basil-Don]

Rob the first meeting hasnt taken place and people including todays Echo are reporting groundless rumours as fact,their theory is that the London clubs will leave the ESL and the Essex Based Ridgeons clubs will join,so take away Enfield,Barkingside et cetera and add Clacton,Wivenhoe,Stanway et cetera.

[smallsy]

ok rich,

this is when tony kempster would have been helpful

[Krooner]

Plenty or rumours flying around on the CCL forum to.  Almost a merging of the CCL, Hellenic and Sussex Leagues.

[Jenko]

Krooner looking at the leagues they are the ones that could be changed. Can't see how any of the other leagues could be merged.

[Krooner]

It is amazing how some of these rumours turn out to be almost right.  I think with the fact the CCL almost borders a number of leagues it is possibly inevitable although one of the leagues may end up being run by the current CCL committee.  We are looking at a possible move to the live with a number of hellenic clubs.  The 2 of us who populate these forums wouldnt be too bothered by that cos it removes the M25 from our map needs   I guess you guys could be split between the kent side and the eastern side.