Who's coming up - who's going down

[Dagger03]

Isthmian Premier - DOWN- three out of Wingate, Whitehawk, Burgess Hill and Harlow - my guess is that Whitehawk will stay up.

Isthmian Premier - UP - Dorking (so that is one plastic pitch less) - too many clubs still in with a chance of making the play offs - Haringey or Carshalton seem the most likely.

Isthmian North - UP - Bowers - plus one from Maldon, Aveley, Coggeshall or Heybridge. My guess is Aveley.

Isthmian North - Down - two out of Witham, Romford, Mildenhall. Will Romford again make the Great Escape?

Isthmian South - UP - Cray - plus one from Horsham, Hastings, Ashford, Haywards Heath.

Isthmian South - DOWN - Thamesmead (disbanded) plus either Guernsey or Greenwich.

Conference South - DOWN - Of the three going down, only East Thurrock will go into the Isthmian Premier.

Conference South - UP - Torquay, with three Essex clubs all possibly in the play-offs - Chelmsford, Billericay and Concord, though Woking are likely to be favourites.

 

 

 

 

[andydick]

Also worth noting that the team that wins the Bostik Premier play-offs this season is still not guaranteed to be promoted.

This season is an unusual one in that at the step above (National North and South) 6 teams will be relegated - 3 from each division.  At our level however there are 4 divisions (Northern Prem, Bostik Prem, Southern Prem Central and Southern Prem South).  Since there are only 6 promotion spots available the 4 league winners will take 4 of them and be promoted (that includes Dorking).  For the other 2 promotion spots a "super play-off" will take place which will be 2 matches between the 4 play-off winners.  The winners of those games will go up.  Who plays who depends on the best geographical split - but if the seasons were to end now then the super play-offs would be: Warrington vs Stourbridge; Taunton vs Haringey Borough

Next season there'll ne none of this.  4 teams will be relegated from the National North and South (2 from each division) and 8 will be promoted from our level.  They are increasing the number of sides in National North/South from 22 to 24.

[andydick]

Horsham beat Sam Mott's Ashford Utd tonight AET in the Bostik South East play-off final.  Given the current promotion rules at that level only 5 of the 7 play-off winners will be promoted - based on points per game - but Horsham's PPG is good so they are likely to be in the Bostik Premier next season.

So, coming into the Bostik Premier next season are:

East Thurrock Utd - relegated from National South
Bowers & Pitsea - champions of Bostik North
Cray Wanderers - champions of Bostik South East
Horsham - play-off winners in Bostik South East

Maldon & Tiptree will play Heybridge Swifts in the Bostik North Final.  If Maldon win they will likely go up to the Prem as they have a good PPG.  If Heybridge win they are likely to miss out on promotion because of their poor PPG.

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We will be losing the following:

Dorking Wanderers - champions
Whitehawk - relegated
Burgess Hill Town - relegated
Harlow Town - relegated

The Premier play-off final is between Tonbridge Angels and Merstham.  Whoever wins this will play the winners of Met Police and Poole Town in the "super play-offs", with the winners promoted to the National South.

 

 

[andydick]

Cheshunt surprisingly won at Bracknell Town yesteday in the Bostik South Central play-off final so, according to the Isthmian site, will be in the Prem next season.

Today is Maldon vs Heybridge.  If Maldon win they will be promoted to the Prem.  If Heybridge win, they will be looking at Monday's Southern One South play-off final, Yate vs Cinderford Town. A Yate win will mean Heybridge don't go up as the Swifts will be the 6th best play-off winner in terms of points per game (Yate's PPG is better than Heybridge's).  But, if Cinderford Town win then Heybridge will go up as Cinderford have a worse PPG than Heybridge, so Heybridge will be the 5th best play-off winner. 

[andydick]

Heybridge Swifts beat Maldon & Tiptree yesterday so occupied the last promotion place (5th out of 7 in terms of PPG for all play-off winners).

Unfortunately, Yate beat Cinderford Town 3-1 today so Yate take the promotion spot and Heybridge miss out (finishing 6th out of 7).

Tonbridge beat Merstham 2-0 today in the Bostik prem final and will play Met Police in the super play-off final.  Met Police beat Poole Town 1-0 today.

So,

Coming into the Bostik Prem (5):  East Thurrock Utd, Bowers & Pitsea, Cray Wanderers, Horsham and Cheshunt

Leaving the Bostik Prem (4 or 5): Dorking, Whitehawk, Burgess Hill Town and Harlow Town.  Plus possibly Tonbridge.

If Tonbridge win their super play-off then they'll be promoted so 5 will join the Prem and 5 will depart.  But if Tonbridge lose then 5 will join and 4 will depart so it is likely that Bishop's Stortford will be transferred into the Southern Prem Central.  Or possibly, Bognor will be transferred into the Southern Premier South.

[Ruth Cork]

Do we assume that Hayes & Yeading will join the Southern Premier South.

[andydick]

1 hour ago, Ruth Cork said:

Do we assume that Hayes & Yeading will join the Southern Premier South.

Since both Met Police and Harrow play in the Southern South and both are east of Hayes then I'd guess Hayes look a very good bet for the Southern South.

[Burdy]

Well congratulations to Tonbridge Angels beat Met Police in extra time. So we see them leave the Bostik Premier. 

 

 

 

[andydick]

League constitutions will be announced on Sunday 19th May.

Rumour has it that we may gain Hendon and lose Bishop's Stortford because of the excess of teams in the Southern Premier South.  Two of the relegated National South teams will end up there (Truro and Weston-super-Mare).