Oppose The Proposed FA Changes At Step 5

[AK11]

Hi

 

I'm sure that by now many of us have heard about the proposed changes to the non league structure at Step 5, and that there is considerable opposition to this change from fans and committee members.

 

If you are against these changes, there is a Facebook group at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Oppose-The-FAs-Plans-To-Reduce-The-Number-Of-Step-5-Leagues/303192033060819 and an I Petition at http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/oppose-the-fas-plans-to-reduce-the-number-of/signatures.

 

Please lend your support, and oppose the FA's plans.

 

Thanks

 

AK11.

[Eastside Urchin]

For those of us who dont know what the changes are exactly,can someone put any details on here???

[2ndYellow]

Some details on my site, from a Sussex County perspective.

 

http://2ndyellow.com/2012/fa-step-5-restructure-sussex-county-league

 

UCL is the other mooted to be split, needless to say many clubs are opposed due to increases in travel costs.

[AK11]

During these harsh economic times, the last thing most clubs would want is further travelling.

 

I believe that the UCL is to be merged with the Midland Alliance, which would cause many problems - imagine Westfields v Desborough on a Tuesday night!

 

I have a solution (for all it's worth): 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64

 

1 League at Step 1

2 Leagues at Step 2

4 Leagues at Step 3 (Midland Premier League?)

8 Leagues at Step 4

16 Leagues at Step 5 (many ways to do this - my way would be to bring the SWP up to Step 5 and split the Hellenic East/West at Step 5 rather than 6)

32 Leagues at Step 6 (2 leagues feeding one league)

64 Leagues at Step 7

 

Will probably have this suggestion shot down, but I believe that we need more leagues and less travelling distance.

 

Would also try to have 22 teams per league from Steps 2-6.

[careboy]

Very very cool, and thanks for the lesson! I love your unique ink!

[Big J R]

I just have this vaguest sneaky feeling that it was all 'done and dusted' before being put out to Leagues for consultation !

 

No change there, then !!

 

 

Edited February 15, 2012 by Big J R

[careboy]

I think that's awesome. Makes me feel layered. Like some sort of epic lasagna

[AK11]

I do hope that it's not done and dusted, and that in a democracy the FA will listen to the fans.

 

I had the following sent to me by a friend, recently - it's a plan to reorganise at Step 6 and below, tying in with the proposal for a more 'mathematical' pyramid of 1-2-4-8-16-32:

 

32 (Step 6 – whole raft of changes):

 

Cornwall Premier League

Devon Premier League (feeders to SWP Peninsula League)

Western League Division 1 West

Western League Division 1 East (feeders to Western League Premier)

Hellenic League East Division 1 North

Hellenic League East Division 1 South (feeders to Hellenic East Premier)

Hellenic League West Division 1 North

Hellenic League West Division 1 South (feeders to Hellenic West Premier)

Wessex League Division 1 West

Wessex League Division 1 East (feeders to Wessex Premier League)

West Sussex Premier League

East Sussex Premier League (feeders to Sussex Premier League)

North Kent Premier League

South Kent Premier League (feeders to Kent Premier League)

Combined Counties League Division 1 West

Combined Counties League Division 1 East (feeders to Combined Counties Premier League)

Spartan League Division 1 North

Spartan League Division 1 South (feeders to Spartan Premier League)

United Counties Division 1 East

United Counties Division 1 West (feeders to United Counties Premier League)

Midland Football Alliance Division 1 North

Midland Football Alliance Division 1 South (feeders to Midland Football Alliance Premier)

North West Counties League Division 1 North

North West Counties League Division 1 South (feeders to North West Counties Premier)

Norfolk Premier League

Suffolk Premier League (feeders to Anglian Premier)

Essex League Division 1 East

Essex League Division 1 West (feeders to Essex Premier League)

North East Counties League Division 1 North

North East Counties League Division 1 South (feeders to North East Counties Premier)

Northern League Division 1 West

Northern League Division 1 East (feeders to Northern Premier)

 

 

 

‎64 (Step 7 – whole raft of changes)

 

West Cornwall Football League Division 1

East Cornwall Football League Division 1 (feeders to Cornwall Premier League)

West Devon Football League Division 1

East Devon Football League Division 1 (feeders to Devon Premier League)

North Somerset Premier League

South Somerset Premier League (feeders to Western League Division 1 West)

Bristol & South Gloucestershire Premier League

South Wiltshire Premier League (feeders to Western League Division1 East)

North Gloucestershire Premier League

North Wiltshire Premier League (feeders to Hellenic League Division 1 West)

Oxfordshire Premier League

North Berkshire Premier League (feeders to Hellenic League Division 1 East)

West Dorset Premier League

East Dorset Premier League (feeders to Wessex League Division 1 West)

North Hampshire Premier League

South Hampshire Premier League (feeders to Wessex League Division 1 East)

South Berkshire Premier League

West Surrey Premier League (feeders to Combined Counties Division 1 West)

Middlesex Premier League

East Surrey Premier League (feeders to Combined Counties Division 1 East)

West Sussex League Division 1 North

West Sussex League Division 1 South (feeders to West Sussex Premier)

East Sussex League Division 1 North

East Sussex League Division 1 South (feeders to East Sussex Premier)

North Kent League Division 1 West

North Kent League Division 1 East (feeders to North Kent Premier League)

South Kent League Division 1 West

South Kent League Division 1 East (feeders to South Kent Premier League)

West Hertfordshire Premier League

East Hertfordshire Premier League (feeders to Spartan South Midlands Division 1 South)

Buckinghamshire Premier League

Bedfordshire Premier League (feeders to Spartan South Midlands Division1 North)

West Northamptonshire Premier League

East Northamptonshire Premier League (feeders to United Counties Division 1 West)

West Norfolk Premier League

East Norfolk Premier League (feeders to Norfolk Premier League)

North Suffolk Premier League

South Suffolk Premier League (feeders to Suffolk Premier League)

West Cambridgeshire Premier League

East Cambridgeshire Premier League (feeders to United Counties Division 1 East)

North West Essex Premier League

South West Essex Premier League (feeders to Essex League Division 1 West)

North East Essex Premier League

South East Essex Premier League (feeders to Essex League Division 1 East)

Staffordshire Premier League

Shropshire Premier League (feeders to Midland Alliance Division 1 North)

Warwickshire Premier League

Hereford & Worcestershire Premier League (feeders to Midland Alliance Division 1 South)

Cheshire Premier League

Merseyside Premier League (feeders to North West Counties Division 1 South)

Greater Manchester Premier League

Lancashire Premier League (feeders to North West Counties Division 1 North)

Derbyshire & Nottinghamshire Premier League

Leicestershire & Lincolnshire Premier League (feeders to North East Counties Division 1 South)

South & West Yorkshire Premier League

North Yorkshire & East Riding Premier League (feeders to North East Counties Division 1 North)

North Cumbria Premier League

South Cumbria Premier League (feeders to Northern League Division 1 West)

County Durham Premier League

Tyne Tees & Northumbria Premier League (feeders to Northern League Division 1 East)

 

Step 8 Leagues (20 Teams Per League)

 

West Cornwall Football League Division 2

East Cornwall Football League Division 2

West Devon Football League Division 2

East Devon Football League Division 2

North Somerset League Division 1

South Somerset League Division 1

Bristol & South Gloucestershire League Division 1

South Wiltshire League Division 1

North Gloucestershire League Division 1

North Wiltshire League Division 1

Oxfordshire League Division 1

North Berkshire League Division 1

West Dorset League Division 1

East Dorset League Division 1

North Hampshire League Division 1

South Hampshire League Division 1

South Berkshire League Division 1

West Surrey League Division 1

Middlesex League Division 1

East Surrey League Division 1

West Sussex League Division 2 North

West Sussex League Division 2 South

East Sussex League Division 2 North

East Sussex League Division 2 South

North Kent League Division 2 West

North Kent League Division 2 East

South Kent League Division 2 West

South Kent League Division 2 East

West Hertfordshire League Division 1

East Hertfordshire League Division 1

Buckinghamshire League Division 1

Bedfordshire League Division 1

West Northamptonshire League Division 1

East Northamptonshire League Division 1

West Norfolk League Division 1

East Norfolk League Division 1

North Suffolk League Division 1

South Suffolk League Division 1

West Cambridgeshire League Division 1

East Cambridgeshire League Division 1

North West Essex League Division 1

South West Essex League Division 1

North East Essex League Division 1

South East Essex League Division 1

Staffordshire League Division 1

Shropshire League Division 1

Warwickshire League Division 1

Hereford & Worcestershire League Division 1

Cheshire League Division 1

Merseyside League Division 1

Greater Manchester League Division 1

Lancashire League Division 1

Derbyshire & Nottinghamshire League Division 1

Leicestershire & Lincolnshire League Division 1

South & West Yorkshire League Division 1

North Yorkshire & East Riding League Division 1

North Cumbria League Division 1

South Cumbria League Division 1

County Durham League Division 1

Tyne Tees & Northumbria League Division 1

 

 

 

Step 9 (20 Teams per league)

 

West Cornwall Football League Division 3

East Cornwall Football League Division 3

West Devon Football League Division 3

East Devon Football League Division 3

North Somerset League Division 2

South Somerset League Division 2

Bristol & South Gloucestershire League Division 2

South Wiltshire League Division 2

North Gloucestershire League Division 2

North Wiltshire League Division 2

Oxfordshire League Division 2

North Berkshire League Division 2

West Dorset League Division 2

East Dorset League Division 2

North Hampshire League Division 2

South Hampshire League Division 2

South Berkshire League Division 2

West Surrey League Division 2

Middlesex League Division 2

East Surrey League Division 2

West Sussex League Division 3 North

West Sussex League Division 3 South

East Sussex League Division 3 North

East Sussex League Division 3 South

North Kent League Division 3 West

North Kent League Division 3 East

South Kent League Division 3 West

South Kent League Division 3 East

West Hertfordshire League Division 2

East Hertfordshire League Division 2

Buckinghamshire League Division 2

Bedfordshire League Division 2

West Northamptonshire League Division 2

East Northamptonshire League Division 2

West Norfolk League Division 2

East Norfolk League Division 2

North Suffolk League Division 2

South Suffolk League Division 2

West Cambridgeshire League Division 2

East Cambridgeshire League Division 2

North West Essex League Division 2

South West Essex League Division 2

North East Essex League Division 2

South East Essex League Division 2

Staffordshire League Division 2

Shropshire League Division 2

Warwickshire League Division 2

Hereford & Worcestershire League Division 2

Cheshire League Division 2

Merseyside League Division 2

Greater Manchester League Division 2

Lancashire League Division 2

Derbyshire & Nottinghamshire League Division 2

Leicestershire & Lincolnshire League Division 2

South & West Yorkshire League Division 2

North Yorkshire & East Riding League Division 2

North Cumbria League Division 2

South Cumbria League Division 2

County Durham League Division 2

Tyne Tees & Northumbria League Division 2

 

Step 10 Leagues (20 Teams Per League)

 

West Cornwall Football League Division 4

East Cornwall Football League Division 4

West Devon Football League Division 4

East Devon Football League Division 4

North Somerset League Division 3

South Somerset League Division 3

Bristol & South Gloucestershire League Division 3

South Wiltshire League Division 3

North Gloucestershire League Division 3

North Wiltshire League Division 3

Oxfordshire League Division 3

North Berkshire League Division 3

West Dorset League Division 3

East Dorset League Division 3

North Hampshire League Division 3

South Hampshire League Division 3

South Berkshire League Division 3

West Surrey League Division 3

Middlesex League Division 3

East Surrey League Division 3

West Sussex League Division 4 North

West Sussex League Division 4 South

East Sussex League Division 4 North

East Sussex League Division 4 South

North Kent League Division 4 West

North Kent League Division 4 East

South Kent League Division 4 West

South Kent League Division 4 East

West Hertfordshire League Division 3

East Hertfordshire League Division 3

Buckinghamshire League Division 3

Bedfordshire League Division 3

West Northamptonshire League Division 3

East Northamptonshire League Division 3

West Norfolk League Division 3

East Norfolk League Division 3

North Suffolk League Division 3

South Suffolk League Division 3

West Cambridgeshire League Division 3

East Cambridgeshire League Division 3

North West Essex League Division 3

South West Essex League Division 3

North East Essex League Division 3

South East Essex League Division 3

Staffordshire League Division 3

Shropshire League Division 3

Warwickshire League Division 3

Hereford & Worcestershire League Division 3

Cheshire League Division 3

Merseyside League Division 3

Greater Manchester League Division 3

Lancashire League Division 3

Derbyshire & Nottinghamshire League Division 3

Leicestershire & Lincolnshire League Division 3

South & West Yorkshire League Division 3

North Yorkshire & East Riding League Division 3

North Cumbria League Division 3

South Cumbria League Division 3

County Durham League Division 3

Tyne Tees & Northumbria League Division 3

 

Step 11 Leagues (18 Teams Per League)

 

West Cornwall Football League Division 5

East Cornwall Football League Division 5

West Devon Football League Division 5

East Devon Football League Division 5

North Somerset League Division 4

South Somerset League Division 4

Bristol & South Gloucestershire League Division 4

South Wiltshire League Division 4

North Gloucestershire League Division 4

North Wiltshire League Division 4

Oxfordshire League Division 4

North Berkshire League Division 4

West Dorset League Division 4

East Dorset League Division 4

North Hampshire League Division 4

South Hampshire League Division 4

South Berkshire League Division 4

West Surrey League Division 4

Middlesex League Division 4

East Surrey League Division 4

West Sussex League Division 5 North

West Sussex League Division 5 South

East Sussex League Division 5 North

East Sussex League Division 5 South

North Kent League Division 5 West

North Kent League Division 5 East

South Kent League Division 5 West

South Kent League Division 5 East

West Hertfordshire League Division 4

East Hertfordshire League Division 4

Buckinghamshire League Division 4

Bedfordshire League Division 4

West Northamptonshire League Division 4

East Northamptonshire League Division 4

West Norfolk League Division 4

East Norfolk League Division 4

North Suffolk League Division 4

South Suffolk League Division 4

West Cambridgeshire League Division 4

East Cambridgeshire League Division 4

North West Essex League Division 4

South West Essex League Division 4

North East Essex League Division 4

South East Essex League Division 4

Staffordshire League Division 4

Shropshire League Division 4

Warwickshire League Division 4

Hereford & Worcestershire League Division 4

Cheshire League Division 4

Merseyside League Division 4

Greater Manchester League Division 4

Lancashire League Division 4

Derbyshire & Nottinghamshire League Division 4

Leicestershire & Lincolnshire League Division 4

South & West Yorkshire League Division 4

North Yorkshire & East Riding League Division 4

North Cumbria League Division 4

South Cumbria League Division 4

County Durham League Division 4

Tyne Tees & Northumbria League Division 4Step 12 Leagues (18 Teams Per League)

 

West Cornwall Football League Division 6

East Cornwall Football League Division 6

West Devon Football League Division 6

East Devon Football League Division 6

North Somerset League Division 5

South Somerset League Division 5

Bristol & South Gloucestershire League Division 5

South Wiltshire League Division 5

North Gloucestershire League Division 5

North Wiltshire League Division 5

Oxfordshire League Division 5

North Berkshire League Division 5

West Dorset League Division 5

East Dorset League Division 5

North Hampshire League Division 5

South Hampshire League Division 5

South Berkshire League Division 5

West Surrey League Division 5

Middlesex League Division 5

East Surrey League Division 5

West Sussex League Division 6 North

West Sussex League Division 6 South

East Sussex League Division 6 North

East Sussex League Division 6 South

North Kent League Division 6 West

North Kent League Division 6 East

South Kent League Division 6 West

South Kent League Division 6 East

West Hertfordshire League Division 5

East Hertfordshire League Division 5

Buckinghamshire League Division 5

Bedfordshire League Division 5

West Northamptonshire League Division 5

East Northamptonshire League Division 5

West Norfolk League Division 5

East Norfolk League Division 5

North Suffolk League Division 5

South Suffolk League Division 5

West Cambridgeshire League Division 5

East Cambridgeshire League Division 5

North West Essex League Division 5

South West Essex League Division 5

North East Essex League Division 5

South East Essex League Division 5

Staffordshire League Division 5

Shropshire League Division 5

Warwickshire League Division 5

Hereford & Worcestershire League Division 5

Cheshire League Division 5

Merseyside League Division 5

Greater Manchester League Division 5

Lancashire League Division 5

Derbyshire & Nottinghamshire League Division 5

Leicestershire & Lincolnshire League Division 5

South & West Yorkshire League Division 5

North Yorkshire & East Riding League Division 5

North Cumbria League Division 5

South Cumbria League Division 5

County Durham League Division 5

Tyne Tees & Northumbria League Division 5

[AK11]

Thoughts peeps?

[Eastside Urchin]

Yep you've been busy

[careboy]

Really good thread.I like this!

[AK11]

Some interesting replies

[AK11]

Looks like Monday will be a 'crunch' day in the fate of Step 5, according to Pitchero.

[Eastside Urchin]

Why is that mate?

[AK11]

The Step 5 committee are close to announcing what their intentions are for Step 5 leagues next season - at the moment, it still looks as if they will go for 12 leagues (having a pyramid of 1-2-3-6-12 to Step 5) but nothing is set in stone yet.

 

I did write to the FA about it, enclosing my version of a 1-2-4-8-16-32-64 pyramid, and to give the FA their due they did say they would look at all the potential ideas before deciding which one to go for. However, it appears that the Northern, Southern and Isthmian Leagues will veto any Midland League at Step 3. The FA should tell them, imho, to keep quiet as a Midland League would alleviate a lot of the bottlenecking in the Midlands area, and its certainly well supported on the NLM forum.

[careboy]

I agree with the author's point of view! I learned a lot. Thank you!

[Eastside Urchin]

Surely this whole change is worse for a few clubs but on the whole better for more than the current system is,they are never going to be able to please everyone

[careboy]

Great site. A lot of useful information here. I’m sending it to some friends!

[careboy]

That's why i love internet..it gives us free valuable information.

[AK11]

Update: THE PLANS HAVE BEEN SCRAPPED!

 

Press Release recd today from Mike Appleby :

 

PRESS RELEASE

 

NATIONAL LEAGUE SYSTEM STEP 5 REVIEW

 

 

 

 

At a meeting of the Football Association Leagues Committee held today at Wembley Stadium the Final Report from the Step 5/6 Review Group, containing a number of recommendations was considered.

 

By way of background, the Review Group was established by the Leagues Committee in 2011 to look at a possible reduction in the number of Step 5 divisions from 14 to 12 for the commencement of season 2013/2014. Following an initial meeting with all competitions in July 2011 there followed an extensive consultation period during which all Step 5/6 competitions were met on an individual basis to seek their views on this matter. The initial remit of the Group was altered to take into account the feedback from these meetings. In the early part of 2012 the Group held a series of meetings to which all Step 5 leagues, their member clubs and County Football Associations were invited to consider the suggestion for change.

 

As a result of these meetings the Review Group, taking into account both the feedback from the discussions and correspondence received, complied their Final Report and the following recommendations were agreed by the Leagues Committee today.

 

• That the process of reducing Step 5 leagues from 14 to 12 was deemed unworkable and the initial suggestion withdrawn.
  

• That, in order to continue to compete at Step 5 of the National League System, ALL clubs must meet the National Ground Grading Category F in FULLby 31 March 2013. Clubs that do not meet these requirements WILL be relegated to an appropriate Step 6 division/competition.
  

 

In addition all Leagues must fully comply with the Regulations for the Establishment and Operation of the National League System, Standardised Rules and National Ground Grading Document.

• That all Step 5 divisions must have a minimum of 20 clubs with a maximum of 22 clubs from the commencement of season 2013/2014.
  

 

· That the Leagues Committee would, in future, in conjunction with the appropriate leagues, manage the promotion/relegation process between Step 5 and Step 6 and that as from the end of season 2012/2013 clubs would be placed into “feeder pools” and allocated the most appropriate geographical division.

 

· That, with effect from Season 2013/2014, the Premier Divisions of the Isthmian, Northern Premier and Southern Football Leagues (Step 3) be increased to 24 clubs.

 

· That, with effect from Season 2013/2014 and in order to create 14 relegation places at Step 4, the Isthmian League Division 1 North and Division 1 South (Step 4) be increased to 24 clubs with each relegating 3 clubs to Step 5, subject to any club issues arising during or after the completion of the playing season. It was noted that the Northern Premier and Southern Leagues have no desire to increase to 24 clubs for their Step 4 divisions. This will mean that a number of additional clubs will be given the opportunity to be promoted from Step 5 to Step 4 for season 2013/2014, the process is to be agreed.

 

In future seasons, to stimulate promotion, consideration would be given to clubs that finish in 1st, 2nd or 3rd positions in Step 5 competitions provided that they meet the entry criteria for Step 4. There would, however, be only one club promoted from any Step 5 competition in any season. In addition, it was agreed that at the conclusion of Season 2012/2013 the clubs finishing in bottom position in each of the Step 4 divisions would be relegated.

 

· It was further agreed that discussions should take place with all leagues to look at the possibility that, regardless of any vacancies occurring, the club finishing in the bottom positions in divisions at Steps 1 to 5 of the National League System will be relegated.

 

· That there remained issues to be addressed at Step 6, not least in the Essex area, and these will be progressed in the coming months.

 

 

Review Group wished to place on record their thanks to all those leagues, clubs, County Football Associations and others that had contributed in any way to the consultation process.

 

 

 

Mike Appleby

Leagues & Clubs Manager

On behalf of the Leagues Committee

May 2012

 

ENDS