Milton Keynes Robins/Unite MK To Merge

[Rhodes]

Here we go folks, breaking news hot off the press:

Edited March 10, 2020 by Rhodes

[Rhodes]

Yes, news literally boiling off the press, I gather the finer details and fine tuning of the exciting merger for next season are being discussed 'as we speak':

Delighted to announce that we have agreed to merge with Unite FC which will take place at the end of this season. The merger should put the club in a stronger position moving forward with views of looking to add more senior teams as well as a youth setup.

Spartan Division 1 side Milton Keyes Robins have announced they will merge with Division 2 club Unite MK. Milton Keynes Robins (formerly Buckingham Town) say the merger will take place at the end of the season. They aim to add more senior and youth teams to their setup.

Unite MK would like to point out that we have announced with Milton Keynes Robin that we have agreed to merge. We still have to wait for the Spartan South Midlands League to confirm that they will agree to this and the FA have shown no objection. Further details will follow in due course.

[Savagebee]

13 hours ago, Rhodes said:

Here we go folks, breaking news hot off the press:

Makes sense I guess.

[Rhodes]

I was just wondering whether there was any more news on the exciting Milton Keynes Robins/Unite MK merger for next season, whenever that is likely to start, if at all, does anybody know

[Rhodes]

I'm just wondering whether the exciting merger of Milton Keynes Robins and Unite MK, that was scheduled for next season, will now be deferred to 2021/22, does anybody know

[Winslow Boy]

Sure it’ll go ahead whenever the next season starts. 

[Rhodes]

Winslow Boy - Are you certain about that, I know Unite MK had already given notice to withdraw from the SSML Division 2 for 2020/21 prior to the planned merger with Milton Keynes Robins and they also withdrew their Reserve side from the North Buckinghamshire & District League Intermediate Division however, in principle, voiding the entire 2019/20 season means that Club's remain in the same League, therefore how will the exciting merger will be affected.

[Winslow Boy]

It won’t. There will be no unite and however is involved there will be involved at MK, and anyone that isn’t will join other clubs. 

[Rhodes]

There has been an announcement on the merger between Milton Keynes Robins & Unite MK as, in a surprise development, it includes Milton Keynes Irish Veterans who play in the Milton Keynes Veterans League Division One, the new name of the Club will be Milton Keynes Irish FC and their plan is to play in the SSML Division One next season. I'm quite surprised by the dramatic name change so soon after Buckingham Town changed their name, after 136 years, to Milton Keynes Robins in January last year with Manager Terry Shrieves saying in a statement that it was 'in great reluctance' in a hope to attract the financial backing we need to keep going:

https://www.pitchero.com/clubs/miltonkeynesrobinsfc/news/club-merger-2539343.html

 

Edited May 31, 2020 by Rhodes

[Savagebee]

Hope they have the luck of the Irish ?

[Rhodes]

Surprise surprise, the merger between Milton Keynes Robins and Unite MK, which now includes Milton Keynes Irish Veterans, has been picked up by the anoraks on another Forum and, unsurprisingly, one has pointed out that there is a ruling in place whereby, following such a merger, the new Club must play, or at least start playing, in the division within the National League System of the lower ranked Club. Although Step 7 is not officially recognised as being within the National League System there is still promotion and relegation involved between Division One and Division Two of the SSML, I can't imagine that Terry Shrieves will be too impressed if the Club are placed in Division Two for next season. I'm surprised Karen hasn't been on the other Forum to clarify matters as she is usually like Mick the Miller, and quick out of the traps, when an SSML issue such as this arises:

https://www.nonleaguematters.co.uk/forums/index.php?threads/2019-20-name-changes-mergers-closures.145/page-5

The regulation states that the FA's NLS Committee "shall determine at its absolute discretion where the Merged Club is to be included in the NLS for the following Playing Season."
It goes on to mention that, in arriving at its decision, the Committee may apply various minimum criteria, one of which is that "the Merged Club will ordinarily be placed at the lower of the Steps at which the Merging Clubs ended the Playing Season in which the application is made."
I think that last bit is pretty much all the regulation used to say. So it's all now rather mealy-mouthed but bottom line is it's at the FA's discretion.

[petethegreek]

On 01/06/2020 at 08:17, Rhodes said:

Surprise surprise, the merger between Milton Keynes Robins and Unite MK, which now includes Milton Keynes Irish Veterans, has been picked up by the anoraks on another Forum and, unsurprisingly, one has pointed out that there is a ruling in place whereby, following such a merger, the new Club must play, or at least start playing, in the division within the National League System of the lower ranked Club. Although Step 7 is not officially recognised as being within the National League System there is still promotion and relegation involved between Division One and Division Two of the SSML, I can't imagine that Terry Shrieves will be too impressed if the Club are placed in Division Two for next season. I'm surprised Karen hasn't been on the other Forum to clarify matters as she is usually like Mick the Miller, and quick out of the traps, when an SSML issue such as this arises:

https://www.nonleaguematters.co.uk/forums/index.php?threads/2019-20-name-changes-mergers-closures.145/page-5

The regulation states that the FA's NLS Committee "shall determine at its absolute discretion where the Merged Club is to be included in the NLS for the following Playing Season."
It goes on to mention that, in arriving at its decision, the Committee may apply various minimum criteria, one of which is that "the Merged Club will ordinarily be placed at the lower of the Steps at which the Merging Clubs ended the Playing Season in which the application is made."
I think that last bit is pretty much all the regulation used to say. So it's all now rather mealy-mouthed but bottom line is it's at the FA's discretion.

Technically, the playing season never ended.

[Rhodes]

1 hour ago, petethegreek said:

Technically, the playing season never ended.

I think you are being a bit too technical as usual and also contradicting what you have said in previous posts about the 2019/20 season ending prematurely, I have a feeling that 'the new' Club will be placed in the SSML Division Two next season

[Savagebee]

https://mobile.twitter.com/MKIrishFC/status/1273575827968602116

[Winslow Boy]

I reckon somewhere on an old thread I mentioned that they would end up as MK Irish or MK City Irish, we had all been told that from the get go. 

Edited June 19, 2020 by Winslow Boy

[Rhodes]

Winslow Boy - I hadn't heard that from the outset, or the get go as you put it, you seem to always be far better informed than me but obviously I realise now that it is because the Club play at the Irish Centre and, presumably, a deal was done to include Milton Keynes Irish Veterans in the merger, also I expect money changed hands. The new Club are already up on Wikipedia but not on the Irish Centre website:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milton_Keynes_Irish_F.C.

http://www.irishcentremk.com/

[Winslow Boy]

It was the worst kept secret down there, they couldn’t do it straightaway because of the ‘merger’. I have a lot of time for the manager and some of the players there, I hope they can make a good go of it, potential is there for MK to have a really good non league club. 

[Savagebee]

4 hours ago, Rhodes said:

Winslow Boy - I hadn't heard that from the outset, or the get go as you put it, you seem to always be far better informed than me but obviously I realise now that it is because the Club play at the Irish Centre and, presumably, a deal was done to include Milton Keynes Irish Veterans in the merger, also I expect money changed hands. The new Club are already up on Wikipedia but not on the Irish Centre website:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milton_Keynes_Irish_F.C.

http://www.irishcentremk.com/

Winslow Boy has contacts I've always said it ?

[Winslow Boy]

To be fair the Irish centre have been trying to get a side for a long time now. Hopefully this incarnation sticks, been a lot of teams that have called that ground home over the years. 

[Savagebee]

MK Irish are delighted to announce the first group of players who have signed on with us for the upcoming season.

George Shrieves, Ryan Coyle, Mason Spence and Callum Williams have all signed on at The Irish and previous Milton Keynes Robins fans will recognise the familiar faces.

All four were on the books at the Robins last season and will be looking forward to the journey with the new club.

 

Attacker George Shrieves enjoyed a fruitful season at MK Robins in 2019/20, finishing with 18 goals and 21 assists in 40 appearances. Shrieves has been a regular in the side since joining in 2017 from Newport Pagnell, before Buckingham Town became MK Robins.

 

Fellow signing Mason Spence was the only player to outscore Shrieves last season, notching 22 goals and 11 assists in 26 appearances. Spence began his career at MK Dons, making his professional debut in 2012 and playing for Colchester, Hayes & Yeading, Chelmsford and Hitchin before joining MK Robins in 2019 from Cambridge.

 

Left-back Callum Williams also signs on the dotted line after making 36 appearances for MK Robins last term, helping the defence to keep 10 clean sheets. Williams signed for the Robins at the start of the 2019/20 season, and made the second most appearances for the club last year and kept the joint most clean sheets.

 

Finally, Ryan Coyle also has committed to the Irish for the 2020/21 season, after making 26 appearances and scoring 1 goal last season. Echoing the views of everyone at the club, Coyle highlighted the excitement around the new challenge ahead and the chance to build on what the squad could’ve achieved last season: “The progress we showed last season was incredible, we were firmly in the promotion race and also reached a cup final, so I can’t wait to play with this group of lads again and kick on a step further.”