[Football] National League North.

[Worried Man Blues]

What we need is a Premier One, Premier Two, premier Three, etc................

 

[Brovion]

I watched Bradford Park Avenue win 6-0 at Nuneaton Boro last week. It was the first time I had seen the club of that name since they drew 2-2 at the Goldstone in 1964-65 in front of over 20,000 people in Div 4. They were big competitors during that memorable (Bobby Smith) season.

A pedant writes ... It's Bradford (Park Avenue). Note the brackets, the fans are very proud of them! Originally the club's real name was just Bradford, their logo on the stand just read 'BFC' and they were always just called 'Bradford' on the teleprinter on Grandstand. The (Park Avenue) bit got added semi-officially at some time to differentiate them from Bradford City. When they reformed they officially added the (Park Avenue) bit to their name - even though they no longer played there! A year or so ago they DID drop the brackets, but fan pressure meant they got re-instated at the start of this season.

Anyway, apart from that Avenue's biggest worry about that result is that Nuneaton will go bust before the end of the season and the result will be expunged,

 

[GT49er]

What we need is a Premier One, Premier Two, premier Three, etc................

.....or how about Division 1, Division 2, Division 3 and Division 4..........

 

[Sirnormangall]

There are relatively big clubs in National League, it's quite concerning for them really. Teams that we weren't too long ago competing against. Wrexham, Orient, Hartlepool, Barnet, Chesterfield, Aldershot, and more.

I really think the FL should do more to support these clubs. I would suggest creating a new League Three. I think it would be great to see more Premier League money trickle down the leagues at the same time.

...not forgetting too the demise of Stockport, Darlington, Scarborough and Boston

 

[Bold Seagull]

Disagree with both your points.

£100m a year already goes from Premier League to lower league clubs, on top of the £243m parachute payments. This could and should be increased.

Introducing a new league, rebranding it if you like, would make a huge difference. Take the rebranding of the Championship for example, which has quite visibly increased the reputation of the old Division One. Having a League Three would encourage all kinds of media to show greater interest the fifth tier, rather than now while it's merely considered "non league".

So you would have part time teams in the football league effectively - has that happened to date I wonder?

 

[wolfie]

A pedant writes ... It's Bradford (Park Avenue). Note the brackets, the fans are very proud of them! Originally the club's real name was just Bradford, their logo on the stand just read 'BFC' and they were always just called 'Bradford' on the teleprinter on Grandstand. The (Park Avenue) bit got added semi-officially at some time to differentiate them from Bradford City. When they reformed they officially added the (Park Avenue) bit to their name - even though they no longer played there! A year or so ago they DID drop the brackets, but fan pressure meant they got re-instated at the start of this season.

Anyway, apart from that Avenue's biggest worry about that result is that Nuneaton will go bust before the end of the season and the result will be expunged,

Thanks for that Pedant - I love all that interesting nitty-gritty stuff. Now you mention it, I remember that they were simply called Bradford back in the 60s. Incidentally, Nuneaton now have a new owner and things look brighter - albeit relegation looms. I did see them beat Stoke City in the cup 18 years ago.

 

[Leekbrookgull]

Went to Workington about 20 years ago for a midweek game (on holiday at the time in The Laakes) absolutely eerie feeling ghost of a former league ground. Really isolated.

 

[Albion my Albion]

That must've been some start by Chorley, judging by their last 6 matches

Chorley didn't give up a goal until their 6th match of the National North season. The Magpies beat Blyth 1 - 2 at Croft Park and then had their first draw in their 8th match. Darlo is also in National North.

 

[Brovion]

Thanks for that Pedant - I love all that interesting nitty-gritty stuff. Now you mention it, I remember that they were simply called Bradford back in the 60s. Incidentally, Nuneaton now have a new owner and things look brighter - albeit relegation looms. I did see them beat Stoke City in the cup 18 years ago.

Pleased to hear about Nuneaton - wasn't there some issue about who actually was the owner?

Yeah, with Bradford I look forward to the day when people once again say something like "I see Bradford are playing Man U in the Cup", and you have to ask "Which Bradford?" Obviously for the last 40 odd years 'Bradford' has just meant Bradford City.

 

[DumLum]

There are relatively big clubs in National League, it's quite concerning for them really. Teams that we weren't too long ago competing against. Wrexham, Orient, Hartlepool, Barnet, Chesterfield, Aldershot, and more.

I really think the FL should do more to support these clubs. I would suggest creating a new League Three. I think it would be great to see more Premier League money trickle down the leagues at the same time.

FL accelerated these clubs finding their way into the National League with two up & two down. Thank goodness it wasn't like that twenty years ago.

 

[Exile]

. Having a League Three would encourage all kinds of media to show greater interest the fifth tier, rather than now while it's merely considered "non league".

I can't see on any level how this should be the case

Right now BT Sport give a huge amount of attention to the National League - at least one live match every weekend, plus a MOTD type highlights program on Saturday night.

WAY more attention than the existing League Two gets.

 

[Bold Seagull]

But that’s just how it’s going. The NL teams have to throw money at it to compete.

For me there is a natural pecking order at most levels, and teams need to live by their means. By having 3 up, it would expose perennial league strugglers whilst give recently relegated teams the chance to bounce back.

If a team has invested heavily they will come unstuck and go back through the divisions as it will be unsustainable.


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I don't disagree, my thought was really on making the National a League Three and part of the Football League, I don't think that would work. That ignores how the pyramid works, and also that the National is fed by part time teams in almost all cases of the sides promoted from North and South. If you went League Three, then that leap would make the step from Championship to Premier league seem like a dropped kerb in comparison.

These larger clubs are actually doing okay in the National which is far better structured financially than it's ever been. Regular live games on BT Sport, good media coverage, and decent levels of sponsorship. What works is that National South and North are run in conjunction with the National, and so their website, branding, sponsorship is all linked. I see no reason to break that pyramid partnership just so a few big names that drop out of the League want to feel they're still in it with an extra division.

Whether 3 up or down from League Two is open to debate, the only thing I would say is that with 4 relegated from the National, to have 7 teams of 24 change each season is quite a transformation year on year.

 

[Bold Seagull]

I can't see on any level how this should be the case

Right now BT Sport give a huge amount of attention to the National League - at least one live match every weekend, plus a MOTD type highlights program on Saturday night.

WAY more attention than the existing League Two gets.

Quite. National league is in good health, it really isn't the drop into the abyss it once was, far from it in fact.

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

I don't disagree, my thought was really on making the National a League Three and part of the Football League, I don't think that would work. That ignores how the pyramid works, and also that the National is fed by part time teams in almost all cases of the sides promoted from North and South. If you went League Three, then that leap would make the step from Championship to Premier league seem like a dropped kerb in comparison.

These larger clubs are actually doing okay in the National which is far better structured financially than it's ever been. Regular live games on BT Sport, good media coverage, and decent levels of sponsorship. What works is that National South and North are run in conjunction with the National, and so their website, branding, sponsorship is all linked. I see no reason to break that pyramid partnership just so a few big names that drop out of the League want to feel they're still in it with an extra division.

Whether 3 up or down from League Two is open to debate, the only thing I would say is that with 4 relegated from the National, to have 7 teams of 24 change each season is quite a transformation year on year.

Perhaps, but seven change in League 1 and six in League 2 and Championship, so not really that different.

I just feel the Wrexham’s (particularly) and Orient’s deserve a better chance to return to the league than one assured place and a place via the lottery that is the play-offs.




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[Nottseagull]

. Where do Southport go if they get relegated again from here as looks possible?

Northern Premier League Premier Division, currently led by the reformed Scarborough Athletic who appear to be attempting an AFC Wimbledon. Workington are 2nd bottom.
http://www.evostikleague.co.uk/match-info/tables?division_id=42377