Extra play-off spots

[joethegill]

That wouldn't work under your format the National League will run out of clubs having had one more club promoted from it to the Football League than relegated to it from there each year!

No, it works - honest!

• League Two 24th replaced by National League 1st.
• 22nd and 23rd in League Two fight it out alongside 3rd and 4th for ONE place in League Two. As there are two League Two places up for grabs, and only one is won through the play-offs, that leaves one free for the 2nd placed National League automatic side.

 

[Look Out There Are Llamas]

So 1st and 2nd get promoted, 24th gets relegated. 22nd 23rd play 3rd and 4th. There is definitely a gap in this...

 

[joethegill]

So 1st and 2nd get promoted, 24th gets relegated. 22nd 23rd play 3rd and 4th. There is definitely a gap in this...

Ok, maybe using this season as an example it'll make more sense...

Orient go down
Lincoln and Tranmere go up
Hartlepool, Newport, FGR and Dagenham play off - say for arguments sake Newport win that play off.

That means for next season, Lincoln, Tranmere and Newport take the 3 League Two places, with Orient, Hartlepool, FGR and Dagenham taking the 4 remaining National League places.

 

[Look Out There Are Llamas]

Gotcha.

I actually quite like that idea.

 

[Dalendless Shid]

If they want reform that much, why not just go all out and copy the Eredivisie/Eerste Divise system?

First Round: 6th v 9th (A) and 7th v 8th (B)
Second Round: 2nd v 5th (A), 3rd v 4th (B), 22nd L2 v B (C), 23rd L2 v A (D)
Third Round: A v D and B v C - Winners promoted/stay up.

Of course it gets complicated as the league season will also be split into four periods. If you win one of the periods, you are then guaranteed a play-off place no matter where you finish.

Those who are in the one up/three up camps can potentially be satisfied, the league can sell a double header at Wembley and that side who had an atrocious start can still make the play-offs.

What's not to like? .

 

[Look Out There Are Llamas]

If they want reform that much, why not just go all out and copy the Eredivisie/Eerste Divise system?

First Round: 6th v 9th (A) and 7th v 8th (B)
Second Round: 2nd v 5th (A), 3rd v 4th (B), 22nd L2 v B (C), 23rd L2 v A (D)
Third Round: A v D and B v C - Winners promoted/stay up.

Of course it gets complicated as the league season will also be split into four periods. If you win one of the periods, you are then guaranteed a play-off place no matter where you finish.

Those who are in the one up/three up camps can potentially be satisfied, the league can sell a double header at Wembley and that side who had an atrocious start can still make the play-offs.

What's not to like? .

I hate you so much. Legit hate.

 

[iesty wfc]

This has been confirmed at the AGM today

According to our rep in attendance, 18 voted for, 4 against, 2 didn't vote

 

[TrinidadsNumberOne]

This'll cause a massive rise in more bankrolled non-league clubs going for broke now. What were the National League thinking?

 

[Chief Rocka]

This has been confirmed at the AGM today

According to our rep in attendance, 18 voted for, 4 against, 2 didn't vote

Do we know who were against/didn't vote or does it stay behind closed doors?

 

[Look Out There Are Llamas]

Rumour we didn't vote.

 

[iesty wfc]

Wrexham voted for it

 

[Farleigh]

I can see it now:

Bromley - 6th
Maidstone - 7th
Sutton - 8th

Football League forbids all three teams from coming up due to their plastic pitches.

As I understand current rules, all three teams would be instantly relegated to NL South if they didn't agree to rip up their pitches. Sooner or later a 3G club will have a good run of form and test the rules.

 

[Soup Ladle]

Probably a good thing for us so I would probably have voted for it

 

[Raymondo316]

As I understand current rules, all three teams would be instantly relegated to NL South if they didn't agree to rip up their pitches. Sooner or later a 3G club will have a good run of form and test the rules.

Nah the rules state you can take part in the playoffs, but if you win them you have to rip the pitch up straight away and install grass.

Its only if you refuse to rip it up that you get relegated to the North/South.

 

[Luke Imp]

Imagine finishing 7th in the Conference and getting promoted.

The league isn't even strong enough for 3 up IMO, never mind allowing a team who finish closer to mid-table than top spot to be promoted.

 

[Tranmerewhite]

This was always a formality. Can't imagine any club besides us voted against it.

 

[doveranddover]

18 voted for, 4 against, 2 didn't vote

so have any teams admitted how they voted,. perhaps we can work out voted for what eventually

 

[Tranmerewhite]

18 voted for, 4 against, 2 didn't vote

so have any teams admitted how they voted,. perhaps we can work out voted for what eventually

Can't think who the other 3 are?

Dagenham, Hartlepool and Orient maybe?

 

[DarkSithLord]

Can't think who the other 3 are?

Dagenham, Hartlepool and Orient maybe?

Maybe Boreham Wood as they believe they are a law in to themselves?

 

[Murphy]

Can't think who the other 3 are?

Dagenham, Hartlepool and Orient maybe?

I'd place money on us having voted for it.

 

[Sparrow]

The league isn't even strong enough for 3 up IMO

Good to see that you've adopted my opinion. We're constantly being told that the league is only getting stronger when actually it's the worst it's ever been.

 

[chipmunx]

it wouldn't surprise me if we (Barrow) voted against it - I think this may have been the thing our chairman came out against when it was 1st brought up.

 

[EnglishRed]

Imagine finishing 7th in the Conference and getting promoted.

The league isn't even strong enough for 3 up IMO, never mind allowing a team who finish closer to mid-table than top spot to be promoted.

How often has the team finishing fifth gone up? It cpuld happen but it won't happen

 

[chipmunx]

How often has the team finishing fifth gone up? It cpuld happen but it won't happen

probably as often as those finishing 2nd. We did it in conf north in 2007/8 - we'd been in or around the relegation zone in December and just went on one of those runs... it's often not the final position of the team that matters - but who goes in with the momentum

 

[Lew]

Truly awful. The league should be focusing on 3-up 3-down rather than this nonsense with near mid-table sides having a chance of going up.

Take this season in the NLSouth where 5th and 6th couldn't compete in the play-offs due to their ground regulations... giving a spot to 7th... same scenario this year would mean that 9th would be in the play-offs - some 30 points off 1st/2nd.. laughable.

 

[DarkSithLord]

Interesting post from a FC United fan on another forum....

"We voted against this. The league bundled all the proposed changes into a single yes / no vote, which due to the large preference share to the national division clubs, meant those national division clubs wanting the 6th and 7th placed sides in the playoffs were also approving that the league management could choose to play the Conference North and or South final at Milton Keynes next year if they like. Voting on that back in January was 63-5 against but it's now potentially back in. So I would not regard this as good news at all. "

 

[Luke Imp]

How often has the team finishing fifth gone up? It cpuld happen but it won't happen

True, but getting a chance to do so is crazy!

Over the last 10 years, the average point gap between 2nd and 7th has been just over 16 points with a high of 26 (2012/13 - Kiddy 93, Luton 67 (and a 34 more GD)) and a low of 7 (2006/07 - Oxford 81, Gravesend 74 (GD difference 27)).