3G Turf Pitches the way forward

[Dalts35]

We've all got our arguments for and against,but like its bin said if we play games mid week at start of season for the first 8weeks or so then we would never be in this situation that's a fact.so I disagree we don't need 3G pitches,and they do cause a lot more injuries

[4-5-1]

Totally agree Dalts and its something the CCL have to look into for next season!!!

[Neutral]

rather than invest in 3G pitches (which are horrible to play on), why not invest in pitch protection? Nothing can be done about frost, but covers for snow/rain? Have the water then run off away from the pitch?

[Neutral]

rather than invest in 3G pitches (which are horrible to play on), why not invest in pitch protection? Nothing can be done about frost, but covers for snow/rain? Have the water then run off away from the pitch?

[Dalts35]

Think its got to be done 4.5.1 its not rocket scientist!plus we will get more people watching as its lighter,and usually a bit warmer!!dont think those covers are cheap neautral and a lot of clubs wouldn't afford them.

[bobuk]

We will have a drought next season

[Krooner]

More midweek early season games is a starter in my opinion. So is reducing the league to 20 team.

[E&E Rich]

I agree with the reduction to 20 as well.

 

However, more early fixtures are easier said than done. There are a number of Cup and Vase replays around that time, and giving teams games on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday just on the off chance that we get a bad winter will look like a silly move if we get a mild winter and are all done by early March.

 

Look at the League table and take four remaining fixtures away from everyone. With exception of Guernsey the fixture situation doesn't look so bad. Let's play 38 instead of 42 and let's do it for next season while we are short in the division below us.

[Chris Clapham]

I agree with the reduction to 20 as well.

 

However, more early fixtures are easier said than done. There are a number of Cup and Vase replays around that time, and giving teams games on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday just on the off chance that we get a bad winter will look like a silly move if we get a mild winter and are all done by early March.

 

Look at the League table and take four remaining fixtures away from everyone. With exception of Guernsey the fixture situation doesn't look so bad. Let's play 38 instead of 42 and let's do it for next season while we are short in the division below us.

 

Can't do that at this short notice can we?

The turkey's (near the bottom) wont vote for Christmas!

It is not the fault of premier division clubs that step 6 is struggling everywhere. There is very little at step 7 looking to move up too!

The truth is I agree with a 20 team premier division but not at this short notice.

[Green_Fingers]

Can't do that at this short notice can we?

The turkey's (near the bottom) wont vote for Christmas!

It is not the fault of premier division clubs that step 6 is struggling everywhere. There is very little at step 7 looking to move up too!

The truth is I agree with a 20 team premier division but not at this short notice.

 

Spot on CC - it can't happen until the rules are changed

 

iv) The three clubs finishing at the bottom of the Premier Division will be eligible for relegation to Division One of the Competition.

v) No club will be relegated from the Premier Division if by doing so, the membership of the Premier Division would fall below 22 for the following season.

[Lee Farmie]

This will be down to the FA leagues committee, not the CCL rule book for next season. There will be increasing pressure to reduce CCL and Sussex Leagues to 20 side divisions and bump up the Kent League.

 

[The Mayor Of Simpleton]

The Hellenic is also suffering as well at Step 6, and one recommendation posted on their Forum a while back was to 'cherry pick' sides at Step 7 or below that had a suitable enough ground for Step 6.

[Lee Farmie]

The KL could lose two at the top (E&B & VCD), none down from R1S and lose two because of ground grading issues (Rochester & Greenwich). That means they'll need to find SEVEN clubs from the Kent Invicta. Fat chance.

 

Are there any CCL & Sussex clubs struggling to F grade?

 

 

[Terrence Collina]

but how many clubs do? Don't step 6 need floodlights now?

[Powelly1]

It should be 20 teams tops.

What I think is daft is that in the Wessex and Sussex league there are teams playing in the top division with other sports on the ground. I always thought this was a no no for step 5? The fact is the ground grading rules are crazy. 125 seats for step 5 - why? most clubs at step 4 don't get 125 people and most spectators at non league want to stand anyway! Relax the rules, fill up step 6 and underneath will take care of itself. Step 2 to have 4 divs, step 3 and 4 to be more regionalised as well - i.e. More divs - and steps 5 and 6 with 20 team divisions. More local derbies, more interest, more spectators, possibly more local sponsors, more money.

[The Mayor Of Simpleton]

20 is about right (I'm sure a certain Mr. Rundle would agree),

 

I would also add in a Midland Premier League at Step 3, with associated north/south feeder leagues at Step 4, and maybe look at changing some of the boundaries as well in order to accommodate more teams from Step 7s.

[Terrence Collina]

I think everyone knows the maths does not work, 3 into 2 does not go (step 3 into 2) and 14 into 6 does not go (step 5 into 4)

[E&E Rich]

20 is about right - I would also add in a Midland Premier League at Step 3, with associated north/south feeder leagues at Step 4, and maybe look at changing some of the boundaries as well in order to accommodate more teams from Step 7s.

 

Now you are opening a whole new can of worms. Whenever you move boundaries you get resistance and you only have to look at last year's attempts by the FA that were withdrawn.

 

I think we all have views on how the leagues should be restructured but I want to focus on the twenty team argument. Our rule (v) seems to be one of those silly rules that only exist to restrict a Committee's workings. It is unnecessary. and as Lee said the FA rule book may overrule it anyway.

 

Any team that finishes in the bottom three must accept there is a risk of demotion, even when it looks unllikely, as Hartley will confirm a few years back when Croydon transferred over. It would probably benefit our league to have four less fixtures because although the thread title relates to 3g I think we're all in agreement that very few if any step five clubs will ever take that route. So we have to look at other ways forward and if we are going to have more teams with more success in Vase and Cup then we don't help ourselves with the extra fixtures, and if we are short in Step Six it seems like the ideal opportunity to do this at the end of the season. I'd have said exactly the same last year when we were battling down there and because you can't fight progress. Many Step Five clubs want to move up but have been unable to because of the bottleneck between steps five and four, and as a result, in general the teams are getting stronger and stronger and this will hopefully result in more Cup and Vase runs for our clubs.

 

Getting back to Lee's point about the Kent League being short, which seems very likely with E&B and either VCD / Tunbridge Wells almost certain to go up, I put forward the idea at the start of the season that some "on the border" Sussex teams could end up there next season. Any of Sidley, East Grinstead, Crowborough, Uckfield and even Croydon again could find themselves moved over to balance the divisions. If that happens we could lose Horley or Dorking, and I suppose possibly ourselves to the Sussex League even if Three Bridges came down.

 

Our League could find itself having no choice but to drop to 20 if Egham and GFC went up, none came down and some of those transfers happened. In fact we could then see Kent Sussex and CCL at 20 with maybe even a Wessex League club being moved over. I believe that would be a good thing for teams.

 

In addition, maybe a competition like the Southern Combination Cup accepting entries in January instead of at the start of the season might give those teams who are well up with fixtures some extra playing time if required. Most of these matches get played late in the season anyway and it may get more entries too.

Edited March 26, 2013 by E&E Fred

[Krooner]

How about

 

Premiership-Championship-

2 x League 1 Regional

4 x League 2

8xWhatever you want to call it and etc etc

 

Easiest and simpliest way of doing it. will never happen for the reason there is too much vested interest and until the FA grow a set and actually take control of football in this countryand tell everyone how it is going to be.

 

Back to Fred and yes to 20 in a division.

[Terrence Collina]

with so many clubs getting into financial trouble, regionalising the whole pyramid would not be a bad idea. I am quite sure that Italy is regionalised from Serie C down

 

Premiership --> Championship --> 1 North /1 South --> 2 North/2 South --> Conference North (fed by Norther Premier and Midland Premier)/Conference South (fed by Southern Premier and Istmian Premier) etc

 

The North/South devide will then be brought together by the resepective League Cup competitions.