One more point...

[Laz]

He should have held the vote at an away game where the true fans are.

[AFF]

You're right Laz. Ford United or whatever they are called nowadays would have been a good one to randomly select, preferably on a wet Tuesday.

 

This or Dorchester?

[JKiF]

Originally Posted By: AFF

No. This was in Fatboy's time when he organised a vote on the terraces at a match and the result was two thirds to one third in faviour of remaining in the Ryman.

I was refering to a postal vote...

[Iron Webbo]

Originally Posted By: AFF

No. This was in Fatboy's time when he organised a vote on the terraces at a match and the result was two thirds to one third in faviour of remaining in the Ryman.

Oh dear, another error from the best chairman the club never had. The vote was 56% to stay Isthmian and 44% to go Southern.

[Laz]

Maybe you missold the vote. You should have asked...

 

1. Do you want yet another year of Harrow, Yeading, Essex, ...

 

or

 

2. Bath, Salisbury, Dorchester, etc?

[Iron Webbo]

I did try!

[Wilf Woodend]

Gravesend, Kettering, Basingstoke, Yeovil and Aylesbury all quoted reduced costs as reasons to go into the ISthmian. Chelmsford volunteered to make the transfer but Kettering took up the option. The only Isthmian club to make the transfer was Farnborough because they were relegated with Enfield who filled the one place available due to their greater association with the Isthmian. So FTFC were forced into the Southern.

 

When our transfer was suggested it seemed to me that we would have increased costs from money we did not have. Players could have stayed at the same standard (Isthmian)for similar money and not have to travel back from Tiverton to get out for a drink so we risked losing players.

 

So with hindsight would we have been on a quicker road to going bust by making that transfer at that time.

[EFM The Firm, The Voice]

I thought the plan was to get us used to the travelling in preperation for the conference?

 

I voted for the Southern anyway!

[Laz]

I suspsect most of those that travel did the same.

[Northern Monkey]

Plus some of us who only travel rarely.

[JKiF]

it was a definite case of those that go 'away' voted for the southern

[Iron Webbo]

And, ironically, the club now finds itself exactly in the sort of regionalised south league I suggested all those years ago.

 

The re-organisation by the FA of steps 1-3 has been a great success in my opinion.

[JKiF]

 

didn't there used to be div3 south/north?

 

hardly a new idea of yours...

 

[Iron Webbo]

Not in non-league football JKiF. What you're refering to was in the Football League and they knocked that on the head in 1958.

 

That said, I am hearing a little rumour that a merger between League Two and Conf National is being aired to form a League 2 North and South.

 

You heard it hear first!

[Wilf Woodend]

I do not agree that the CS is exactly the same sort of regionalised south league. It is a higher standing of league, its introduction having devalued the Isthmian & Southern. It probably covers a smaller geographical area than the Southern League did as the CS does not cover the Birmingham area. So it is possibly more economic in terms of travel to be in the CS than the Southern, Hitchin have a seasons mileage of 2050 and that does not include the south east as would have been the case for us then. Only 5 CS clubs have a higher seasons mileage per Kempster

 

My concern at the time was that we would join a league and increase costs when we could have stayed where we were to achieve exactly the same prize more cheaply. I assume that the cost of travel had some role to play in the eventual 'financial problems', if only because Peter was robbed to pay Paul.

 

I do agree that the re-organisation has been a success but perhaps we might feel differently if we were involved in a midlands step 4 club about to be forced into the Unibond as part of the downward impact.

[Iron Webbo]

Wilf, the problem with the old structure was only the champions went up, now a side can finish fifth and still have a chance of promotion. Whether you believe the play-offs to be fair is another matter, but it does keep the season alive longer for more clubs.

 

As to the eventual 'financial problems' you refer to, perhaps I shoulds having taken the advice I was given in 1998?

[JKiF]

 

 

 

yes, im fully aware of the football league variation

 

my point was, it wasnt your idea....