Enfield Town FC in Ryman 2 next season

[Football Man]

I suspect that the speed of ETFC's decision was necessitated by Ryman deadlines. Our invite (dated Thursday 1 April) arrived on my doorstep on Saturday 3 April requesting a response (and a non-returnable cheque!) within seven days. I guess a club of ETFC's size would have had difficulty in consulting all its supporters/members inside a week.

 

Also, I understand that the FA have approved the formation of a Middlesex Athenian League - if that is what the clubs want. All senior Middlesex affiliated clubs should receive an "expression of interest" form in the first half of next season. If there is enough interest, it will start in 2005/6.

[Gonzo]

ETFC will definitely get larger gates in Ryman 2. Hertford have an average home gate this season of 140 - you've gotta assume these are almost all home supporters. Add to this the fact that it's only down the road and you're looking at a couple of well attended matches. 400 watched Hertford play Dorking the other day. Throw a couple of Enfield Derbies into the mix and the Brimmobeu should be full to bursting.

 

Joining the Ryman will probably draw in a few new fans too.

 

Romford are the only ESL club with any real number of supporters.

 

From what I've seen the pitches in Ryman 2 look better. Edgware & Flackwell both had pretty good playing surfaces which will suit our game.

[PORTENCROSS]

Now here's a basis for debate - at what level will this "new" league enter the system - we already have 15 feeders with four above us - my mathematics suggest that promotion and relegation could well be a future nightmare and one more league will cause even more confusion ... or, will this "new " league take the place or gobble up another league with Middlesex Clubs in it.

 

I regret I am unable to discuss any other matters for the moment folks owing to the fact that, with no one being promoted this year, we have the additional situation where no ESL club has actually resigned from our league just yet so everything re moving sideways etc is conjecture and hypothetical.

[theabbeyabbott]

At last someone tells it as it really is.....

[Bill Poster]

Here's a cheeky one for you Mr Chairman re 'ins' rather than 'outs' for 2004/05.

 

Are you able to disclose what applications (only numerically of course) the ESL has received for next season and when is the deadline to do so.

[Football Man]

Quote:

LgeChairman said:
Now here's a basis for debate - at what level will this "new" league enter the system - we already have 15 feeders with four above us - my mathematics suggest that promotion and relegation could well be a future nightmare and one more league will cause even more confusion ... or, will this "new " league take the place or gobble up another league with Middlesex Clubs in it.

The new league is set to sit at the same step as the SSML, ESL & CCL. It has apparently received FA backing as it fits in with their ideal of regionalisation (all member clubs from the same county) and more local derbies at this level. If, and it is still an if, this league happens then presumably there will be four, rather than three, leagues lost further down the line.

[PORTENCROSS]

Very interesting indeed, on a similar basis, then, should ALL Essex clubs " express interest" and join a County based Essex League, in the goodness of time we could have virtually 22 really tip top clubs in a strong, dynamic and vibrant constitution that would knock the stuffing out of many other leagues and bring back some of the glory that Billericay and Stansted brought us yesteryear.

[Mr Happy]

A good point. Naturally, from a selfish point of view, I want to see Town progressinto Ryman 2. However, it would make sense that all the counties that feed into the Ryman League 1 have individual county league affiliated to the county FAs. There would of course be some counties with too fewer senior level clubs but that problem could be solved by simply merging their league and creating a merged FA. It does seem crazy to me that there is the ESL with it's own board and then a separate Essex FA.

[The Invisible Man]

What four leagues are above thhe ESL? I thought there were only the Isthmian, Southern and NPL? Or are you counting Ryman 1N and 1S as two?

 

OK so there's a logical tidiness about county leagues at this level, with clubs playing in the appropriate county league (interesting ESL League Cup Final this year - neither club from Essex!) but the idea of a Middlesex Athenian League is ludicrous. The county doesn't exist as an entity, and makes no sense whatsoever as a geographical region - an Enfield club would play clubs from the Twickenham area! Other areas that the FA (and indeed the post office) consider to be in Middlesex might be from around Harrow, Pinner, and so on.

 

If anything it might make more sense to have a London League.

[Football Man]

The four leagues above the ESL are the Northern League, two Southern Leagues (one in the midlands and one further south) and the Isthmian League.

 

Obviously all factors will be taken into account by the clubs before deciding whether they want this league. Yes, Middlesex is a funny shaped county and a game between Haringey Borough and Staines Town, for example, would involve some travelling - but probably not as much as Haringey travelling to Bedford United, Haywood United, Biggleswade Town, etc.

 

Whilst there would still be some travelling to do, there should be more than enough "local" derbies to compensate for this. A London League would not be too feasible as it can take as long to get across London as it does to get to some of the longer distance matches we have now.

[The Invisible Man]

Ah, so teh Midlands League is still on then? I thought the idea had been dropped.

 

Your point about travelling across London apllies to a Middlesex league, surely. It is far easier to travel out to say Bedford than to go round to Twickenham, even it is is further.

[Football Man]

I would say that whilst a Middlesex League would involve probably half a dozen trips from North London to West London (not too bad if you are reasonably close to the North Circular or the M25), a London League would most likely involve several more journeys from North to South - those are the real killer journeys.

 

In any case, there used to be a London League but it chose to merge with the South Midlands League. I suspect a few ex-Spartan League clubs would view it as a step backwards.

[Southport - TOWNER]

gordon bennett ! I go and do some work for 48 hours and this lot appears! I have read this thread twice, and I think all I see is conjecture and rumour; glad some things stay the same

 

 

[Colin, Germany]

Quote:

Potters Bar Town FC said:

In any case, there used to be a London League but it chose to merge with the South Midlands League.

Does this mean that London considers itself as being the southernmost tip of the Midlands?

[PORTENCROSS]

No, I am keeping my cards close to my chest and applications can be made right up to the AGM, which is on June 7th. Last season, London APSA came after the AGM and in 2001, a well known club entered the league virtually on the night, the AGM being later that year. The Officers are doing their best to keep up the present constitution of the League despite the unwarranted "invitation" to two of our clubs to go elsewhere.

 

Keep the faith !!

[Gonzo]

Quote:

LgeChairman said:
The Officers are doing their best to keep up the present constitution of the League despite the unwarranted "invitation" to two of our clubs to go elsewhere.

Keep the faith !!

Hmmm...the plot thickens! (conjures images of ESL 'operatives' cajoling Ryman and Club officials - horse's head in the bed kinda stuff?)

[theabbeyabbott]

Horse's head or Gonzo?

 

Now there's a choice!

[PORTENCROSS]

Sorry, Gonzo but I'm not getting into bed with anyone, let alone a horse to keep the old ESL going - there is just a faint possibility of Mrs C throwing a wobbly if I did !

[Gonzo]

I wasn't talking about a whole horse - that would be just plain wrong! <img src="/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" /> I was just suggesting a horse's head.

[Mr Happy]

Mr Chairman. On a more serious note. I do understand your reluctance to let ESL clubs move into the Ryman League and I realise that you just want the best for the ESL. However, rather than wrrying about clubs moving on, what is the ESL doing to attract new clubs from leagues such as the EIL? surely the way forward for any league, or indeed business, is to let go of those who want to go and move forward and fil up from the bottom in the way you have done with London Apsa. Please note, this is not having a go but merely a genuine question from an interested party.