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[Monkey Tennis]

Regionalising devalues football in L2 and the National League. As if a team like Bolton should be playing the winners of the Conference North. May as well go the whole hog and split it into county leagues.

It's only a few months ago that we would have considered the National League as League 3 - now some people want to turn League 2 into the Conference North and South. So, so pointless.

 

[TrinidadsNumberOne]

Regionalising devalues football in L2 and the National League. As if a team like Bolton should be playing the winners of the Conference North. May as well go the whole hog and split it into county leagues.

It's only a few months ago that we would have considered the National League as League 3 - now some people want to turn League 2 into the Conference North and South. So, so pointless.

Fans who back it now will soon hate it when they realise one team runs away with it at the top and there's no more scrapping for promotion, it's scrapping for a playoff spot, and you have a 75% chance of doing it all over again next year, and the year after.

For a club like Crewe, Hartlepool or Rochdale it's useless. We just don't do league titles. And Hartlepool and Rochdale don't do playoffs either!

So what even is the point?

 

[karlready]

I dare say if you’re going to see bankruptcies in the EFL they’re more likely to come from the championship than league 2 (though obviously macc don’t look good right now)

They’d be absolutely no desire whatsoever to incorporate the conference into the league, I had 5 years of us playing sides I’d never heard of in the conference, and don’t wish to do so again.

Also, in a hypothetical situation where you had a league 2/conference north/south you’d only have 2 promotion spaces from each league which is far from ideal, and the potential of someone coming down from league 1 like Bolton playing the winner of the conference north!

Horrid idea.

But this is an opportunity to rationalise the upper pyramid structure, it’s now or never. We must accept that things will not return to “ normal”. The days of sugar-daddies are over, costs must be cut. It would be no surprise to see part-time contracts in the EFL, and regionalisation would be sensible.

 

[rudebwoyben]

Regionalisation is a remedy for a problem that doesn’t exist. You‘d just end up with a division with a wide and uncompetitive disparity of clubs. A home match against Hartlepool Utd will always be far more attractive to us than one against Havant & Waterlooville.

 

[AdamStag]

Regionalisation is a remedy for a problem that doesn’t exist. You‘d just end up with a division with a wide and uncompetitive disparity of clubs. A home match against Hartlepool Utd will always be far more attractive to us than one against Havant & Waterlooville.

You’re right. It’s not a good idea.....

It works well at conference north/south level, but it wouldn’t work in the league, you’d have teams in league 2 going from having 4 promotion spots to 2 each.

 

[Who Needs Mourinho]

You’re right. It’s not a good idea.....

It works well at conference north/south level, but it wouldn’t work in the league, you’d have teams in league 2 going from having 4 promotion spots to 2 each.

But the quality of the league wouldn’t be as great in theory so if you’re a good team your chances shouldn’t be reduced.

 

[AdamStag]

But the quality of the league wouldn’t be as great in theory so if you’re a good team your chances shouldn’t be reduced.

If league 2 was ever going to merge it would do it with league 1, like how it used to be.

Either way, the league would be a lot less fluid and you’d be playing a high proportion of the same sides every year, whereas in league 2 there are 6 different sides promoted/relegated into.

The idea that league 2 chairman would want to dilute their stock with non-league sides probably wouldn’t be an easy sell (not saying that’s my view)

I certainly think there should be a case of where the league structure is looked into to see if any improvements are made, but across the board I don’t think regionalisation would be one of them.

 

[Soup Ladle]

Overall I'm in favour of it. For us it's shit here with 17 southern sides who bring 20 away fans. Travel costs reduced, more local games, higher crowds. It's absolutely ridiculous how southern this league is. And we might get fucking King's Lynn from 'The North' replacing Barrow. Dear god.

For a club like Crewe, Hartlepool or Rochdale it's useless. We just don't do league titles. And Hartlepool and Rochdale don't do playoffs either!

What do you mean? We've had 4 or 5 play off seasons, never won them though!

Regionalisation is a remedy for a problem that doesn’t exist. You‘d just end up with a division with a wide and uncompetitive disparity of clubs. A home match against Hartlepool Utd will always be far more attractive to us than one against Havant & Waterlooville.

I personally like the look of it. Granted there'll be a few who are out of their depth in each section but they'll be grateful just being there for a season or two.

If there is a salary cap and everyone gets the same funds from the EFL start of each year then it could work.

Personally though, I'd go further than the above and probably regionalise L1 & L2 and this league with the north and south below. Making the game more sustainable is a priority and this could help a great deal.

 

[TrinidadsNumberOne]

Overall I'm in favour of it. For us it's shit here with 17 southern sides who bring 20 away fans. Travel costs reduced, more local games, higher crowds. It's absolutely ridiculous how southern this league is. And we might get fucking King's Lynn from 'The North' replacing Barrow. Dear god.



What do you mean? We've had 4 or 5 play off seasons, never won them though!



I personally like the look of it. Granted there'll be a few who are out of their depth in each section but they'll be grateful just being there for a season or two.

View attachment 12742

If there is a salary cap and everyone gets the same funds from the EFL start of each year then it could work.

Personally though, I'd go further than the above and probably regionalise L1 & L2 and this league with the north and south below. Making the game more sustainable is a priority and this could help a great deal.

That's what I meant, although we've won 2 playoff campaigns, you and Rochdale haven't won any!

Totally disagree with any form of regionalisation however. The pyramid is as fine at it is bar a few clubs like Salford who could do with flinging down about 6 divisions.

 

[Chief Rocka]

I'm not sure I'm for regionalising leagues, I don't get to as many away games these days as I did as a daft arse 18 year old with money to piss up the wall, but trips to Southampton, Bournemouth, QPR, most London fixtures to be honest were always fun, pain in the arse travel wise and cost but these are football days you look back on, playing Crewe, Mansfield and Port Vale every season would get dull fast.

 

[AdamStag]

That league looks amazing if your in the conference, it looks fucking awful if you’re in league 2.

As above, regionalisation isn’t a good thing but if it were forced on me I’d keep it in the league.

I can imagine why the ex league clubs would be for it as you’d be back to what you know, but it’s not the clubs in league 2s fault that you’re in the conference, however unfortunate the relegation might have been.

 

[Jerry]

Overall I'm in favour of it. For us it's shit here with 17 southern sides who bring 20 away fans. Travel costs reduced, more local games, higher crowds. It's absolutely ridiculous how southern this league is.

There are 13 southern teams and 11 northern, you couldn't get a much evener split. (i'm counting Solihull as northern ).

 

[BarraMatt]

Regionalisation is probably a matter of perspective for most clubs, but would it make a massive difference financially?

Take Plymouth or Torquay for example, it's probably just as easy to get up to Greater Manchester and Lancashire as it is to go cross country to Colchester.

 

[Master D]

The North in that proposal pisses all over the South.

9 tinpotters in the North to 17 (SEVENTEEN) in the South

 

[AdamStag]

Regionalisation is probably a matter of perspective for most clubs, but would it make a massive difference financially?

Take Plymouth or Torquay for example, it's probably just as easy to get up to Greater Manchester and Lancashire as it is to go cross country to Colchester.

It would be negligible in a clubs budget.

 

[Jerry]

Regionalisation is probably a matter of perspective for most clubs, but would it make a massive difference financially?

Take Plymouth or Torquay for example, it's probably just as easy to get up to Greater Manchester and Lancashire as it is to go cross country to Colchester.

Yep, an East/West split would make more sense for us.

 

[BarraMatt]

The North in that proposal pisses all over the South.

9 tinpotters in the North to 17 (SEVENTEEN) in the South

The NL North has always been far superior to the South.

 

[MrGloverLover]

Yep, an East/West split would make more sense for us.

An East/West split would be awful for everyone as the England road network is miles better (pardon the pun) North/South.

 

[Camborne Gills]

An occasional trip up North is usually a better experience than going to the same old grounds down this way. Yes Plymouth is convenient even on a midweek evening, but i think going to a far off northern outpost is more of an event.

 

[TheEndIsNigh]

Regionalisation is such a shitty, boring idea that serves only to save a few quid in bus money and is usually one of the first things that the cunty PL fan in the pub says when you tell him you’re a fan of a non/lower league club. Right before he says ‘surely you’ll have to go part time soon’.

The whole thing can get well and truly fucked, especially if it means we have to play fucking Mansfield more often.

 

[TheEndIsNigh]

An East/West split would be awful for everyone as the England road network is miles better (pardon the pun) North/South.

Surely that means we should have an east/west split?

 

[BarraMatt]

Surely that means we should have an east/west split?

I can just picture it:

"Barrow AFC, proud members of the Wonga West"

 

[AdamStag]

Regionalisation is such a shitty, boring idea that serves only to save a few quid in bus money and is usually one of the first things that the cunty PL fan in the pub says when you tell him you’re a fan of a non/lower league club. Right before he says ‘surely you’ll have to go part time soon’.

The whole thing can get well and truly fucked, especially if it means we have to play fucking Mansfield more often.

How do you mean, a miracle happened and you actually beat us last season?

Share the sentiments on regionalisation though. Bad, bad idea

 

[PuB]

Can someone tell me how regionalisation would reduce costs (other than having to put less petrol in the team coach)?

 

[Soup Ladle]

There are 13 southern teams and 11 northern, you couldn't get a much evener split. (i'm counting Solihull as northern ).

Shush! Don't let facts get in the way of a good rant

 

[BigDaveCUFC]

Regionalisation makes sense in the part time leagues when players may work in day and require short evening matches and leagues when really crowds across board are small, away coaches don’t run and you want shorter trips for away fans to travel by car/train.
Mir doesn’t help as much higher up other than for the very small clubs. As mentioned for other clubs at Carlisle we’d get more crowd, away crowd and appeal to a plymouth or Exeter than a Chorley or gulden......games vs sides similar size with lots of past history.
but away travel wise much easier so then clubs gain from much larger supports.
it’s just another excuse for the usual that players get paid too much and pampered too much. Clubs used to do 3-5 hour treks and play game on same day, now some do overnight trips for the local games!

 

[PuB]

From a Gills point of view we’d still have to go to Plymouth, Exeter or Torquay. Those places are further away than many clubs who would be placed in the northern league.

 

[karlready]

Regionalisation makes sense in the part time leagues when players may work in day and require short evening matches and leagues when really crowds across board are small, away coaches don’t run and you want shorter trips for away fans to travel by car/train.
Mir doesn’t help as much higher up other than for the very small clubs. As mentioned for other clubs at Carlisle we’d get more crowd, away crowd and appeal to a plymouth or Exeter than a Chorley or gulden......games vs sides similar size with lots of past history.
but away travel wise much easier so then clubs gain from much larger supports.
it’s just another excuse for the usual that players get paid too much and pampered too much. Clubs used to do 3-5 hour treks and play game on same day, now some do overnight trips for the local games!

As my original post, regionalisation would make sense when so many clubs will probably be part-time. Anyone who thinks that the status-quo will prevail is living in cloud cuckoo land.

 

[Luke Imp]

As with others, us travelling to Portsmouth or Barrow is no different, likewise to Gillingham or Carlisle. Any big savings from travels costs/accommodation are questionable to say the least and those costs, relative to running a football club are very, very low anyway.

The 'more local games' equals higher attendances argument is bollocks as well and no-one talks about the gap it'd then create to the league above, which would increase.

 

[rudebwoyben]

As my original post, regionalisation would make sense when so many clubs will probably be part-time. Anyone who thinks that the status-quo will prevail is living in cloud cuckoo land.

The Conference was able to operate as a National League for the best part of 20 years with a complement of clubs that were almost all part-time.