Southern League expanding.

The Southern League is going to expand to 24 teams. Looks like we will lose the London way clubs if that happens.

http://nonleaguematters.co.uk/forum/gforum.cgi?post=404401#404401

Not until the end of next season. There is a major problem in non league football and that is the set up of leagues and especially when it comes to the Midlands area. The Evostick Northern and Southern Leagues are so disjointed it is unreal, look at the clubs in the Northern Leagues that should be playing in a Southern Midland League (Chasetown, Rushall, Gresley, Hednesford etc).

A major problem when the Sourthern League has teams from bloody Landon etc! Would it not be easier trying to align to North, South, London and the Midlands with those on the east and west coasts either having their own league at this step or being placed accordingly?

A seperate league for Southern, Midland, and Northern teams would make sence...

Let's hope it's redditch and 23 teams from seaside town!

Gosport have been promoted now so that is another one to add to the list

It's always going to be difficult to have a decent regional alignment of clubs into their respective divisions at this level, if all the divisions are of the same size; three divisions of 22 doesn't really work as there just aren't enough decent clubs in the north to make a viable division without taking in some of the clubs that are to all intents and purposes within the West Midlands conurbation. If you make the divisions of different sizes, to allow more natural geographical alignment, then it's going to be harder for the teams in the larger divisions to make progress unless you also promote more teams, which tips the balance the other way, against the teams in the smaller divisions.

Maybe what is needed is more of a split like in the Rugby Union pyramid, where the top three (could stay as top five for football) levels are nationwide, then there are two divisions (North and South) at National League Two level, four below that (National League Three North, Midlands, Southwest and Southeast respectively), then eight at the top of the regional system, and sixteen or so at each of the levels below that. It would of course entail effectively launching a whole new league at our level, even if it's run by one of the existing leagues, and bringing the best 22 from the divisions below ours to make up the numbers required to form the new division, but there are I'm sure plenty of ambitious clubs at that level; the other thing it would risk doing is diluting the quality at our level as the players get spread around 88 clubs rather than 66, but I'm sure that there are players at lower levels who could easily make the step up.

It changes every year but taking all midlands area clubs the following could be a decent league.

Redditch
Stourbridge
Leamington
Barwell
Hinckley
Bedworth
Rushall
Hednesford
Stafford
Chasetown
Sutton Coldfield
Romulus
Halesowen Town
Stourport
Evesham
Gresley
Rugby
Daventry
Coalville


Iv probably missed a few off but you get my point. Fans would increase travelling costs reduced meaning the club have more money to pay the better players.

It will never happen mind

Trigger15 wrote:It changes every year but taking all midlands area clubs the following could be a decent league.

Redditch
Stourbridge
Leamington
Barwell
Hinckley
Bedworth
Rushall
Hednesford
Stafford
Chasetown
Sutton Coldfield
Romulus
Halesowen Town
Stourport
Evesham
Gresley
Rugby
Daventry
Coalville


Iv probably missed a few off but you get my point. Fans would increase travelling costs reduced meaning the club have more money to pay the better players.

It will never happen mind

Spot on fella