Bye Bye Ilford!

[Guest]

Yes White Ensign should/would acquit themselves well in the ESL but there's no guarantee that they would automatically win it with a tough season at a higher level (injuries, suspensions etc).

 

Having said that I'd still like to see them and a few others move up as the ESL would benefit from some new blood and it would be great to have a 20/22ish size league. But ground standards are an obvious potential barrier to this target.

 

Does anyone know if there any FA plans to lower the ground requirement standard which is what the lower leagues desperately need and, on this note, how about all the level five supporters throughout the UK sending an email petition to the FA on this subject having agreed some basic acceptable criteria. If this is formally put into place then level 5 clubs would all have a level ground (excuse the pun)on which to apply what litle money they get to use where it matters most on essentials such as playing surfaces etc rather than generally unutilised infrastructure.

 

Is there anyone out there able to (and with the time to) set up a supporters petition for circulating all round the level 5 websites if this idea meets with fairly general approval. After all, surely a powerful blast from one of the important grass roots levels can't be ignored by Soho Square and if ratified and agreed could be part of the FA's plans for level 5 and their feeder leagues for season 2005/06 onwards.

 

Having got that off my chest I'll now go and lie down with a cold flannel on my forehead!

 

[Mr Happy]

I've commented on this before. Town have one of the largest supporter bases in the ESL but when we formed all we had were floodlights, a barrier around the pitch and changing rooms. However, even with 500 people attending a game it was enough. Most level 5 clubs get nothing like that kind of support so why do clubs at this level need such expensive facilities?

[DotCom]

i would say to accommodate the bigger fan bases i.e yourselves

[Mr Happy]

Yes, but our facililties were origianlly very basic but were perfectly adequate for our needs. The reason for developing the ground was to push for Ryman level football.

[DotCom]

dont all club want to push for ryman football? if so will need better facilities! but maybe too much is required

[Guest]

Yes DotCom it's my belief that too much is required for Ryman 1 and even possibly Ryman Premier but above that it's a different situation.

 

 

Not every non-league terrace supporter wants to be under cover that's why he/she attend at this level and a very simple infrastructure would easily cope with crowds of around 500 as Mr Happy has just said.

 

How many clubs under Conference Premier get many more than that every week?

 

[Football Man]

A national ground grading document is at the draft stage and, subject to some minor amendments, is set to be introduced in two season's time. All clubs are in possession of the current draft.

[Guest]

In your view PBT is the content of the draft as it affects level five realistic and sensible?

 

Is it in the public domain and able to be published on this site for us all to see?

 

After all we (the silent terracers) are the ones most affected by the decisions.

[DotCom]

thanks for clearing that all up for me!

[Football Man]

This document is all very subjective as the ground gradings around the country are extremely varied and coming up with a common denominator that pleases everybody is nigh on impossible. In my opinion I would say that, generally, for clubs in the SSML & ESL the ground gradings for seeking promotion are slightly more relaxed and therefore involve slightly less cost to implement. As for keeping your ground within its current league, that would depend on what you already have at your ground.

 

I cannot quote verbatim from the document at the moment as my copy is with someone else within the club. It is also still a draft and subject to minor alteration. For example, I believe that the requirement for turnstiles at our level is being replaced with a requirement for a paybox only.

 

If Lge Chairman is reading this thread, I am sure he will advise whether it is possible to publish the full document details on this forum.

[Guest]

Thanks for that information PBT it was very interesting particularly the paybox instead of turnstyle reference.

 

What would be logical would be a basic infrastructure for Level 5 with an easy upgrade requirement to Level 4 and a further simple upgrade to Level 3.

 

After that anyone aspiring to Conference Regional would have to seriously upgrade but those clubs not wishing to move upwards from Level 3 could continue to cater for anything up to a couple of hundred or so supporters in an uncomplicated and inexpensive way.

 

Personally I can't see sensible and practical decisions like this being made until the lower non-league game is run by lower non-league people.

 

Hopefully, as you suggest, our Mr L.C. might see fit to join in on this one.

[Football Man]

The new document does have a clear structure for what you need at present and what you will need for the next level. Plans are also afoot to give clubs 12 months to reach the required standard for the next level in tandem with a new system of allocating Football Foundation money. At present, for example, six ESL clubs would apply for a grant and could receive, say, £2,000 each. Under the new system none of those clubs would receive any money until the end of the season. Any club that achieves promotion would then have 12 months to get their ground up to standard and can apply for the whole £12,000 that would otherwise have been spread amongst six clubs.

 

Football at our level is, believe it or not, already becoming far more sensible and practical. It is only the nonsense regarding Ryman 2 that is clouding the waters at the moment. That apart, we all seem to be moving in the right direction.

[DotCom]

anyone going for a beer now surely all this typing is making you lot thisty!

[Colin, Germany]

The document ought to be in the public domain. The supporters at this level are the people most affected, as has already been mentioned on this thread, and ought to help decide the requirements. Do we live in a democracy?

[The Invisible Man]

Not sure, can we vote on that?

[PORTENCROSS]

Quote:

Potters Bar Town FC said:
It's a pity that White Ensign don't have senior status. They would walk the ESL - comfortably.

A comment made by the F A at the last meeting of the Step 5 leagues was that a club could join a higher league without the old style "Senior Status" being granted and that league could "nurture" them along with the help of Football Foundation money .. I cannot let this thread go without giving my wholehearted support to PBT's comment on White Ensign. They are one of the finest "Intermediate" sides I have EVER seen ... I wonder if they read this forum ?

[Colin, Germany]

In that case, there are no obstacles in the way of White Ensign joining the ESL. They have everyone's support, and there is no rule against it.

[TB&G]

Just to come in on this thread it seems to me (using the ETFC situation as a standard) that all that should be required for level five is an enclosed ground, a paybox/turnstyle, a roped/cordoned/fenced-off pitch, floodlights and a fifty person covered area each side of the ground.

 

This should help the Intermediates such as White Ensign to move up without any trouble.

 

 

[MbrunoB]

And once your up you can apply for a bigger grant,the stupid thing is you can only apply for a grant at the level your at,not to the level you want to get up to.

[Football Man]

That's why the Football Foundation will only pay out to already promoted clubs. The higher level will then be your current level, so no problem.