2019-20 National League South

[Shotsfan1993]

We have been let off the hook by Gateshead.

Hopefully we wont be back

 

[Pink Panther]

We have been let off the hook by Gateshead.

Hopefully we wont be back

Gateshead to National North, Oxford City back into the South, no reprieve for Truro.

I don't quite see the logic in demoting Gateshead when they finished well above the bottom 4 even after a retrospective points deduction. Surely they're either fit to continue in the National Division or not fit to be in the league at all and should have been thrown out altogether?

 

[DarkSithLord]

Manager Steve King has departed Welling United

 

[Monkey Tennis]

Gateshead to National North, Oxford City back into the South, no reprieve for Truro.

I don't quite see the logic in demoting Gateshead when they finished well above the bottom 4 even after a retrospective points deduction. Surely they're either fit to continue in the National Division or not fit to be in the league at all and should have been thrown out altogether?

Do we know where Gateshead are playing next season? Maybe the proposed ground doesn't meet National League requirements? Other than that, I'm stumped.

 

[Lew]

See you guys again in a year's time.

 

[Farleigh]

Maidstone let you win on the last day of the season to avoid a strong opponent.

 

[Pink Panther]

Do we know where Gateshead are playing next season? Maybe the proposed ground doesn't meet National League requirements? Other than that, I'm stumped.

Gateshead are playing in National North. I first heard that via Facebook from one of my own club's directors who attended the AGM and the same information has appeared in numerous other places.

 

[DarkSithLord]

Gateshead are playing in National North. I first heard that via Facebook from one of my own club's directors who attended the AGM and the same information has appeared in numerous other places.

He is referring to Gateshead stadia. They were kicked out of their ground

 

[chipmunx]

Do we know where Gateshead are playing next season? Maybe the proposed ground doesn't meet National League requirements? Other than that, I'm stumped.

same soulless stadium on a new 10 year lease

 

[#Beebot]

My best guess is that the NL wanted to boot Gateshead out entirely, but given the choice between them and Truro who are an even bigger nuisance decided to save the former.

 

[DarkSithLord]

Do we know where Gateshead are playing next season? Maybe the proposed ground doesn't meet National League requirements? Other than that, I'm stumped.

Confirmed on Twitter Gateshead have a 10 year lease on the GIS.

 

[Pink Panther]

He is referring to Gateshead stadia. They were kicked out of their ground

Ah yes, I see now. I think the club's new regime was always likely to come to an agreement to stay there.

I still can't see the logic in the somewhat arbitary looking measure of demoting them to National North. Is there a specific offence that commands that punishment? The National League already imposed a series of punishments including the suspension of their licence and a points deduction, which didn't drop them below Aldershot in the table, so it looks like they've been additionally punished for the same offences. Surely they're either fit to continue in the National Division or not fit to be in the National League at all?

 

[Raymondo316]

Bet victor have released their odds.

Not quite sure why they have us as favourites when we currently only have 6-7 players......so far best value looks to be Hemel at 20's

Maidstone 6/1
Havant and Waterlooville 8/1
Billericay 12/1
Braintree 12/1
Chelmsford 12/1
Dartford 12/1
Welling 14/1
Bath 16/1
Concord 16/1
Slough 16/1
St Albans 16/1
Wealdstone 16/1
Chippenham 20/1
Hemel Hempstead 20/1
Hampton and Richmond 20/1
Weymouth 20/1
Dorking 25/1
Dulwich Hamlet 25/1
Eastbourne Borough 25/1
Hungerford 25/1
Tonbridge 25/1
Oxford City 33/1

 

[Pink Panther]

Those odds are literally clueless. It's largely based on last season's table, with 18 clubs sharing only 4 different prices, and they fancy Maidstone and Havant to bounce back like Woking and Torquay did. Not sure why Welling are 14 when their manager just walked and everyone seems to think all his players will follow, or why Oxford are longer odds than anyone else. Dulwich have yet to make a single official announcement regarding the coming and going of any players. We could sign a squad of players from the Football League or the county leagues for all they know.

 

[#Beebot]

Dorking at 25/1 is great value.

 

[Pinner Stones]

In important news, Wealdstone retain the official programme of the year award for the Conference South. A magnificent effort it is too.

 

[Aberstone]

Those odds will shift quite dramatically over the next few weeks, I'm thinking of getting E/W on Dulwich at 25/1 now before all this transfer activity truly kicks in.

I did see that they've signed Jeffrey Monakana and Christian Smith from us this afternoon, two players who I would have liked to remain at the club and it's no secret that we were desperate to keep the latter.

 

[Monkey Tennis]

Those odds will shift quite dramatically over the next few weeks, I'm thinking of getting E/W on Dulwich at 25/1 now before all this transfer activity truly kicks in.

I did see that they've signed Jeffrey Monakana and Christian Smith from us this afternoon, two players who I would have liked to remain at the club and it's no secret that we were desperate to keep the latter.

Desperate to keep Christian Smith? Now that IS desperate!

 

[#Beebot]

Weymouth hotshot Brandon Goodship has signed for Southend. Big loss for them in their first season back but they will surely receive a decent fee.

 

[Aberstone]

Desperate to keep Christian Smith? Now that IS desperate!

Maybe so, but he was exactly what we needed in central midfield. Maidenhead supporters were disappointed to see him go to us so he must have been adequate enough in the National too.

 

[#Beebot]

Desperate to keep Christian Smith? Now that IS desperate!

He's a pretty limited footballer and I'm surprised he's gone to Dulwich as to me he seems totally out of kilter with the type of football Gavin Rose plays. Having said that, he is very fit and works hard, and certainly can't ever be accused of going missing, and if you run around a lot and make some big tackles you're halfway to being a decent NL South player.

 

[Pinner Stones]

I thought Smith was excellent for us in either midfield or at the back. We were keen to keep him on but he decided to leave, whether that was financial or otherwise, who knows. He can take a mean penalty kick as well.

 

[#Beebot]

Maybe so, but he was exactly what we needed in central midfield. Maidenhead supporters were disappointed to see him go to us so he must have been adequate enough in the National too.

He was never more than a squad player here and was never really good enough for the NL. I was sorry to see him go purely because he was not replaced (and still hasn't been), which led to us having to play a CB in midfield for much of the season.

I think this discussion says a lot about the gulf in quality between the National and the South tbh.

 

[Aberstone]

Fair enough comment and something I think we're all apparent of - had we somehow shithoused ourselves to promotion last season then we all knew we were coming straight back down.

The figures needed just to consolidate at the level above are astronomical.

 

[#Beebot]

Fair enough comment and something I think we're all apparent of - had we somehow shithoused ourselves to promotion last season then we all knew we were coming straight back down.

The figures needed just to consolidate at the level above are astronomical.

Agree - massive financial gap from the South in particular - though the other alternative is to appoint Alan Devonshire who has just finished his sixth season of keeping a part time team up at this level on an NL South budget.

 

[Pink Panther]

He's a pretty limited footballer and I'm surprised he's gone to Dulwich as to me he seems totally out of kilter with the type of football Gavin Rose plays. Having said that, he is very fit and works hard, and certainly can't ever be accused of going missing, and if you run around a lot and make some big tackles you're halfway to being a decent NL South player.

Hamlet became a lot more pragmatic about trying to play fancy football over the course of last season. This division is far more attritional, with more emphasis on negating the opposition, and we were often getting mugged by opponents despite having most of the possession in between the two boxes. At Isthmian level a lot of teams tried to play us at our own game and we'd wipe the floor with them, while others who tried to defend in depth would generally lose their shape and come unstuck after chasing the ball all afternoon, but now other teams have better individual players, fewer weak links, and are tactically more cunning. Most matches seem very tight one way or another and you don't often see anyone outplayed for more than a 15 or 20 minute spell.

I think we've retained Aryan Tajbakhsh, who is fairly similar to that description of Smith but played a big part in securing our status after joining from Maidstone in February.

 

[Monkey Tennis]

Maybe so, but he was exactly what we needed in central midfield. Maidenhead supporters were disappointed to see him go to us so he must have been adequate enough in the National too.

To be fair to him, I can only go off his short spell on loan at Barrow - where he beats a number of strong contenders as the worst player I've ever seen in a Barrow shirt - and a couple of subsequent returns with visiting teams. I suppose it was a long time ago now and he might have improved.

 

[EnglishRed]

National league rule 18.5 is that a club must employ Christian Smith and Jefferson Louis at least once during their stay in the National League.

Can't believe Smith isn't older than 31. I'm sure we had him about 25 years ago.

 

[DarkSithLord]

Welling United chairman Mark Goldberg has named himself as manager for the next season after previously lasting 7 months as boss in 2016

 

[Pink Panther]

Welling United chairman Mark Goldberg has named himself as manager for the next season after previously lasting 7 months as boss in 2016

I think we can safely say they won't be going one better than last season then:

https://www.wellingunited.com/new-management-structure/