New Constitution

[Beeswax]

It has been reported that the EOL is going to four divisions of 14, 12, 12 and 12 next season. That will have to be ratified at the League AGM on the 12th June.

 

If the League is going to four divisions, here's a suggestion on how they could look.

 

Premier

Benfleet

Canning Town

Faces FC (reprieved as Potter Street leaving the league)

Frenford Senior

Galleywood

Harold Wood Athletic

Kelvedon Hatch

M&B Club

Manford Way

Mountnessing Boca

Ongar Town

Rayleigh Town

Westhamians

White Ensign

 

Senior Div One

 

Bishops Stortford Swifts

Buckhurst Hill

Epping

Hannakins Farm

Hutton

Leigh Ramblers

Linford Wanderers

Ryan FC

Sandon Royals

Shell Club (Corringham)

Southminster St Leonards

Sungate

 

Senior Division Two

 

Broomfield

Burnham Ramblers Reserves

Herongate Athletic

Leytonstone United

Maldon St Mary's

Old Chelmsfordians

Romford Reserves

Roydon

Runwell Hospital

Sawbo Reserves

Stansted Reserves

Takeley Reserves

 

Senior Div Three

 

Barnston AFC

Basildon Town

Catholic United

Cranes United

Debden Sports

Ramsden

Newham United

Shenfield AFC

Springfield

Upminster

Wadham Lodge

Writtle

[Boycie01]

Div 2 looks like a good one to be in

[Beeswax]

are you taking the mickey?

[Boycie01]

What I meant was, cos we have all the ESL Ressies in our league, its going to be very tough to get out of it. Those sides are more than capable of throwing first team players in for games. Takely had 6 playing for them when we went there and we were fortunate enough to get a 0-0. You were on the receiving end yourself....now we've got a possible 8 games like that

[Beeswax]

Boyce, perhaps I've got the constitution wrong but as you say it will be a hard league to get out of if the ESL reserve sides are in it. All those sides apart from Romford will have floodlights available to them so beware the offer of a mid-week game cos we know what is going to happen!

[rookie]

So it is clear your both right and that it is an unfair advantage but what can be done?

[Football Man]

My information was that the new reserve sides would be placed in one of the middle divisions. Could be Div 1 or could be Div 2. I agree that Div 2 is most likely.

 

As for rookie's question, not really anything you can do about reserve sides gaining a so-called unfair advantage. In the same way, if Basildon Town had no first team game there would be nothing to stop them putting the first team out in the reserve division instead. It's not "sportsmanship" but neither is it illegal.

 

Presumably, the inclusion of these reserve sides is considered to be a stregthening of the League's playing standards. I would guess that the member clubs must feel the same way as they are the ones that vote them in at the AGM. If a Romford or a Burnham want to field a first team in certain games, perhaps it should be looked upon as an opportunity for the opposition to test themselves against better standard players and perhaps improve their own game. If a club is good enough, an individual result against a reserve side shouldn't really affect promotion or relegation issues and it seems to be a rather negative way of looking at things.

[Beeswax]

I haven't the time to read the handbook from cover to cover to see if there is anything written about this. However a club can legitimately register all its players in both the ESL and the EOL. I did hear something that ESL sides were specifically asked to stay within the spirit of things and not ship in loads of ESL players to play in important EOL games.

 

However it was apparent that this happened in Senior Div Two last year and Basildon Town and Runwell Hospital were not the only teams affected according to reports. I can understand that ESL sides want to give players coming back from injury games to prove their fitness but when on a Wednesday, Takeley Reserves put out seven of the squad that played against Bowers in the ESL on the previous Saturday, it don't seem right!

[TB&G]

It would be good if the EOL could legislate against teams putting out a large number of their first team players in a reserve team game but how can it be done if all their players are dual registered.

 

Perhaps they should not be able to play more than four of these who have played in more than 50% of their first team fixtures up to that date with, if they are proved to have done so, the penalty being that any points they may have gained should be given to the other team.

 

This will allow them to give returning injured players a run out even up to four if they have had a large injury list.

 

A bit convoluted I know but can anyone suggest anything simpler.

[Beeswax]

Originally Posted By: Football Man

My information was that the new reserve sides would be placed in one of the middle divisions. Could be Div 1 or could be Div 2. I agree that Div 2 is most likely.

As for rookie's question, not really anything you can do about reserve sides gaining a so-called unfair advantage. In the same way, if Basildon Town had no first team game there would be nothing to stop them putting the first team out in the reserve division instead. It's not "sportsmanship" but neither is it illegal.

Presumably, the inclusion of these reserve sides is considered to be a stregthening of the League's playing standards. I would guess that the member clubs must feel the same way as they are the ones that vote them in at the AGM. If a Romford or a Burnham want to field a first team in certain games, perhaps it should be looked upon as an opportunity for the opposition to test themselves against better standard players and perhaps improve their own game. If a club is good enough, an individual result against a reserve side shouldn't really affect promotion or relegation issues and it seems to be a rather negative way of looking at things.

so in a nutshell - get on with it

[Hookey]

It's not just first teamers playing for their reserve sides, there's also the case of ESL/Ryman players playing for different EOL clubs. e.g. Romford players playing for Sungate. There are other examples too.

[coupwotcoup]

There are dual registrations in all leagues.. so stop fvcking moaning you miserable little scrote..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Hookey]

I know that dickface, I'm just highlighting other examples.

 

That said, I do question whether dual registration should be allowed. Even "loan" players should not be allowed to just swap backwards and forth. If they are on loan then they should be on loan for a set period.

 

You still up for the 3rd?

[TB&G]

Iam and I'm much better company!

[coupwotcoup]

Yeah, but you might be dead by then..

[Boycie01]

Im in total agreement with "Football Man", it should be seen as a challenge to players. Especially as most of my players rarely get to play at grounds with floodlights. The only thing I can see going wrong with this is, (and this is JUST a hypothetical point), if these 4 ESL reserves sides get promoted, say, over a 2 season period and cover the top spots in the premier league, will this not stop teams who have the ground grading and "Will" to go for promotion to the ESL. Therefore, is there any point in the league being part of the pyramid ??????

I know this is a massive "IF", but it is a possiblilty

[Football Man]

I think this may be why reserve clubs do not play in the Premier Division. If reserve sides fill the top three positions in Div 1, the League can promote the 4th, 5th & 6th placed sides to the Prem Div at its discretion.

[Beeswax]

Originally Posted By: Football Man

I think this may be why reserve clubs do not play in the Premier Division. If reserve sides fill the top three positions in Div 1, the League can promote the 4th, 5th & 6th placed sides to the Prem Div at its discretion.

The EOL handbook says "Reserve Teams of Senior Clubs are allowed to enter the competition and may be placed in the second or third ranking division of the Senior Section of the league at the discretion of the Management Committees."

Once they are in, they are subject to promotion and relegation like anyone else and can rise to the Premier division. Maybe Boycie has a point that these teams could then stifle the rise of a genuine step 7 club up the Pyramid?

[coupwotcoup]

Call me Mr Picky, but how many EOL champions have progressed to the ESL in the 10/15/20 years? Mon pomme de terres Boycey..

[rookie]

If the first three places of a division are taken by ressie teams so then the league put up 4th, 5th and 6th. Is there a point to them being in the division. Why doesn,t the EOL challange the Essex and Herts league by setting up their own ressie legue with the same set up as EOL. Then the clubs putting their teams in the EOL to save on, Cost ect... could play like minded teams with a purpose. Better still rather than keep losing teams for the same reason why don't the Essex and Herts league look at changing to Saturday only non flood lit games.