nelmo
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Post by nelmo on May 21, 2024 7:42:02 GMT
I’d be really interested to know where our budget sits in line with the rest of the division. There surely can’t be four with a lower budget meaning we’ll have to punch above our weight to survive.
The gap between mid to top table of step 5 and the bottom half of step 4 is tiny (if anything) and so long as the promoted teams can be stable with personnel you’d fancy them to stay up (like the teams who came up last season). I agree re Thame and I think Kidlington will be much better this coming season.
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Leon
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Post by Leon on May 21, 2024 16:57:04 GMT
Flackwell Heath have been a strong step 5 club for many years and were serious challengers for the CoCo North title all season, so I would expect them to make the step up without a problem. Levvy Green were surprise winners of the SSML playoffs, so I'm not so sure about them. Can easily see them struggling along with the Ducks, Barton and the remaining Oxon trio of Thame, Kidlington and North Leigh.
There is also talk of ground gradings becoming more strictly enforced across the board, so there may be demotions all over the place. By some accounts it could become a real mess. Might turn out to be a rare occasion where Aylesbury are glad to be groundsharing at a Step 2 (?) stadium!
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Post by greenandwhite on May 22, 2024 18:33:09 GMT
Flackwell Heath have been a strong step 5 club for many years and were serious challengers for the CoCo North title all season, so I would expect them to make the step up without a problem. Levvy Green were surprise winners of the SSML playoffs, so I'm not so sure about them. Can easily see them struggling along with the Ducks, Barton and the remaining Oxon trio of Thame, Kidlington and North Leigh. There is also talk of ground gradings becoming more strictly enforced across the board, so there may be demotions all over the place. By some accounts it could become a real mess. Might turn out to be a rare occasion where Aylesbury are glad to be groundsharing at a Step 2 (?) stadium! Agree Leon regarding ground grading. |
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lee
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Post by lee on May 23, 2024 15:35:24 GMT
Real Bedford have just recruited MK Dons' ladies manager. Think they mean business in all departments next season!
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nelmo
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Post by nelmo on May 23, 2024 18:19:22 GMT
Real Bedford have just recruited MK Dons' ladies manager. Think they mean business in all departments next season! Looking at the financials they posted earlier this week they should absolutely storm the league. Still…. only a Bitcoin crash from disappearing completely |
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nelmo
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Post by nelmo on May 28, 2024 15:37:37 GMT
Hitchin Town receive a reprieve and remain at Step 3. It must be a bit awkward since they’ve spent a month preparing for step 4. I wonder if we’ll be a team short again in the league next season and if four will still go down…
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Post by greenandwhite on May 28, 2024 16:59:36 GMT
Hitchin Town receive a reprieve and remain at Step 3. It must be a bit awkward since they’ve spent a month preparing for step 4. I wonder if we’ll be a team short again in the league next season and if four will still go down… A mess every time. How many more will there be before start of season? |
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lee
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Post by lee on May 28, 2024 18:21:53 GMT
I imagine a few clubs will start thinking ‘f*ck this’ when players start telling them how much they’re expecting.
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james
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Post by james on May 29, 2024 9:00:01 GMT
Problem with disparity between what the clubs with big budgets can offer and the rest of us, is that everyone expects to receive what the clubs with bigger budgets can offer. Guess will even out once those clubs have worked their way up the pyramid and we can return to £50-£150 range per week at step 4 and 5. Although guess there will always be one or two clubs going all in to gamble on promotion. We have cut our cloth accordingly for many years now and are correct to continue doing so, does mean we are always looking down the table as opposed to up but step 4 is our ceiling without a ground in town and gates well in excess of 300 every week
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lee
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Post by lee on May 29, 2024 11:43:16 GMT
11 straight seasons at Step 4 is a miracle for a club in our situation especially with a pandemic chucked in for good measure.
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jamie
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Post by jamie on May 29, 2024 12:25:17 GMT
Coalville are dropping down 2 levels after their chairman withdrew support, assume that will have a knock on affect too. Possibly for someone like Beaconsfield
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Post by ducklang on May 29, 2024 18:14:40 GMT
Hitchin (as mentioned above) have been reprieved due to Coalville Town's resignation, and will retain their Step 3 status. Both the FA and the Southern League have stated that Division One Central will, like last season, run next season with a team short. Personally, I find it surprising that the FA have not made further changes. I am sure Didcot would feel happier if they were in the Southern League Central Division rather than having to make some long trips south, including into Cornwall.
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lee
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Post by lee on May 29, 2024 19:03:14 GMT
There’s also the outstanding matter of Thatcham’s appeal on being placed into the Southern Division. Could they be offered a place in the Central Division instead?
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Liam
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Post by Liam on Jun 11, 2024 9:20:38 GMT
There’s also the outstanding matter of Thatcham’s appeal on being placed into the Southern Division. Could they be offered a place in the Central Division instead? Their appeal was turned down so it looks like we're running one team short again this season. |
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lee
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Post by lee on Jun 11, 2024 14:00:32 GMT
Certainly looks like it, still, four extra league games compared to last season is a bonus.
Thatcham look to have taken the FA's decision with good grace as well.
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