Tony Kempster's Forum SSML Content - Your Views

[Rhodes]

Thought I'd start a thread summarising all the content I can find about the SSML from Tony's Forum and there's plenty of it, just give any views you might have. Apparently the SSML offered Flackwell Heath to the Ryman Division 1 when they needed an additional Club rather than Harefield United who finished with a far better playing record and arguably would have better suited geographically. The question posed was whether Harefield had been given first offer by the SSML and refused to go or whether Flackwell Heath were given first choice, it's all a bit of a mystery although Tony felt that the Ryman League did not even consult the SSML for an additional Club and approached Flackwell Heath direct, one of their "own" from last season, to come back into the fold. It would be nice to get someone from Harefield on here to hear their view and whether they were happy to remain another season in the SSML.

[Rhodes]

Further to this subject it seems to be a real can of worms and wasn't handled at all well, it was apparently considered as 'exceptional circumstances' and as such there are no hard and fast rules in place, if this type of thing has the potential to happen again then the FA should put in place some sort of contingency plan so it's transparent and everybody know's what's going on from thje outset. It's quite clear that the Ryman League wanted to 'retain' a Club they were going to lose and the general feeling on Tony's Forum is that no one other than the SSML comes out of this with any credit. Told you it was a Forum for real anoraks didn't I, this is one of the more 'light hearted' debates.

[Rhodes]

Further to this ongoing thread somebody has asked what Club's play in the Ilford area as they have just moved down from up north, arctic circle I think, one kind individual responded as follows: 'Ilford play Ryman League matches on Wednesday nights (with the occasional Monday cup game thrown in). Barkingside (Essex Senior) are about a mile away and play on Monday nights. They groundshare with Redbridge (Ryman) who play on Tuesdays. You also have Dagenham & Redbridge (Conf Nat), Romford (Essex Senior), Clapton (Essex Senior), London APSA (Essex Senior), Sporting Bengal United (Kent), Beaumont Athletic (Essex Senior - sharing Mile End Stadium with Sporting Bengal) and Barking (Essex Senior) all within approx. 5 miles of Ilford's ground. Sporting Bengal play on Wednesdays and London APSA may be playing on Thursdays but all the others are probably Tuesday Clubs, although I'm open to correction on that. London APSA also share the Terence McMillan Stadium with Canning Town (Essex Olympian) and they have been known to play a few Thursday games under lights too. If you have a car and are prepared to travel, you can get to a Southern League ground (Cheshunt) or a Spartan South Midlands League ground (Haringey Borough or Brimsdown Rovers - the latter sharing with Ryman League Enfield Town) in about 30-45 minutes with a reasonable run of traffic, Cheshunt and Haringey are Tuesday clubs, Brimsdown are Tuesday or Wednesday, depending whether Enfield Town are at home. If you fancy being more adventurous, Ridgeons League football is just over an hour's drive away with Saffron Walden Town, Stanway Rovers and Tiptree Town probably being the closest. Saffron Walden are a Wednesday club. Not sure about the other two.

Should be enough there to keep you busy for your 6-8 months in the area'. Er some people are so helpful, perhaps it is our Kevin from Potters Bar in disguise!

[Rhodes]

Folks, here is some more content from the another Forum with a mention of Edgware calling it 'an amazing ground', I don't think everyone will agree with that description somehow: Hendon may not be at Claremont Road beyond next season so visit while you can, a great old ground of the type you don't see much around these days. Wingate and Finchley's ground is a gem because of the main stand which is joined on to an identical structure that faces the rugby pitch. Northwood is a picturesque, tree lined venue that has improved over the years. Edgware is an amazing ground with an elevated stand on top of a grass bank, like Hendon it has been under threat from property developers. Wealdstone's much delayed new ground in the Canons Park area may be ready for 2007-08 following a rumoured deal involving Barnet FC who will pay for the stadium to be finished in return for the right to stage their non first team games there when Wealdstone are not at home. This is to relieve the pressure on Underhill which is also used by Arsenal's Reserve side.

[GRS67]

Rhodes...can you copy and paste the message on the TK forum where it said about Edgawre?

[Rhodes]

Gavin - It is copied and pasted from another's Forum as above with that mention of you having er 'an amazing ground'. I'll be going back on there later to see whether there is anymore about SSML Club's, it contains a search facility which is handy as it saves you looking through all the nonsense, they're far worse than us lot on here.

[Rhodes]

More stuff from another's site going back to February, the long winded prediction turned out to be fairly accurate where the four Ryman Division 2 Club's joining the SSML are concerned: In answer to your comments about the SSML & CCL taking Ryman Division 2 and other clubs, it is far too early to make any predictions. Certainly the SSML have no information about likely senarios and in the end it is the FA who will make the decisions, from the pool of clubs concerned, where they play next season. Whilst I don't know if the SSML clubs are aware of possible relocations to other leagues, the way things look at present only Oxford City look to have the required ground grading in hand. As far as I know the only other club with a chance to meet the grading is Hanwell Town and they are not as yet in a promotion place. With only one, or possibly two, clubs being promoted to step 4 this would compound the problem for the SSML. It looks like Potters Bar Town and Berkhampsted could fall back into the SSML with Hertford Town, Edgware Town, Chalfont St Peter and Kingsbury Town from

Ryman 2, also, depending on gradings, Ware, Brook House and Flackwell Heath. The league could run with 22 or 24 clubs (20 now) but some clubs at the eastern edges of the league may have to move to the Essex Senior. It will become clearer once the ground grading inspections and issues are resolved and where the clubs are expected to finish in their respective leagues.

[Rhodes]

Not sure what this is all about but found it on the another site, someone may want to approach the guy in order to set up an SSML Fantasy Football League before next week:

'For the last 5 years, I've been running a Fantasy Football Fundraising site at www.alltheresults.co.uk/funds and have helped raise thousands of pounds for non-league football clubs. The site is designed specifically for groups of people where not everyone has internet access. It's easy to set up your own league and, once the season starts, I do everything else for you. Best of all the site is completely free to use and there are no adverts or dodgy downloads, this is ideal for sets of supporters (and players) to have some fun and raise some money'.

[HTFCew]

We have used that in the past. It is a Premier League fantasy league.

[Rhodes]

Someone has posted the following message on the another site in reply to one from yours truly singing Oxford City's praises for being such good Champions of the SSML last season:

As you say in your other thread about the SSML, Oxford City had an enjoyable time in that league last season, and not just because of winning the championship! It was undoubtedly a very friendly league and, except perhaps in two or three games, City were made to fight all the way for their victories. The feeling among supportes of other local teams was, however, that City had chosen the SSML over the Hellenic because it was perceived to be an easier route back to Step 4. Perhaps City wouldn't have won the Hellenic - Didcot were very strong indeed - but, from what I saw last season, the top, say, half-dozen in both leagues were very much on a par with each other.

As for the strongest Step 5 league, I would think the Western League has to be up there among the best. Ignoring the 'false starts' of the 70s and 80s, the sides progressing up the pyramid from that league (Tiverton, Weston, Chippenham, Mangotsfield, Taunton, Paulton) in recent years have done pretty well. Hard to be quantitative about it, but that has to bear comparison with most other Step 5 leagues.

[GRS67]

Intresting post.

[Rhodes]

Gavin - Thanks, yes interesting is my middle name, in the Steve Davis sense of the word, ask Paula!

[NeutralFan]

Quote:

Rhodes said:
Gavin - Thanks, yes interesting is my middle name, in the Steve Davis sense of the word, ask Paula!

What.. you're a boring, balding ginger nut? (He says opening himself up to untold abuse!)

[GRS67]

I had a look at the forum on the TK site, it's intresting if somewhat obssesive lol.

 

I see you are doing your bit for Kentish Town, when someone asked what North London non league clubs there were to see.

[Rhodes]

Gavin - Well you should know me by now, I never miss an opportunity to spread the gospel! NeutralFan - Yes got it in one, I guess that's what makes me so attractive to Women.

[Sharming Paula]

I don't do ginger!!!! Yukk!!!!!!

[Football Man]

Rhodes - arrange the following into a sentence:

"foot shot in the yourself"

[Rhodes]

Potters Bar Town - Well not really, Paula knows full well I am not ginger and is just playing with you, er you wish!

[Sharming Paula]

Quote:

Rhodes said:
Potters Bar Town - Well not really, Paula knows full well I am not ginger and is just playing with you, er you wish!

Yep he definately ain't ginger Potters Bar!!

[Rhodes]

Another somewhat negative post about the SSML on the another site in response to my earlier post about the new Website and Oxford City winning the league last season. As I have also found on here you just can't please some people:

'I wouldn't say that the Mitoo site is cumbersome, it does a good job, and when updated quickly (something the SSML failed to do on several occasionas last year - ie 10am on a Wednesday, and still no tuesday results) is very useful. It certainly seemed to do for the SSML before it went "out of its way" to actualy run its own Website. I'm pleased that Ocxford City enjoyed their year in the SSML, but I guess they would have equally enjoyed a title winning season in the Hellenic League, but the SSML could seriously improve itself by not taking so long to publish its fixtures. Is it really necessary to wait until early August to recieve games for the final two weeks of the month. Why can't the fixture list for the whole season be published at the end of July, or at least the fixtures until Christmas which would allow for some tweaking for clubs who went out of the FA competitions early. Most other step five league's manage this'.