syd_lexic Posted July 10, 2013 Share Posted July 10, 2013 Think the East London Ethnic League sounds more appropriate nowadays what with names like London APSA, Sporting Bengal, FC Bari, FC Romania, Tower Hamlets & now London Greenhouse. Throw Enfield 1893, Ilford, Clapton & Haringey Borough into the mix & then there's hardly any genuine Essex clubs left. Think the time for restructuring is long overdue. Instead of merging with the Kent or South East Counties league, the Herts clubs from the SSML should form an Essex & Herts League. Pitch in Hertford, St Margaretsbury, Hoddesdon, Hadley, Colney Heath & London Colney & you would have decent league again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T.A.F.K.A.M 9 Posted July 10, 2013 Share Posted July 10, 2013 Name of the league doesn't really suit it anymore, however majority of the so called Essex clubs left in the league aren't exactly flying the flag for Essex football. It's also quite ridiculous that all these tiny counties (relative) have their own football leagues whilst the capital of the country has nothing and teams from the capital are made to feel like they're being done a favour. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
syd_lexic Posted July 10, 2013 Author Share Posted July 10, 2013 I had a couple of seasons in The London Spartan League in the 90's before it merged with the South Midlands. Was a strong standard & came up against some good players & teams. Remember getting a battering from a young Barry Hayles once. Still got the bruises to prove it ! Lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eastside Urchin Posted July 10, 2013 Share Posted July 10, 2013 London should have its own league for that step Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EverHonours13 Posted July 10, 2013 Share Posted July 10, 2013 I think its become abit silly! However, Im not sure what way you are saying essex sides aint flying the flag. Its hard for them when you got teams like London Bari who pay there players alot of money. Teams like Hullbridge dont have a budget to pay there players. Least it was good to see two Essex clubs Burnham and Barkingside go up last season, with Great Wakering just missing out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian H Posted July 29, 2013 Share Posted July 29, 2013 If you lost all the London based sides then there would not be much of a league left!! Could move some down from Thurlow Nunn, ie Brighlingsea, Clacton, Halstead, Braintree Reserves etc. I think the league has lost its way to be honest, it certainly is not the standard on the pitch that it was. Also seems like the only Senior League without a website (Unless I cannot fond it). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
syd_lexic Posted August 1, 2013 Author Share Posted August 1, 2013 Exactly, the standard from when I played & then coached has dipped alarmingly. It hasn't been helped with the likes of Canvey, Concord, Waltham Abbey, Brentwood etc going onto bigger things, but the league hasn't moved with the times or thought outside the box enough. You could merge with the Olympian league, attract teams from Thurlow Nunn or even SSML teams from East Herts like Hertford, Hoddesdon & St Margaretsbury. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spotteddog Posted August 4, 2013 Share Posted August 4, 2013 There are many things wrong as far as I can see it. Announcing fixtures only until the end of October smacks of a tin-pot Sunday League outfit. How can clubs (real clubs not necessarily Clapton) plan or attract sponsors etc. It is very unhelpful. I have mentioned the very questionable London Bari ground share on here before and the League's complicity with it. It is now known, from a source at another ESL club, that at the recent AGM, the Chairman of the ESL was asking around in case members of the Friends of Clapton were present. Why? A 'Metropolitan' league of clubs around the north and east side of the M25 would be good and, possibly a real Essex League that prevents the likes of Southend Manor having to travel into town at rush hour. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thecoldend Posted August 4, 2013 Share Posted August 4, 2013 I think the league need to think outside the box a little. Friday night fixtures... Early kick offs on a saturday. This would attract more fans. Imagine the crowd a Basildon v Bowers game would get on a Friday night. If it were promoted in the local press.. half price tickets for other clubs season ticket holders etc would attract west ham, arsenal, spurs fans etc Another thing, which is not the league's fault, is to relax the ground grading when crowds are under 100. With so many clubs moving up of late the league was bound to dip but it could be great again. Just needs more self promotion and a little bit of forward thinking Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spotteddog Posted August 5, 2013 Share Posted August 5, 2013 The kick off idea is a very good one and would certainly benefit Clapton when West Ham are at home. Early kick off on a Saturday etc for example. In my view, it's not the ground grading that matters, it's the standard of play, club and league organisation and, as you correctly point out, some self promotion and forward thinking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian H Posted August 5, 2013 Share Posted August 5, 2013 The league and many of it's clubs do little to attract new fans. You go to a game and all you hear is 2 teams and 2 benches swearing for 90 minutes in grounds that by and large offer very little in the way of facilities. Obviously there are exceptions, however in the main it is poor quality. The last time I walked out of a ESL match I found myself querying the justification of being charged to watch the dross I had witnessed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eastside Urchin Posted August 7, 2013 Share Posted August 7, 2013 Essex Senior League, the clue is in the name,should be comprised of ALL Essex sides of that particular level. Clubs like Clacton,brightlinsea,Halstead etc should all be pushed south along with any others. Any club not officially in Essex,should be playing in a equivalent London League. There are more than enough clubs/Towns etc in East Anglia,basically Suffolk & Norfolk for it not to affect their leagues standing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Mayor Of Simpleton Posted August 7, 2013 Share Posted August 7, 2013 You could always move Saffron Walden back over from the Ridgeons too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hookey Posted August 7, 2013 Share Posted August 7, 2013 You could always move Saffron Walden back over from the Ridgeons too. They hate the ESL. Not least because of the travelling, then again, everywhere is a long way from Saffron Walden. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eastside Urchin Posted August 7, 2013 Share Posted August 7, 2013 They are silly then as the travelling is no worse. Links from saffron walden are vastly different from what they were in the mid 90s with the A120 and A130 being much better roads Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hookey Posted August 7, 2013 Share Posted August 7, 2013 Agreed EU. I just remember them saying they would rather fold than join the ESL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billericayboy28 Posted August 15, 2013 Share Posted August 15, 2013 If you had an 'Essex Only' league, wouldn't it be a really small league compared to what it is now, if you think how many clubs are there that have the required facility level to play at the standard, without causing the structure to fail altogether Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eastside Urchin Posted August 16, 2013 Share Posted August 16, 2013 No Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billericayboy28 Posted August 17, 2013 Share Posted August 17, 2013 why not? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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