SSML PIay-offs

[Rhodes]

Do we Know how they are going to worK, perhaps Karen couId enIighten us foIIowing her articIe on the Sports Shots website where she has re-arranged a Iarge number of Premier Division and Division One fixtures:  

2021/2 Spartan South Midlands League fixtures - Common sense changes applied - Sports Shots

[Karen Browne]

Simple

If Premier Division runners-up are not amongst those gaining automatic promotion (PPG applies) then they will have an away fixture with a relegation threatened Step 4 club with winners either staying up or being promoted to Step 4 losers down to Step 5

 

In Division One the second placed team will host the fifth placed team and third placed team hosting fourth placed team in one off semi final games. Winners meet to decide who goes up

 

Dates to be arranged by the FA

[Winslow Boy]

2 hours ago, Karen Browne said:

Simple

If Premier Division runners-up are not amongst those gaining automatic promotion (PPG applies) then they will have an away fixture with a relegation threatened Step 4 club with winners either staying up or being promoted to Step 4 losers down to Step 5

 

In Division One the second placed team will host the fifth placed team and third placed team hosting fourth placed team in one off semi final games. Winners meet to decide who goes up

 

Dates to be arranged by the FA

Ridiculous idea. 2nd could finish 20-30 points ahead over the course of a season which is the true measure and miss out to a team who have been miles off all season. Teams will dualregister players from above knowing they will be available as their seasons will be done. So much wrong with this idea. No need for playoffs at this level. Promotion changes every year it seems, 2, 3, 4, teams promoted on half a season on ppg. Stupid idea that no doubt will be binned next year. 

[Rhodes]

Winslow Boy - Karen says 'simple' but it's as clear as mud isn't it. I also don't understand the idea of play-offs at this level of the game, and certainly not from  Step 6 to Step 5, unless it's for money making purposes due to Club's huge losses from two years of Covid, it's just yet another case of 'if it ain't broke don't fix it'.

[Winslow Boy]

Also why wasn’t this though of at the beginning of the season and how is Wellingborough away on a Monday better than a Saturday for Winslow?? Not to mention Winslow v Buckingham changing when it’s the closest game, seems pointless! 

Edited February 16, 2022 by Winslow Boy

[Winslow Boy]

1 hour ago, Rhodes said:

Winslow Boy - Karen says 'simple' but it's as clear as mud isn't it. I also don't understand the idea of play-offs at this level of the game, and certainly not from  Step 6 to Step 5, unless it's for money making purposes due to Club's huge losses from two years of Covid, it's just yet another case of 'if it ain't broke don't fix it'.

Nobody is making money out of those games. It’s not like there’s tv revenue or suddenly teams that get 50 every week are going to get 500. Two down, just promote top two. Why does it seem to change every season? I can only conclude it’s some suit justifying his place in the room by coming up with another stupid idea. 

[View from the Boundary]

Whoever's bright idea it was that 2nd in step 5 must play away to 2nd bottom step 4 in all cases wants shooting. You can guarantee hardly any will win - just look at Colney Heath, by far the best team in the SSML for 3 years, now they're coming straight down after 1 season with a whimper, showing the gulf in class. And then there's the whole issue of geographic bingo to contend with after the season has ended. Farcical, all of it.

[Rhodes]

Winslow Boy - To be fair to Karen she has done her best to fit fixtures in before the tight end of season deadIine dates beIow:

Members of the FA's Leagues & Alliance Committees met today to confirm 21/22 season end dates at Steps 5, 6 & 7:

?Step 5: Sat 23 April (playoffs against Step 4 on weekend of 30 April)

?Step 6: Sat 30 April (playoffs completed by Sun 8 May)

?Step 7/Feeder Leagues: Sat 7 May

[Winslow Boy]

53 minutes ago, Rhodes said:

Winslow Boy - To be fair to Karen she has done her best to fit fixtures in before the tight end of season deadIine dates beIow:

Members of the FA's Leagues & Alliance Committees met today to confirm 21/22 season end dates at Steps 5, 6 & 7:

?Step 5: Sat 23 April (playoffs against Step 4 on weekend of 30 April)

?Step 6: Sat 30 April (playoffs completed by Sun 8 May)

?Step 7/Feeder Leagues: Sat 7 May

Sure, but hard to see the logic in the couple I mention. It’s not a job I’d want, but doesn’t mean these things are beyond reproach. Would be much less of an issue without the ridiculous playoffs. I’ll have a tenner with you they get binned for next year. 

[Karen Browne]

Play Off Dates

Step 4 v Step 5 - To be decided by the FA but I am expecting Saturday 30 April

Step 6 - semi finals (2nd v 5th and 3rd v 4th) - Tuesday 3rd May or Wednesday 4th May

Final (at venue of club finishing highest) - Saturday 7th May

 

[View from the Boundary]

Step 4 home to Step 5 in all cases is just wrong, rewarding failure and penalising success. These games should be drawn for home advantage, totally unfair otherwise.

[Rhodes]

Some information on how the Step 6 PIay-Offs wiII operate, it's stiII aII as cIear as mud: 

[Rhodes]

On 24/02/2022 at 00:09, View from the Boundary said:

Step 4 home to Step 5 in all cases is just wrong, rewarding failure and penalising success. These games should be drawn for home advantage, totally unfair otherwise.

View from the Boundary - you're certainIy not wrong in what you say, it's a dogs breaKfast isn't it  

Edited April 6, 2022 by Rhodes

[Rhodes]

The rules from the FA for Play-Off matches between Step 5 and Step 4 continued:  

[domcassells]

I like the idea of playoff's, it open up opportunities for more teams, if you want to avoid it, go an win your league.

I know there's a "transfer deadline" that has just passed, but is there a rule on the number of games a player has played for a club to be eligible to play in a play off game, if you dual register enough players from higher up in the pyramid, they could come in and "win" you promotion.

[Winslow Boy]

Hard disagree. The league is open to all the teams to win it. If you’re good enough to go up then finish in the promotion places the same as the last 100 years, not 5th and 20-30 points off the pace and then spunk your way in. The season is 40 games long, we have positions for a reason, that’s the test, not saying the whole season was a pointless prelude for most for essentially a cup competition. It’s a league, reward consistency. At this level it’s ridiculous. If you want to be involved at the business end then you should’ve been good enough all season to be up there. My position is, that if you’re going to promote 2 or 3 sides you promote the best ones over the course of the season. 

Edited April 9, 2022 by Winslow Boy

[Karen Browne]

Not SSML but following on Non League Matters Forum

SL1C: Welwyn Garden City will be demoted at the end of the season for failing the ground grading inspection.

[Karen Browne]

The League has considered the guidance and the following additional decisions as required under the FA guidance are as follows:

 

The first semi-final play-off match between 2nd and 5th placed will take place on Tuesday 3rd May KO 745pm.

 

The second semi-final match between 3rd and 4th placed will take place on Wednesday 4th May KO 745pm.

 

The play-off final between the winners of the semi-finals will take place on Saturday 7th May at 300pm.

 

All matches will be of 90 minutes duration and if scores are level after 90 minutes, there will be 30 minutes of extra time. If scores are still level, then the winners will be decided by the taking of penalty kicks from the penalty mark.

 

The winner of the play-off matches will be promoted to Step 5 of the National League System.

 

 

Please note that the above matches are not treated as 'home' matches of the club on whose ground the match is played. The club 'hosting' the fixture is responsible for paying the match officials. Normal Division 1 fees are applicable. Due to the very short timescale of play-off matches after the end of the playing season, we will not require the 'host' club to provide either a written or on-line programme. We would however request that a board is placed around the clubhouse where the two teams can be listed and seen by spectators.

 

You will see from the arrangements that the team in 5th place will not be 'hosting' any of the matches.

 

As regards the financial arrangements for each of the ties, the 'net' gate money will be apportioned 37.5% to each club and 25% to the League. In calculating the net gate money, the 'host' club should take the following costs into account from gross gate money to arrive at a net figure:

 

Fees of Match Officials

Ground Hire (£100)

Floodlights (if used) £50

Hospitality Costs (food provided for players, management and match officials after the match, light refreshments for players, management, match officials, club officials and league officials before the match and at half-time).

 

In the event that 'host club' makes a loss on costs incurred, the League will make up the difference.

 

The 'host' club should produce a financial statement outlining the gate receipts and costs incurred following the match and submit this to me as soon as possible after the match.

 

 

The League will present a trophy to the winning team together with medals for the winners and the losing finalists. This trophy will be held for one year and be contested on an annual basis.

 

Following the end of the playing season on the 30th April, the League will formally confirm the semi-final matches to the clubs concerned.

 

[Winslow Boy]

Why does the league get a cut?? 

[Rhodes]

15 hours ago, Karen Browne said:

As regards the financial arrangements for each of the ties, the 'net' gate money will be apportioned 37.5% to each club and 25% to the League

WinsIow Boy - yes, weII spotted, aIso I don't IiKe the idea of the host CIub not being required to provide a written match programme, which wiII deter groundhoppers attending, or an on-line programme for that matter which onIy taKes five minutes, if that, to amend the tempIate for each game for a computer Iiterate programme editor.