Football League promotion stitch-up?

[taylov]

Today's NLP has a lead article suggesting that any expanded English Football League could be on the basis of selection rather than promotion based on National League position.

Sam Elliott writes - "Fears are growing that the FL may attempt to cherry-pick up to 14 non-league clubs that THEY want to compete in their new-look League Three.  Should the radical proposal get the green light, it is near certain that the spaces could be filled with clubs currently further down the Pyramid."

A FL chairman (not named) indicated that the bigger clubs would be chosen regardless of league standings.  Ambitious clubs with larger crowds and possibly Football League history would be selected to join the FL.

"They do not want another Accrington Stanley."


For those below a certain age, this is how the league used to maintain a closed shop. Until 1986, Chairmen used to meet every June and make sure their mates' clubs were re-elected if they had fallen to the bottom of the old Fourth Division. League expansion apart, from 1931 to 1986 just 8 teams were elected over the clubs seeking re-election.  Hartlepool were re-elected no less than 14 times.

[loudnproud]

Well when you win the league/playoff it won't matter to us will it :-)

[bushfire]

I think the one thing you can predict with certainty is that this proposed change to the make up of the Football League will be
a total stich up. Just have a look at the history. We went decades where league Chairmen looked after each other and made sure
each others clubs survived inspite of delapitated stadiums and poor support.
3 clubs in the 1990s were denied promotion because suddenly the Alliance/ Conference Champions were deemed to have grounds that
did not meet Football League standards. One would question how Accrington Stanley's ground got past the inspection for the Northern
Premier and Conference. It is easily the worst ground I have been on above low level regional league in the past 40 years and the playing
surface would be dangerous to let cattle graze on.
The Conference themselves are no better. When the league was first formed, if my memory serves me right, it was open to the teams finishing
in the top half of the Southern and Northern Premier Leagues. I am not sure now if the Isthmian league were invited. However what I do recall
is that even if you finished as Champions, if you had only been promoted the season before you would not be considered. This was the case of
Conference Chairmen looking after each other.
I am pretty sure that they won't be as obvious as just selecting teams they want. It will be based on finance and ground grading. That must rule
out teams like Woking who carry a huge amount of debt and have a terrible ground, but don't bet against Salford City creeping in with their
awful ground but celebrity backers and friends at the BBC

[tenacres]

14 times. Blimey!

"Ambitious clubs with larger crowds and possibly Football League history would be selected to join the FL."

Without meaning to sound too BBB that could well include a team like us (first bit not the second bit obviously).

Anyway all these changes to the league are hypothetical and I can't see them happening in the very near future.

As said above lets get promotion in the traditional way :0)

Just imagine it, what an incredible day it would be!