Mid Season Thoughts.

[Smudge]

With most Clubs having nearly played half their fixtures,a pattern in Div 1 seems to be emerging,Farleigh Rovers and Worcester Park are unbeaten in 8,Staines Lammas seem to draw more than they win,AFC Croydon Ath are better away from home,than at home.Bedfont and Feltham have gone downhill since Managers exit,Banstead likewise since a few players leaving.Eversley have won their last 3,Chessington and Hook have their yearly pitch problems.

 

So the above could be good news in my opinion for Premier Division strugglers,with only 1 promoted from Div 1,meaning that no team will be relegated from the Premier,unless of course 2 teams are  demoted from above ie Ryman Sth or Southern Div 1.

 

Another thing that has appeared this season is the change of Managers at a few Clubs has not helped their cause in anyway up to now.Bar one exception Badshot Lea who are on an upward spiral now.

 

The Premier title is still up for grabs with 6 possible contenders although Cove are in a good position having only lost 1 game,have they applied for promotion?Will they get the Ground Grading ?Camberley are unbeaten in 10,Molesey do not draw any which is a positive.Ashford Town and Windsor both have young squads,will the pressure tell? Spelthorne Sports have got back to winning ways of late.

 

The most progressive Club award in the CCL must go to Bedfont Sports,this time last year they sat rock bottom,they are currently 8th.

On the ground front,new turnstiles,new tea bar,New stand,fully enclosed ground,not forgetting the best tannoy system

[Mack Chinnon]

A pretty fair assessment, I think.

 

I like what I see at Badshot Lea and the people running the show at Camberley.

 

Without doubt, Bedfont Sports have come on leaps and bounds under Mick Snowden's management and the ground has benefitted from a lot of external funding.

 

I am not sure why they have such poor attendances, and I doubt it is because next door they have Bedfont & Feltham and CB Hounslow neither of who are getting high gates.

 

As for the tannoy - I would disagree. The sound is hard to make out across the dugout side and no mid-match announcements about scorers, substitutions are ever made. The regular announcer also stutters over reading the line-ups especially of it's not John Smith or Fred Bloggs (former players?). The best announcer I've heard is Eddie at Ashford Town (Middlesex) - informative, clear, and does a great job of getting names of subs correct from the far side of the dugouts.

 

Which brings me to my final point - information.

 

Some Premier Division Clubs charge between NIL (all-in admission price) and £2. Football Programmes are read cover to cover and lack of information probably deters supporters from buying one after their second visit. If floating supporters get to know about the Club it gives a positive image and might make them think about coming again.

 

Those that only include the mandatory League sponsors' advertisements aren't worth the 'nil charge', so a bit more would be useful, and not just Team Squads. Yes, it takes someone else's commitment and free time, but not a great deal of imagination.

[Big J R]

I have many thoughts on the Div 1 position, but being an 'exhile' at the moment, (purely on personal and logistic reasons, I hasten to add), I think it fair yhat I keep them to myself for the present.

[fatboy85]

Why would you bother posting just to tell everyone I have lots to say, but I'm not going to?

 

Surely being an 'exhile' at the moment makes it even easier to post your thoughts. No connection to a club=no one to upset.

[VPCTFC]

 

So the above could be good news in my opinion for Premier Division strugglers,with only 1 promoted from Div 1,meaning that no team will be relegated from the Premier,unless of course 2 teams are  demoted from above ie Ryman Sth or Southern Div 1.

 

 

 

There will be at least one team relegated from the Premier Division no matter what happens. FA rules. It's the same at step 4 now.

[Big J R]

Why would you bother posting just to tell everyone I have lots to say, but I'm not going to?

 

Surely being an 'exhile' at the moment makes it even easier to post your thoughts. No connection to a club=no one to upset.

 

 

My reasons have nothing to do with any club in particular, so as you ask, here goes....

 

It seems that F.A. rules are likely to get tighter and tighter for clubs in the CCL Division 1 position, and that's without League rules on ground gradings, lights etc.

 

We are told that we are coming out of recession in this country.  Believe that if you will.

 

Many clubs of our standard are already in financial trouble with some in free-fall and others struggling to survive.

 

So my views on Division 1 for the future  ?  I think you'll see one, two or possibly three clubs of our ilk going to the wall.

 

Please note, I haven't mentioned any of our clubs that have/are experiencing difficulties.  That is NOT my style.

 

Hope that helps you fatty85 !!

Edited December 10, 2014 by Big J R

[Smudge]

I know I moan a lot,but if there were National League tables,for League websites we would be marooned without a paddle,BOTTOM BY A MILE.Very disappointed that the League have not in any form,shouted from the rooftops,about Colliers Woods great achievement on reaching the last 32 of the prestigous FA Vase,even on here.in fact no updates bar fixtures and tables in 3 weeks,a very poor show in this media friendly world we live in.Hellenic,Wessex,SSML,SCEL,to name but a few are on the ball,we unfortunately live in the dark ages,SORT IT.

[pearcey no.1]

Camberley town to win the league,since signing bradshaw they haven't lost (I think).A Top draw goalkeeper is worth a lot of points!

Cove and Ashford keep slipping up.

 

So £1 goes on Camberley.

[Krooner]

I know I moan a lot,but if there were National League tables,for League websites we would be marooned without a paddle,BOTTOM BY A MILE.Very disappointed that the League have not in any form,shouted from the rooftops,about Colliers Woods great achievement on reaching the last 32 of the prestigous FA Vase,even on here.in fact no updates bar fixtures and tables in 3 weeks,a very poor show in this media friendly world we live in.Hellenic,Wessex,SSML,SCEL,to name but a few are on the ball,we unfortunately live in the dark ages,SORT IT.

Volunteer then Smudge.

 

Or are you suggesting the league pay for someone to do it ?

[Mack Chinnon]

Smudge raises a bug-bear of mine about the Premier and Football League Associations, in that next to nothing from their mega-millions from TV deals filters down to the Non League set-ups.

 

A fraction of 1% would see a welcome boost and make it easier for clubs at Step 4 and below to function and survive on a sustainable basis.

 

Our youngsters grow up watching football on TV, most often through satellite subscriptions. The people running our local leagues survive on paltry FA grants (if they are lucky) and generous sponsorships and donations that Adidas and the rest would not get out of bed for.

 

It really makes you wonder when teams like the GB Deaf Team do not get a stitch from the Leagues and survive on a pittance like the rest. The National Leagues and Associations claim to be 'disability friendly', or care for those who are in need of support. Don't make me laugh!

 

The politicians responsible for sports are just the same.

 

Rant over!

[FrimleyGreenFC]

I know I moan a lot,but if there were National League tables,for League websites we would be marooned without a paddle,BOTTOM BY A MILE.Very disappointed that the League have not in any form,shouted from the rooftops,about Colliers Woods great achievement on reaching the last 32 of the prestigous FA Vase,even on here.in fact no updates bar fixtures and tables in 3 weeks,a very poor show in this media friendly world we live in.Hellenic,Wessex,SSML,SCEL,to name but a few are on the ball,we unfortunately live in the dark ages,SORT IT.

 

" Even on here"      there is a thread directed at Colliers Wood and congratulating them??

[Smudge]

Volunteer then Smudge.

 

Or are you suggesting the league pay for someone to do it ?

 

Krooner,the League Website should be paid for,out of the Clubs Annual League Fees that they pay.Currently it is embarassing,AFC Croydon currently play at Croydon Sports Arena according to them and the F.A.,no wonder they get no visiting fans.I would volunteer if I knew how,but of course that is the problem with all lower level Football,it is run by Old Codgers,new younger blood is needed,from top to bottom.

[Smudge]

" Even on here"      there is a thread directed at Colliers Wood and congratulating them??

 

Footballblue,yes there is but Combined Counties hierachy read this site,so how hard would it be to post on here,you have,I have,others have,why not them?

[FrimleyGreenFC]

Footballblue,yes there is but Combined Counties hierachy read this site,so how hard would it be to post on here,you have,I have,others have,why not them?

Oh I see what you mean, fair do's.   It's a good point well made. 

[Krooner]

Krooner,the League Website should be paid for,out of the Clubs Annual League Fees that they pay.Currently it is embarassing,AFC Croydon currently play at Croydon Sports Arena according to them and the F.A.,no wonder they get no visiting fans.I would volunteer if I knew how,but of course that is the problem with all lower level Football,it is run by Old Codgers,new younger blood is needed,from top to bottom.

You would volunteer Smudge yet you complain about old codgers running the league

[Smudge]

Thing is Old Codgers do not like change,scared of younger people with fresh ideas.We still think we are young though,hence the problem 

[mal316]

Krooner,the League Website should be paid for,out of the Clubs Annual League Fees that they pay.Currently it is embarassing,AFC Croydon currently play at Croydon Sports Arena according to them and the F.A.,no wonder they get no visiting fans.I would volunteer if I knew how,but of course that is the problem with all lower level Football,it is run by Old Codgers,new younger blood is needed,from top to bottom.

 

Smudge, I really wish you would get he facts straight before putting down the work people do.

 

The CCL website has AFC Croydon Athletic down as playing at Mayfield Stadium.  This has been this way since at least July 2014 when the new handbook was released.

 

The address details you are referencing are those supplied by The FA Full Time website.  I do not know who has the ability to update this but has nothing to do with data held within the CCL site.

 

All we do is use publicly available data to display fixtures / results / tables to help with he administrative updates of the sites.

 

As for the lack of news, I have provided Alan with an easy way to do this but obviously cannot answer why no recent updates have been published.

 

Rather than coming on here and posting yet another rant why not drop him an email or a call and politely ask him why nothing has been published.

Edited December 12, 2014 by mal316

[Smudge]

Smudge, I really wish you would get he facts straight before putting down the work people do.

 

The CCL website has AFC Croydon Athletic down as playing at Mayfield Stadium.  This has been this way since at least July 2014 when the new handbook was released.

 

The address details you are referencing are those supplied by The FA Full Time website.  I do not know who has the ability to update this but has nothing to do with data held within the CCL site.

 

All we do is use publicly available data to display fixtures / results / tables to help with he administrative updates of the sites.

 

As for the lack of news, I have provided Alan with an easy way to do this but obviously cannot answer why no recent updates have been published.

 

Rather than coming on here and posting yet another rant why not drop him an email or a call and politely ask him why nothing has been published.

 

Mal,how is this a rant, Combined Counties Fixtures clearly state:-Croydon Athletic @Croydon Arena.So you are blaming the FA?

 

Although without their input,that would mean the site has been dead for 3 weeks.

[lazarus]

It is true that I and one or two other of the old codgers on the Management Committee have the ability to put news items on the web site and I try to do so whenever I have a moment.  It's not totally straightforward as each paragraph has to be marked at the beginning and end which is fairly irksome if it's a large article, otherwise it doesn't look right.

 

Thanks to social media of one kind or another, most information these days is known almost as it happens (news of the promotion applicants this week, for example) so I have not regarded it as a major priority, especially as I do try to put anything of significant importance on this forum, although it is always important to let clubs know first through their secretaries.

 

I do though agree that the web site should be more vibrant in terms of news etc. and if there is anyone would like to volunteer to keep it more up to date I am sure we would like to talk to you..  Until and unless that happens I'll try to find a bit more time to post a few more items.

 

As an aside, I wonder at what stage one becomes an official old codger?  I was first described as one upon the Maidstone forum about four years ago when I went round counting the crowd with a clicker or whatever they're called.  I felt quite put out on that occasion but I'm not so sure now.

[Big J R]

Having met you Alan, and several other of the 'senior members' on this site, may I say that none of us are 'old codgers'.  It is a term devised by young 'whipper-snappers' who think they can rule things better than our more experienced brains.

 

I'm now off to look in the cupboard under the stairs for my WW2 tin-hat !!

 

:bold:

Edited December 12, 2014 by Big J R