Final day match thread

[veggieeater]

I didnt realise that Tranmere Wrexham Aldershot and Grimsby had all sought re election at one time or another

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Re-election_(Football_League)

 

[Chris FGR]

Halifax 12 times!

And then relegated twice since it opened up. Thankfully they'll probably never be back stinking up the football league again, shocking.

 

[Shotsfan1993]

I didnt realise that Tranmere Wrexham Aldershot and Grimsby had all sought re election at one time or another

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Re-election_(Football_League)

Given that we spent the best part of 60 years in the football league and most of that in the bottom division, the only suprise is we only needed it once. Also we were always going to be fine in the case of a re-election as I expect we would have got a lot of votes from all the London clubs due to our location.

The one that suprises me is that Hartlepool had to be re-elected ELEVEN times. Talk about riding your luck!

 

[Habbinalan]

B2TF 's version of history fits better with my memory of the Machiavellian process that was re-election since the Fourth Division was formed in 1958. If you go back to 1920 and the formation of Third Divisions North & South, you bring in multiple re-elections for, alongside the usual suspects, the likes of Norwich City, QPR, Crystal Palace and Watford. However, I don't share his opinion on the clubs.

If re-election was in place over recent decades, I can quite see the likes of Forest Green, Kidderminster, Burton, Wycombe, Yeovil and even clubs like Morecambe finding favour and votes over many who actually went down through relegation or administration. The "club" has evolved and had already started to chase the southern crowds and/or money before re-election was dropped. That would have accelerated, although the higher and more uncertain barrier may have caused even more of the moneyed tossers to chase ownership of struggling league clubs and their grounds - with more of us dropping out through admin when the chickens came home to roost - then fading into an AFC existence, at best, in the regional leagues.

Money, the market and self interest would have probably disposed of Stockport, Southport and Chester. I'm not sure that the likes of Doncaster, Newport, York or ourselves would have survived in that world.

Courtesy of Wikipaedia ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Re-election_(Football_League)#Fourth_Division ) The following clubs had to face the re-election process during the Fourth Division era:

Hartlepool United 11
Crewe Alexandra 7
Barrow 6 1972 Lost league place to Hereford United
Halifax Town 6
Rochdale 6
Southport 6 1978 Lost league place to Wigan Athletic
York City 6
Chester City 5
Darlington 5
Lincoln City 5
Stockport County 5
Workington 5 1977 Lost league place to Wimbledon
Bradford P A 4 1970 Lost league place to Cambridge United
Newport County 4
Northampton Town 4
Doncaster Rovers 3
Hereford United 3
Bradford City 2
Exeter City 2
Oldham Athletic 2
Scunthorpe United 2
Torquay United 2
Aldershot 1
Blackpool 1
Cambridge United 1
Colchester United 1
Gateshead 1 1960 Lost league place to Peterborough United
Grimsby Town 1
Preston North End 1
Swansea City 1
Tranmere Rovers 1
Wrexham 1

While not voted out, in 1962 Accrington Stanley resigned from the league and in its place Oxford United was elected. In 1968 Port Vale was forced to face the re-election process after having been expelled that season.

 

[B2TF]

The clubs that were elected were by and large clubs that already had a substantial fanbase- Peterborough, Hereford and Wigan were drawing huge crowds in non league, kicking Mickey Mouse Chris's whiny "s'not fair" and "chance to grow" bleatings into the bin where they belong. Oh, and I seem to remember a certain West Yorkshire side being one of the majority of the Golden '92 that has fought its way back into the league, something it achieved with a part time team and without any Mr Moneybags spunking millions on the project.

 

[Chris FGR]

Oh, and I seem to remember a certain West Yorkshire side being one of the minority of the Golden '92 that has fought its way back into the league, something it achieved with a part time team and without any Mr Moneybags spunking millions on the project.

Better enjoy those memories, wont happen again any time soon. We'll be in the Championship before you get back into this league lol.

As DV has said recently, we'll be making our new managerial appointment with the target of whoever comes in being of the calibre to get us to the Championship as quickly as possible. And after that, who knows?

In the meantime enjoy regional football.

 

[B2TF]

"After that" we all know what - fuck all, see you in 2017.

 

[B2TF]

Interesting to note that of 24 of the great and historic Football League clubs that have been relegated into the Conference, only 4 have so far failed to get back there. Few will doubt that those 4 will be back sooner rather than later:

Those that made it back:

Cambridge United
Oxford United,
Torquay United
Mansfield Town
Halifax
Chester City,
Luton Town
Darlington,
Lincoln City,
Hereford United
Aldershot Town,
Bristol Rovers,
Torquay United
York City
Newport
Colchester
Carlisle
Exeter
Shrewsbury
Doncaster

In waiting:

Wrexham
Grimsby Town
Stockport County
Tranmere Rovers

 

[BeesKnees]

Interesting to note that 23 of the great and historic Football League clubs that have been relegated into the Conference, only 4 have so far failed to get back there. Few will doubt that those 4 will be back sooner rather than later:

Those that made it back:

Cambridge United
Oxford United,
Torquay United
Mansfield Town
Chester City,
Luton Town
Darlington,
Lincoln City,
Hereford United
Aldershot Town,
Bristol Rovers,
Torquay United
York City
Newport
Colchester
Carlisle
Exeter
Shrewsbury
Doncaster

In waiting:

Wrexham
Grimsby Town
Stockport County
Tranmere Rovers

Not sure including those that made it back and then couldn't sustain it helps your cause. It shows that nearly half of those relegated are no longer in the league

 

[Growler]

While I don't agree with the FGR fan, I can't agree that your list of promoted clubs proves that "established FL clubs" are inherently better (I'd also add the magic phrase "parachute payments" into the reasons for why a lot of those clubs are in the FL now).

Until this week you would've seen all these traditional non league clubs lighting up the League:
Dagnum.
Yeovil.
Wycombe.
Burton
Fleetwood
Crawley
Morecambe
Barnet
AFC Kingstonian
Accrington
& a bunch of Scummy pricks from Herts whose name I don't remember.

Considering a number have also been up and come back, that's not bad over the last twentyfive or so years.

But the point was made before in this thread...it was Members Only. Tough shit to Altrincham & Enfield.

But it is almost a more unfair system today. The pyramid was opened but only one/two promotion places? I find it rough as a Woking fan that we're only now getting towards the trapdoor being fully open, when we've not got a pot to piss in to compete with the likes of Braintree or Dover :-(

 

[Chris FGR]

But it is almost a more unfair system today. The pyramid was opened but only one/two promotion places? I find it rough as a Woking fan that we're only now getting towards the trapdoor being fully open, when we've not got a pot to piss in to compete with the likes of Braintree or Dover :-(

Yeah but at least with a route through the league's opened up to everyone it gives non-league clubs a better chance of finding investors as there is no glass ceiling or limit to how high you can get.

Wouldn't be surprised to see Woking taken over and go up a few leagues at some point, good potential/catchment area.

 

[Greenacres]

But it is almost a more unfair system today. The pyramid was opened but only one/two promotion places? I find it rough as a Woking fan that we're only now getting towards the trapdoor being fully open, when we've not got a pot to piss in to compete with the likes of Braintree or Dover

I doubt if you will find many, if any, people on this forum who don't think that it should be a straight three up and down to the Football League. However the football pyramid is largely set in stone, which is a good thing. If a team starts out in the lowest reaches of a county league they should be able to navigate their way up through the divisions to the very top, as long as they meet requirements such as ground grading along the way. I know there are complications, with location sometimes deciding which league a team should join, but at least progress is possible and the Football League isn't the closed shop like it used to be.

 

[Chris FGR]

Looking at those lists, you've got to feel a bit of sympathy for Gateshead.

Only ever finished in a re election place once but got voted out the one time they did. Seems very harsh.

 

[Southern Shayman]

Did FGR ever apply for entry into the league and get rejected?

Chris doesn't know. He was a Man Utd fan then.

 

[Chris FGR]

Chris doesn't know. He was a Man Utd fan then.

Haha.

I've been an FGR fan since I was 9. That's 19 years.

 

[The Jovial Forester]

Looking at those lists, you've got to feel a bit of sympathy for Gateshead.

Only ever finished in a re election place once but got voted out the one time they did. Seems very harsh.

You suspect them and barrow were victims of geography, though I suppose that makes Hartlepool more of a puzzle.

 

[EnglishRed]

I didnt realise that Tranmere Wrexham Aldershot and Grimsby had all sought re election at one time or another

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Re-election_(Football_League)

We also finished bottom of division 4 in 1990/1991 but there were no relegations that year. Arsenal won div 1 and we beat them the following season in the cup

 

[Habbinalan]

Looking at those lists, you've got to feel a bit of sympathy for Gateshead.

Only ever finished in a re election place once but got voted out the one time they did. Seems very harsh.

...and a lot of water has flowed down the Tyne since that club, and its successors went out of existence.

Another stain on the history of Posh - although to be fair, that Gateshead finished above Oldham and Hartlepools (who probably soaked up the local and northern votes).

 

[Habbinalan]

You suspect them and barrow were victims of geography, though I suppose that makes Hartlepool more of a puzzle.

Geography and Speedway.

 

[rudebwoyben]

Didn't they have to relay the edges of the pitch over the track for each match?
The one I don't get was how on earth Workington got into the league..

 

[chipmunx]

Didn't they have to relay the edges of the pitch over the track for each match?
The one I don't get was how on earth Workington got into the league..

and we (Barrow) didn't even finish bottom the year we were voted out

 

[Railway Blue]

You mean teams like Southport, Gateshead, Torquay, Chester, Hereford and Halifax

York City one of the worst offenders.

 

[Habbinalan]

Didn't they have to relay the edges of the pitch over the track for each match?
The one I don't get was how on earth Workington got into the league..

Wukkington, bless their hillbilly hearts, have a significantly longer and more distinguished history than yourselves ( for all your amateur pottering around London back in the day). Your famous ex-manager - Barry Fry (cough spit); Their famous ex-manager Bill Shankly. Your famous opponents - Preston North End, QPR, Macclesfield; Their famous opponents - The Busby Babes, League Cup Quarter Finals against West Ham and Chelsea... and they even beat Barrow 9 - 1. Need I even mention their 11 full senior internationals and such managers as Joe Harvey, Ken Burkinshaw or Ken Furphy? Goalkeepers John Burridge and Mike Rogan, along with Grant Holt, don't even get in their dream team.

New Brighton were not setting Third Division North alight when Workington replaced them.

 

[LeWhites]

Reading this thread you'd think Forest Green had outplayed a team of superstars, not scraped a 1-0 win against 11 Dover Athletic reserves.

 

[FGRJC]

Reading this thread you'd think Forest Green had outplayed a team of superstars, not scraped a 1-0 win against 11 Dover Athletic reserves.

Blah blah blah... It wasn't our strongest team either, we're not acting like we beat superstars just nice to get a win! See you and your superstars tomorrow very much looking forward to it!

 

[GTFCfish]

Reading this thread you'd think Forest Green had outplayed a team of superstars, not scraped a 1-0 win against 11 Dover Athletic reserves.

To be fair to the FGR fans on here all they said was that their confidence was back after getting rid of Pennock and it was a better performance, I don't recall any of them overly hyping it up just because they beat Dover, think you are being a bit unfair there.

 

[B2TF]

and we (Barrow) didn't even finish bottom the year we were voted out

We NEVER finished bottom of a National league until automatic relegation was introduced. Didn't Gateshead fold mid season?

 

[rudebwoyben]

We NEVER finished bottom of a National league until automatic relegation was introduced. Didn't Gateshead fold mid season?

You got Gateshead mixed up with Accrington Stanley there.

 

[BeesKnees]

We NEVER finished bottom of a National league until automatic relegation was introduced.

That's a carefully worded claim to ignore when division three was split North\ South. You finished bottom of a national league in 1975/76.

 

[B2TF]

That's a carefully worded claim to ignore when division three was split North\ South. You finished bottom of a national league in 1975/76.

No we didn't. A league encompasses all the divisions in it. We finished bottom of division 3, not bottom of the league.

And we finished bottom of division 3 north, once