step 5 teams moving up to step 4

[lesbos]

9 champions with the ground grading ROMFORD HUNGERFORD VCD ATHLETIC MARKET DRAYTON MICKELOVER FLYDE BIGGLESWADE BEDFONT AND LOWESTOFT

2 runners up will move up HORSHAM AND VT FC

MEANING 11 TEAMS FROM 14 LEAGUES GO UP WHICH MEANS JUST 11 STEP 4 WILL COME DOWN.

[TB&G]

AFC Fylde may lose out to New Mills on the final run in in the NWCL

[PORTENCROSS]

My own information leads me to believe the above two postings with TB&G being quite correct in his assumption.

 

I have also been led to believe that " Runners-Up" will hardly ever come into the equation but as there are only 10 relegation places at Step 4, Rossendale, Brigg Town,Witham Town, Hillingdon Borough,Chipstead,Crowborough,Woodford, Malvern Town, Bracknell and Winchester, then the 9 Champions should be Ok even if, of course, someone goes " bust" at Step 3 and therefore has to drop two leagues/divisions which is always on the cards going by past years.

Its just the poor old Step 5 Leagues who will suffer should such a scenario occur.

[TB&G]

There's a rumour floating around that Southampton may go into VL (they are def going down into League 1 due to points deducted) and have to reform which may mean them applying to play in the Blue Square Premier next season. Wonder how this will affect the overall rel/prom equation if it comes to pass.

 

Lot's of other clubs struggling financially at a number of levels in non-league too at the moment!

 

I know about New Mills cos an old colleague of mine moved up to live in Buxton and having stopped supporting his new home town team for various reasons now follows NM.

[coupwotcoup]

Rules state they have to start at Step 7, but common sense says BSP.. would be a logistical nightmare whatever happens.

[Kaiser Jnr]

Start bringing some of the Step 7 teams up then.

 

A majority are good enough. I know the problem will still be ground grading / etc, but if we stick to that rule, then the Step 5 leagues will end up folding.

[TB&G]

In the final showdown league match in the NWCL between AFC Fylde and New Mills the home team won 5-0 and were 1-0 up at half time thus taking the title at the last moment. Talking to my NM supporting contact apparently the visitors, needing just a draw to win the title, decided to play for just that and paid the penalty as the game was mostly played in their half because of their defensive tactics.

 

An interesting footnote on the game, however, was that there was an official crowd of 1,316. Surelyt there can't be many Step 5 games that can boast a higher attendance figure than that for an ordinary league match I would guess.

 

Come in Coupy or someone!

[lesbos]

Royston Town had a crowd of 827 recently for a step 6 match versus buckingham athletic.

[TB&G]

That was a good crowd (why was it high?) but not the answer to the question I asked!

[lesbos]

bank holiday and royston won the league.

[BOROMAN]

Originally Posted By: TB&G

In the final showdown league match in the NWCL between AFC Fylde and New Mills the home team won 5-0 and were 1-0 up at half time thus taking the title at the last moment. Talking to my NM supporting contact apparently the visitors, needing just a draw to win the title, decided to play for just that and paid the penalty as the game was mostly played in their half because of their defensive tactics.

An interesting footnote on the game, however, was that there was an official crowd of 1,316. Surelyt there can't be many Step 5 games that can boast a higher attendance figure than that for an ordinary league match I would guess.

Come in Coupy or someone!

Although it was not called step 5 then, I think Billericay might have had some similar gates in their ESL days?

[coupwotcoup]

Lowestoft have seen 1,500 through the door for one league game season, but four-figure crowds are rare at our level (two-figure attendances can be a struggle for some, too).

Yes, Ricay did post a few large crowds in their ESL days and I think I am right in saying, that Bower's crowd record is 1,800 against Ricay, but may have been a Vase game.

 

[lesbos]

yes the bowers crowd was a vase match,theres a myth circulating that billericay used to get four figure crowds in the ESL thats not true the highest ever ESL was something like 792 from about 8 years back but im buggered if i can remember who it was?

Wheres the League Chairman?

 

[coupwotcoup]

The biggest in recent years was 702 for AFCHX v Romford in early 2006.

[lesbos]

basildon had over 800 for the leyton/enfield town league cup final in 2002.

[TB&G]

My post was regarding league game crowds and how many others boasted more than 1316 at Step 5 level. Would be interesting to see if Billiesdicky crowds WERE higher than that figure!

[lesbos]

no they werent because the highest ESL crowd was about 900. go here for a excellent history of the esl http://www.brentwoodtownfc.co.uk/AboutUs/History/eslhistory.htm

[PORTENCROSS]

Originally Posted By: coupwotcoup

Yes, Ricay did post a few large crowds in their ESL days and I think I am right in saying, that Bower's crowd record is 1,800 against Ricay, but may have been a Vase game.

This raises a very interesting point as the 1,800 figure has been around for years in various reference books yet when I was reseaching the History Book I found that the only time that Bowers met Billericay in the F A Vase was in the 3rd Round of 1979-80 and the official attendance was 616 ... so over to you Bowers as to whether the 1,800 is true or not for any other occasion ?

We have had 1375 at a Cup Final when Billericay beat Bowers 1-0 at Basildon in 1977 refereed by John Moules of Epping ! I seem to recall 897 for a midweek Brentwood game with Jimmy Greaves playing, in 1976 - that's about the highest in the League.

[SpikeDudley]

In the book doesn't say which FA Vase season.

[coupwotcoup]

Just checked the records and Mr LC is correct.. only 79-80