Ryman League Confirm Step 4 Expansion

[The Mayor Of Simpleton]

http://nonleague.pitchero.com/news/ryman-league-announce-expansion-13769/

 

For those of you who can't access the link, it says:

 

 

'It was confirmed at the Ryman League annual meeting in Brighton on Sunday that there will be seventy-two clubs in membership for the season after next, 2013/14.

Each division will consist of twenty-four clubs rather than the present twenty-two. It means that only two clubs will be relegated from the Premier at the end of the forthcoming campaign and only one apiece from the North and South sections.

It was emphasised, however, that no reprieves from relegation will be offered even if they would be available under normal circumstances.

The expansion followed the FA's review of promotion arrangements from the fourteen Step 5 leagues - the level below the Ryman League.

Six of those leagues are in what would is generally considered to be the Ryman League's feeder area and that has presented problems in recent seasons.'

[Green_Fingers]

Effectively this means 6 places for promoted Step 5 Clubs to the 2 Ryman Divisions at the end of next season. There are 8 other promotion slots available from the 2 Leagues, meaning 14 in total - exactly the number of Step 5 Leagues. Doubtless there will be some Clubs switching Leagues, but the idea that more than 1 Club will get promoted from the CCL Premier next season is a pipedream

[E&E Rich]

As I understand it, there is actually an extra 8 places as two sides will receive guaranteed relegation.

 

I seem to recall that the Southern League was due to expand by two clubs in its Premier Division too, so that could mean as many as 10 spots from the other two leagues if they also have to apply guaranteed relegation to their bottom club in each of its step 4 leagues which seems likely as the Ryman wouldn't have done it if they could have got away with not doing it.

 

That means 18 spaces not 14, and hopefully the FA will realise that those spaces are coming mostly from the South East and allocate accordingly, although I don't hold my breath.

 

Certainly a second club will be going up from a lot of Step Five divisions this season.

[Green_Fingers]

Forget "extra" spaces Ed. Think "total" spaces. There are normally 12 spaces available to promoted Step 5 (nominally replacing bottom 2 in each of 6 Divisions). Those 12 spaces are sought after by 14 Champion Clubs (or 2nd placed teams if Champions are ineligible). Next season the Ryman League, as per above, will relegate 1 Club each from their 2 divisions thereby creating 2 promotion places -they also need 4 more teams to make up 24 per division thus 6 in total. The Southern & Northern Leagues will each relegate 2 teams per division - another 8 sides making a grand total of 14 promotion slots available. Given 14 Champions (or 2nd / 3rd placed teams if Champions cannot be promoted), I cannot envisage any more than 1 promotion team per League. Hopefully it's me that's got the maths wrong.

[bomaya]

 

Certainly a second club will be going up from a lot of Step Five divisions this season.

 

The FA have categorically said this won't happen, sadly. They did say that you might not have to finish first and down to third (or was it lower) might be okay if the clubs above either don't want to to go up or don't get the grading.

[E&E Rich]

It appears that the only certain thing in Step Five this season is uncertainty

[VPCTFC]

Certainly a second club will be going up from a lot of Step Five divisions this season.

 

The FA have categorically said this won't happen, sadly. They did say that you might not have to finish first and down to third (or was it lower) might be okay if the clubs above either don't want to to go up or don't get the grading.

 

They haven't ruled it out for this coming season. It's only in future seasons that they've said there will be no more than one up from each step 5 league but you're right in that they are extending the promotion place down to third place if the top two don't want it (or haven't got the grading) rather than second as it is at the moment. This will almost certainly ensure there are 14 teams going up from step 5 every season.

For this season the FA have said -

 

"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."

 

What I can see happening is a bunch of Northern League clubs allowed up at the end of this season as step 4 is seriously lacking teams from that area. That's the main reason few teams from the league want to go up. Plus, the NL Premier Division is running with 24 clubs this season due to Darlington & Durham both coming down but no-one going up. The league could lose five clubs in one go and still be alright as it promotes three from its Division One.

If that happens, the Southern League boundaries can change a bit to absorb some of the southern Northern Premier League teams and the Isthmian League can get its divisions up to 24 by reclaiming clubs that are now in the Southern League such as Guildford, Godalming, Chertsey, Fleet etc.

 

**edit**

Dunno what's happened to me fonts.

Edited June 12, 2012 by VPCTFC

[The Mayor Of Simpleton]

The Northern League is a tricky one, as most sides in that league would rather stay in that league than take promotion as that brings extra travelling costs.

 

I remember that Whitley Bay refused to go up for two years (I think it was two anyway, happy to be corrected), until finally taking promotion last season.

[bomaya]

They haven't ruled it out for this coming season. It's only in future seasons that they've said there will be no more than one up from each step 5 league but you're right in that they are extending the promotion place down to third place if the top two don't want it (or haven't got the grading) rather than second as it is at the moment.

 

Ahh apologies then. Damn FA - I can't stand the confusion in my mind!

[bomaya]

I remember that Whitley Bay refused to go up for two years (I think it was two anyway, happy to be corrected), until finally taking promotion last season.

 

They applied but failed as they finished only sixth.