Extend the season?

[dansilk]

Keith has called for this supposedly more on VT FC's behalf...

 

"The Southern League have got to look at this seriously and think about extending the season," remarked Scott. "We have still got to play the VT game and they haven't got a spare before April 24. They are playing Saturday, Monday, Tuesday, Thursay and then Saturday and Sunday the week after - it's ridiculous to do that.

 

(Incidentally the misspelling of Thursday is from the source )

Of course, it'll help us to play later. But it is unfair on VT FC to be asked to play 11 times in 3 weeks, and given that they're challenging for a play-off place every point really counts for them.

 

I doubt it will be allowed, though - for the same reason that the play-offs have to be fitted in.

[Woody SUFC]

It should of been done in january and as they didnt then of course they most likely wont now. Dont you know some of our players are going to the World Cup!?!!?

 

Part of the problem is the lack of league games in the first half of the season due to cup games and dates for potential replays. Scrap the League Cup and Pay the fine for not being in the B&B

[Fuzzy Royal]

the fixutures chouls be more equitably spread out over the season with midweek games mroe frequent before xmas. put local games in the midweek that can be easily changed if there is a cup replay. however considering the debacle of a few years ago, when Wivenhoe had 11 games in 14 days and Harrow (I think it was Harrow?) had 3 games on the last day of the season, this isn't congested at all!!!!!!! If the Ryman wouldn't extend it then it is unlikely the Southern will do it now. Maybe fewer teams in the league might be an idea, this could lead to a winter break to allow the pitches to recover and all round better conditions for the clubs.

 

Funny isn't it that with regards to this congestion; the fans can see it coming, the managers can see it coming, the players can it coming even the casual observer can see it coming (even Mystic Meg could probably see it coming) but the fixture organisers once again seem oblivious to any potential issue or any reasonable way to resolve it.

 

I have a much better idea, merely take your games played to date, points earned to games played, extrapolate that forward to the end of the season and see who wins the league, simples!!!! (ooh, would that be us at the moment, best do it quick then!!)

 

I do wonder, who had the most games called off, from what i remember VT had a cracking pitch and I would be surprised if they had many home games called off. If it was all away games they would have a much stronger case for asking for an extension as that is out of their control.

[Windsor_Sec]

I think I've explained this before when we were in a similar situation but for the uninitiated here goes again:-

 

To extend the season the League [any Senior league] would have to get a sanction from the FA first and foremost which isn't impossible but not easy either!

 

Given that the league then got that sanction, in order to extend the season you have to extend all players' contracts by one week to cover that extension and I'm not talking about just the clubs who have a backlog of fixtures but EVERY club in the league! Can anybody honestly imagine that 80% of the league clubs that don't need an extension to the season would vote for an extension for the 20% that do need it?

 

The leagues also panic because they have the playoffs to fit in the following week but there's an answer to that as well - extend the season until Tuesday 27th [an extra 3 days whilst not a lot would help] with the 1st playoff matches on Thursday and the finals on Saturday ! The other alternative is to do away with the poxy playoffs which are just a money-making venture for clubs much further up the structure than us - what's the point of playing 42 games to see how good you are only to suddenly decide it with two cup ties!!!!

[Fuzzy Royal]

Steve, anyone with common sense knows they won't/can't extend the season, however once again lack of fixtures at he front end has lead to a build up of fixtures at the back end, again common sense could have halted that.

 

Play offs are not ideal, 3 up 3 down is much better, why not do that rather than 1 + a random up? 3 up would keep the battle going a lot longer, the last two seasons have proved that. But we all kow what we sign up to at the beginning and that is where we are. What we also appear to sign up to is an ineptitude in the fixture list and a fixture pile up.Hey ho same again next year!!!

[Woody SUFC]

Fuzzy the problem with a winter break is you cannot plan for when the worst of the weather would hit so in theory you could have the break during a time the pitch is playable and then the day before the season restarts everything is under a few inches of snow! This season has been unique and considering we groundshare i think the pitch isnt too bad. It is certainly 1000% better than when Slough shared with us but thats because we've spent about 5 months of wages on it

[Fuzzy Royal]

Its not just giving the pitch a rest when the bad weather hits but also just giving it a chance to recover so it is better prepared for the bad weather. Whether it is giving it a rest and allowing it to recover or not playing on it when the bad weather is there it would help all concerned.

 

My main gripe is the lack of games at the beginning of the season, how difficult is it to schedule in for example, Windsor Bedfont Green for the tuesday after the 2nd qual rnd of the FA cup AND for the Tuesday in the third to last week of the season just in case? This is a genuine question, either way everyone knows when the game game will be played and law of averages says if you do that with every team a fair few will get their games earlier rather than later. Just an idea really

[Mrs_Cat]

I see VT played the first of their "double headers" over the last couple of days. They drew at home to Andover on Monday and beat them away on Tuesday!

 

I'm not sure a mid season break is the answer. The problem isn't the amount of games that have been postponed it’s the timing of them. The later in the season these postponements occur the less chance there is of there being a free date to arrange them.

 

Maybe the solution is for the league to keep a couple of weeks free towards the end of the season to give teams some breathing space to sort out rearranged games that have occurred in the final third of the season. Perhaps there could be a spare week in the middle of March and another sometime during April.

 

Whatever happens its commendable the amount of games the players at this level manage to play whilst still doing a normal days work. Can you imagine Liverpool or Man Utd being asked to play 4 games in a week....they would take the FA to the European court of human rights even if they were asked to play 3 games.

[Fuzzy Royal]

the answer is clearly to have fewer games and smaller leagues (maybe even more regionalised to help keep costs down and get larger gates). Here's an idea, why not amalgamate the Isthmian and Southern and really go for it with a London league and then group the teams around london rather than having a team from Berkshire playing in a league with a team from essex or kent. just a simple idea

[Rother]

I have no idea of the politics involved in non-league footie and whether that would be at all practical, but it sounds like an eminently sensible idea.

 

Anything that reduces the travelling is a good idea as not only will it reduce the costs for clubs / players, it will also generate higher attendances as less travel for supporters and therefore more local derbies....

 

But I'm sure the idea has been mooted over many years and there are (supposedly) major / insurmountable obstacles in the way.

Edited April 7, 2010 by Rother

[Fuzzy Royal]

The only obstacles are league chairman's egos, considering how big they are they are probably impossible to get over. You have a northern league, a midlands league and a southern league, and sensible regional divisions within them. It is so simple it it is painful. imagine a division of say, 18 teams. 34 matches spread evenly over the season. That would make a lot more sense.

 

Promotion further up the league could be difficult, but if you have small divisions you could accomodate an extra team if necessary (promotion relegation always causes issues of who goes where), but less teams in a division means more flexibility. And why not give a team the option of going up rather than forcing them to. they happily hold teams back from going up for having 1 seat too few (you need 250 seats despite having an average atendance of just 103 blah blah blah!!!) Some clubs just cannot afford it or are not ready, and for the sake of the game there is a radical upheavel at our level required.

 

Oh well, it'll never happen as long as they elect people like the ever marvellous Alan Turvey and don't listen to common sense.

 

Lets see how the season pans out and hope that we go up and move to the Ryman for financial sake!!!!!

[Green Pea]

Season was extended yesterday lunchtime to Monday 26th.

[Woody SUFC]

http://www.wefc.co.uk/comps/100426a.asp

 

People going to both are going to have to miss the last race at the racecourse then but a sporting bonanza!

 

 

Amazed the league has extended the league but quite frankly its only fair on VT

[Mrs_Cat]

I bet the Southern league is cursing the fact they decided to play the League cup final over 2 legs during the final few weeks of the season. It’s a mistake I'm sure they won't make again!

 

If it goes to the wire I'm sure it will be a bumper crowd, could be a massive game for both clubs.

 

I think the final race at the racecourse is at 7.40pm. Perhaps the club could put the kick off back to 8pm as Scotty the Stag can't be in 2 places at once.

[dansilk]

Steve, anyone with common sense knows they won't/can't extend the season...

 

Well, I didn't! But then again..

[southwestred]

http://www.wefc.co.uk/comps/100426a.asp

 

People going to both are going to have to miss the last race at the racecourse then but a sporting bonanza!

 

 

Amazed the league has extended the league but quite frankly its only fair on VT

 

Potentialy not very fair on Totton though is it? Maybe the league should of thought about rearranging a different game for VT, as they'll be in the play-offs but not in with a shout of the title. You guys on the other hand will end up having a "game in hand at the end of the season" NOT very fair on Totton at all & in my opinion, a lousy decission.