2018-19 Isthmian League Thread ("Bostik" if you must)

[GTFCfish]

I need a Merstham equaliser for my BTTS bet, cmon you fuckers!

 

[GTFCfish]

Bollocks.

 

[Riverside64]

By my calcs ...
5 sides are coming into the Bostik Prem next season: East Thurrock Utd, Bowers & Pitsea, Cray Wanderers, Horsham and Cheshunt
4 are definitely leaving: Dorking, Whitehawk, Burgess Hill Town and Harlow Town. Plus possibly Tonbridge.

If Tonbridge win their super play-off then it's 5 in, 5 out. But if Tonbridge lose then 5 will join and 4 will depart so it is likely that Bishop's Stortford will be transferred into the Southern Prem Central. Or possibly, Bognor will be transferred into the Southern Premier South.

 

[Seventyseven]

Great game at Longmead today as The Angels beat Merstham 2-0 in front of over 2,200 for the Isthmian League play-off final.

Now just a matter of beating Plod next Saturday on their own patch to win the Super Play Off final.... looking forward to the meltdown on the maidstone forum if Angels win this.... more Teniola time anyone? COYA!

 

[Seventyseven]

Looks like the Angels will be without captain Sonny Miles on Saturday after the Ref deemed this a red card.... I didn't see the incident from where I was stood, but having had a look at this clip over and over, for the life of me cannot see why 2 reds were shown. Yep, maybe a yellow for the twat No.5 for pushing Miles over, but what did Sonny do to merit a red?

https://twitter.com/x/status/1125725358827941890

 

[Pink Panther]

Looks like the Angels will be without captain Sonny Miles on Saturday after the Ref deemed this a red card.... I didn't see the incident from where I was stood, but having had a look at this clip over and over, for the life of me cannot see why 2 reds were shown. Yep, maybe a yellow for the twat No.5 for pushing Miles over, but what did Sonny do to merit a red?

Looks fairly innocuous for a double red card in the first half of such a vital match. There's a bit of a tangle of legs as they first hit the deck, the referee probably has a better view than that camera, but still looks harsh.

I thought suspension kicks in 7 days after the offence at this level, in which case he might get lucky with the final coming just within that window rather than the usual Saturday sending off meaning suspension for the following weekend.

 

[Seventyseven]

Well, surprise, surprise. The appeal to get Sonny's red card overturned failed.

According to the Angel's secretary, all clubs involved in the playoffs were sent revised rules about red/yellow cards. Unfortunately, the red card Sonny was given will have immediate effect which means he'll miss tomorrow's Super Play Off Final against Not Plod at Imber Court.

After pulling in an impressive 2,200+ crowd on Monday against Merstham, I fully expect at least 7-800 to travel to Surrey tomorrow to easily outnumber the home support (not difficult when they've had crowds in double figures this season - one game in the League Cup attracted an embarrassing 47!).

 

[Pink Panther]

Well, surprise, surprise. The appeal to get Sonny's red card overturned failed.

According to the Angel's secretary, all clubs involved in the playoffs were sent revised rules about red/yellow cards. Unfortunately, the red card Sonny was given will have immediate effect which means he'll miss tomorrow's Super Play Off Final against Not Plod at Imber Court.

You're very lucky if you get anything like that overturned, and it's especially infuriating when it involves a key player missing a major match. We had a similar one at Dulwich recently when Nyren Clunis was sent off in a league match at Chippenham. This is a player who has just completed his tenth season at the club and would have reached 450 appearances in the penultimate match had it not been for the three match suspension he received for this. He'd never previously been sent off or suspended and is one of the most honest players you're likely to see at this level. The incident begins from around 08:30 on the linked video highlights. Clunis (DH#2) is blatantly fouled in the first place in my view, which the referee ignores, the Chippenham #5 is clearly niggling and goading him after that, yet that player (who was already on a yellow card) didn't even get booked for his part. Dulwich appealed against the red card but failed:

 

[Shrimper92]

Met Police 1-0 up at the moment. If they win I believe they're promoted to the Conference South?

 

[Raymondo316]

Met Police 1-0 up at the moment. If they win I believe they're promoted to the Conference South?

Yep the winner of this game goes into the National South

 

[Shrimper92]

Yep the winner of this game goes into the National South

2 Levels below the Football League. Ridiculous to think that's how close they are. I wouldn't expect them to stay up though, would surely be favourites to go down along with any basketcase teams.

 

[Raymondo316]

2 Levels below the Football League. Ridiculous to think that's how close they are. I wouldn't expect them to stay up though, would surely be favourites to go down along with any basketcase teams.

Well when they were moved out of the Ryman into the Southern League last summer they were moaning that they couldn't afford all the extra travelling costs.

So christ knows how they intend to compete in the league above.

 

[Pink Panther]

Well when they were moved out of the Ryman into the Southern League last summer they were moaning that they couldn't afford all the extra travelling costs.

So christ knows how they intend to compete in the league above.

Possibly irrelevant as they're 2-3 down a couple of minutes from the end of extra time, but they're on the edge of the catchment area for their current division whereas they'd be pretty central in National South with Hampton, Slough, Wealdstone, Dulwich, Dorking, Dartford and Welling or Woking within easy reach

 

[#Beebot]

Tonbridge win 3-2 AET

 

[Seventyseven]

The perfect season comes to an end...

Torquay... promoted as champions
Tonbridge Angels promoted after winning two playoff finals
Exeter City miss out on playoffs on last day
Argyle relegated on last day
Maidstone relegated...well before the last day (and they're all looking forward to their local derby next season.... remember Teniola Time?)

...the cherry on the cake would be Welling winning tomorrow to totally shove it right up Gerring's arse...

Guess who's having more than one beer tonight!!!!!

 

[Red Deserato]

Glad the whole clusterfuck of playoffs is done with now. It will be interesting to see who gets moved around across the 4 divisions in the next couple of months

 

[DarkSithLord]

Kingstonian have appointed Merstham manager Hayden Bird as their new manager.

 

[Pink Panther]

Kingstonian have appointed Merstham manager Hayden Bird as their new manager.

Seriously, is this a joke!

 

[DarkSithLord]

Seriously, is this a joke!

Why?

 

[Paddy]

Seriously, is this a joke!

Looks like our deep pockets weren't exhausted by Dynan coz someone would have had to have greased his palm to come to us from a team that was actually on an upward trajectory.

 

[Red Deserato]

The League Allocations for next season have been released

http://www.isthmian.co.uk/bostik-league-201920-allocations-released-56972

 

[Pink Panther]

Why?

Looks like our deep pockets weren't exhausted by Dynan coz someone would have had to have greased his palm to come to us from a team that was actually on an upward trajectory.

I was just surprised he walked away from Merstham after 7 years of steady improvement. I'd have fancied them to challenge again next year. After seeing Dulwich grow steadily over the last decade I've seen first hand the benefits of consistency and continuity.

Someone is clearly subsidising Kingstonian quite heavily and there's always a bit of a question mark over the long term future of any club shariing a ground outside its natural community. (Again, I've just experienced that for 10 months with Dulwich and we got back home just in time. )

Hayden Bird seems genuinely well liked and respected on the local circuit but the Ks job seems to have been a poisoned chalice ever since Alan Dowson left, which must be 5 years now. Bird also likes recruiting our cast offs, there were 8 of them in his team for the play-off (not actually the) final.

 

[Paddy]

We've had a director join us towards the end of 2017/18 season who's put in a fair whack of cash, or rather watched as Leigh Dynan pissed his investment up the wall for most of last season. I am very cautious of this approach to football club ownership, having already survived one bout of administration in the early 2000's which lead to us losing our ground via AFCW lining an asset stripper's pocket - we don't have one to lose this time round.

I like to think Tolworth is as damn near to our natural community as is possible since we are not welcome at Kingsmeadow anymore, the only ground I can think of that is any closer as the crow flies would be Worcester Park's ground which if I remember correctly recently failed grading for step 6 (& is in the borough of Sutton *shudders*). The original intention of moving in with Corinthian-Casuals was to eventually buy in to the ground with the hush money we were paid from AFCW but that all went silent & what we found out over time is our agreement with Casuals is a one-season rolling deal which has been renewed for 2019/20. In his interview Hayden talks about big developments on the ground front - he's probably the only person in the loop coz us supporters haven't even been told officially that our old plans to build a ground in Chessington is dead in the water despite the council coming out & saying it isn't happening well over a year ago.

The problem with our managers since Dowse is Dowse. The guy did so much for the club behind the scenes (something that Hampton & now Woking have found out) & since then we've had a smattering of inept managers (Williams & Dynan) while also having a couple managers that gave us optimism but only lasted 5 seconds (Edwards & Brennan).

 

[Rocky 11]

Enjoyed our three years in the Cony South, but now we're back at our natural level. Not your usual BBB club sulking at being relegated, in fact we're all quite looking forward to it.

Looks like we've got over half of last seasons side already committed to staying, plus Lewis Smith (that'll please 'Ornchurch) and Mitchell Gilbey returning to the club.

I know we've heard it loads of times before, but the coming season really is looking like being our last full season at Rookery Hill, with a move to a new local site very much on. Suppose all you lot will miss is your annual pilgrimage to the Bull pub over the road.

Lots going on behind the scenes, with new local people with community interests becoming involved, but one thing is for sure, John Coventry is continuing on into his twelfth season as manager.

 

[Paddy]

Welcome back! Not much has changed in your absence. Except for the fact that we've called 3 stadiums 'home' in the time you've been pretending you're one of those non league big boys in the promised land. Gone through probably about 5 or 6 managers in that time too.

How do you rate ETU's chances next year?

 

[Rocky 11]

Cheers Pads, been following your wanderings during our three year absence. Used to enjoy our trips to Kingsmeadow. You must fancy yourselves to have a better season with Hayden at the helm and some decent financial backing.
Assuming our players stand by their commitments to stay, we'll have more or less the same keeper and defence as last season when plenty of higher placed sides conceded more goals than us.
Early days yet, but I'd expect Covo to add a few more decent signings.
Bookies will probably have us amongst the favourites, and some of our fans think it'll be a cakewalk, but us old-uns know better. Plenty of decent clubs in there, and watch out for Bowers, very well financed and with big ambitions.
Be nice to make the play-offs, but you wouldn't be too keen on trying to compete in Conny South without hefty financial backing. Just look at the big money and well supported clubs in there next season.

 

[Paddy]

You must fancy yourselves to have a better season with Hayden at the helm and some decent financial backing.

The only change there is Hayden. We had the financial backing last season & failed spectacularly in trying to do a 'Billericay', ending up what was it 4 points from relegation! It's already been announced that our budget wont be as large as it was last season, but I suppose it might be more similar to what he had at Merstham last season & look what he managed to achieve there. I think we will have a better season but I'm not going as far as to say we're gonna get in to the top 5.

 

[beautifulgame2015]