Strudwick's fag packet - hypothetical question

[Roy D Hacksaw]

At this approximately halfway point of the season, I always have a little look at the relagation slots above us and the promotion slots below us to see if I can work out who new we might have a chance of playing next season. And this year it throws up an interesting hypothetical.

In the National League, four of the current bottom five would most probably go North. In the Southern League, Leamington are clear leaders, while there's a reasonable chance that Hitchin or Redditch could also go up. Then onto the Isthmian, it's not beyond the realms that the two promoted side could come from Needham Market, Leiston and Lowestoft. And of course, both the Northern League promotees would be considerably North.

So, setting aside the arguement that East Anglian sides count as South for a moment, there's a not completely beyond-the-realms possibility that all eight of the sides that have to be divided between National North and South at the end of the season could be from well North of the traditional above-the-M4 band of counties that currently marks the semi-official borderline.

Of course, the whole state of the leagues usually mixes up like a tumble drier after Christmas, and it will almost certainly not happen quite like that. But it does make you wonder one big question: does the National League organisation have a contingency in place in case it does?

[BenE]

Given the way leagues feed into the national league it is more likely to happen at some point than not.

What they ought to do is demote the lowest two southern teams and lowest two northern teams irrespective of where they finish in the table. That would certainly make the league interesting.

[LB]

But it does make you wonder one big question: does the National League organisation have a contingency in place in case it does?

Nothing they have done in the past suggests that they are likely to!

[Luton Roman]

https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1xa67cj9JKvXcmgWSgZsoyp-3CGE

The attached link updates during the season, currently shows Gloucester moving South.

[the demon headmaster]

I would be very happy to get Gloucester and Worcester back. A double demotion for Yeovil for some jiggery-pokery and a resurgence in Weymouth's form, promotion for Chipp and that would be more satisfactory. It's the most likely way that crowds will improve.

[Roy D Hacksaw]

https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1xa67cj9JKvXcmgWSgZsoyp-3CGE

The attached link updates during the season, currently shows Gloucester moving South.

That's only an unofficial extrapolation that relates to the current league positions as they stand, mind. We've seen in the past how the league's decisions can bamboozle us all, so don't expect them to do the obvious should things get complicated at the end of the season.

And as nice as it would be to get Worcester back, we'd more probably get Brackley first, especially since The Blues are playing in Bromsgrove at the mo.

Maybe rather than having North, South and M25 leagues feeding into the national, perhaps it should be North, West and East - the Isthmian creeping further up into East Anglia and down to Hampshire and the South East. That might apportion the two regional National leagues a little more evenly in time. Perhaps.

[comrade powell]

Or perhaps we could move north to join Glos and Worcs! While it would involve increased distances, there looks to be far more interest in that league...

http://www.footballwebpages.co.uk/natnorth/attendances

http://www.footballwebpages.co.uk/natsouth/attendances

[Manchester Romans]

Yes please! It's a great league with Stockport, Salford, FC United, Curzon Ashton, Stalybridge and Alty (tho sadly not for much longer) all on my doorstep!

[comrade powell]

Excellent, that's sorted then! And we can expect a typical warm northern welcome when the City hordes turn up on your doorstep for Lanky hotpot, Bury black pudding and Eccles cakes all washed down with vimto....

[kermit]

Beer is cheaper too!

[Roy D Hacksaw]

I may have to refer you all to the map of border counties, once again, if we keep up this Northern silliness!

[the demon headmaster]

Oi!! That would seriously put paid to my football watching if we moved north.

[Sponsored content]