Question Costs of Relegation to National South?

[Danshrimper]

There are some full time clubs in the NL South - just not many and mostly the ones you'd expect. Torquay and Yeovil are, and also surprisingly Eastbourne Borough. Maidstone and Dartford were hybrid full time at one point, not sure if they still are.

In the North, South Shields, Scunthorpe, Kings Lynn and Darlington are full time as well.

Maidstone definitely are. The reason Matt Rush left Aveley to join them was to go back to full time football.

 

[RobB11]

There are some full time clubs in the NL South - just not many and mostly the ones you'd expect. Torquay and Yeovil are, and also surprisingly Eastbourne Borough. Maidstone and Dartford were hybrid full time at one point, not sure if they still are.

In the North, South Shields, Scunthorpe, Kings Lynn and Darlington are full time as well.

Bloody hell that’s working out well for Eastbourne and Darlington…

 

[Strykr]

Makes a lot of sense, we can target players who are also part time carpenters, builders, bar staff. cleaners, office workers etc.....

I cant fathom us being in non league, let alone non league south. doesnt bear thinking about.

 

[SeldomSeenShrimper]

Nothing could ever stop me from supporting Southend United and Southend only

I've always been in the minority of fans who support Southend and not a prem team on the side. so even if we are in the NLS I'll still support.

But in terms of revenue, it will be a massive drop. we would be semi-pro for one thing

 

[Holy Joe]

would we become a part time club? Although a reduction in income, if training was 2 or 3 times a week plus a match day, the expenditure and associated 'on costs' (travel, food, use of facilities, requirement for coaches time), would reduce a fair bit too.
I don't know how many, if any, in the NLS are full time. Certainly only a few would have as big a ground.
I think the team would be unrecognizable to who we have now if we went down.
I've found the standard of the football surprisingly good in this league. Arguably more enjoyable to watch than league 2 which seemed more like head tennis. If still prefer to be in the EFL though.

Our players have full time contracts for next season, unless there are relegation clauses would cost alot to go part-time straight away

 

[Tommy2holes]

Nothing could ever stop me from supporting Southend United and Southend only

I've always been in the minority of fans who support Southend and not a prem team on the side. so even if we are in the NLS I'll still support.

But in terms of revenue, it will be a massive drop. we would be semi-pro for one thing

Are you. Everyone I know who supports blues don't have a prem side team.

I'd say the majority is the same. Maybe the youth etc but not those of a certain age and above.

 

[SeldomSeenShrimper]

Are you. Everyone I know who supports blues don't have a prem side team.

I'd say the majority is the same. Maybe the youth etc but not those of a certain age and above.

I'm 31 and everyone I know who "supports Southend" also supports West Ham, Liverpool or Man.Utd

But I've also met a bunch of Southend fans in their 50's and 60's who also follow another team on the side

 

[Mr. Benedict]

Nothing could ever stop me from supporting Southend United and Southend only

I've always been in the minority of fans who support Southend and not a prem team on the side. so even if we are in the NLS I'll still support.

But in terms of revenue, it will be a massive drop. we would be semi-pro for one thing

I don't think we would go part time immediately, notwithstanding the contract situation with our players, we would still have the attendance levels to maintain a full time squad. If we got stuck there for a few seasons then maybe we would look at going part time or maybe hybrid.

I think the lowest level full time club is Macclesfield, who are in the Northern Premier League at step 3 (the level below the NLS/NLN).

 

[Bazziboo]

Very tongue in cheek but If the worst does come to fruition what's the betting the national league draw the geographical line wonky and place us in National League North like they did with Bishops stortford, when there were teams further north and on M1.

 

[SeldomSeenShrimper]

I don't think we would go part time immediately, notwithstanding the contract situation with our players, we would still have the attendance levels to maintain a full time squad. If we got stuck there for a few seasons then maybe we would look at going part time or maybe hybrid.

I think the lowest level full time club is Macclesfield, who are in the Northern Premier League at step 3 (the level below the NLS/NLN).

Thanks for that fact Had no idea they were full time

 

[CrippsCorner]

I'm 31 and everyone I know who "supports Southend" also supports West Ham, Liverpool or Man.Utd

But I've also met a bunch of Southend fans in their 50's and 60's who also follow another team on the side

My son supports Man Utd, because he's got to play as someone in EA Sports! Gutting that you can be Colchester, but not Southend.

I also supported Man Utd when I was a kid, basically because my whole family did, but I don't really know why. Liked the players I suppose, Cantona & Giggs etc.

I always keep a keen eye on Man Utd, but there's no real passion there for me, like there is with Southend.

 

[SeldomSeenShrimper]

My son supports Man Utd, because he's got to play as someone in EA Sports! Gutting that you can be Colchester, but not Southend.

I also supported Man Utd when I was a kid, basically because my whole family did, but I don't really know why. Liked the players I suppose, Cantona & Giggs etc.

I always keep a keen eye on Man Utd, but there's no real passion there for me, like there is with Southend.

I get that!

When i was a lad, I fell in love with New England Revolution in the MLS and also Rangers for for the same reason haha but ultimately I was Southend through and through

I grew up with a Dad who put me in Chelsea kits as a baby and an uncle that put me in West Ham kits until I was old enough to discover Southend

 

[Barling Magna]

I don't think we would go part time immediately, notwithstanding the contract situation with our players, we would still have the attendance levels to maintain a full time squad. If we got stuck there for a few seasons then maybe we would look at going part time or maybe hybrid.

I think the lowest level full time club is Macclesfield, who are in the Northern Premier League at step 3 (the level below the NLS/NLN).

Macclesfield are the phoenix club for Macclesfield Town who were wound up by the High Court in 2020. Starting from near the bottom in the ninth tier NW Counties Premier League they have had two successive promotions and are in the playoff positions in tier seven now, so the full-time status is working well. Good luck to them, their club was royally screwed back in 2020.

 

[CrippsCorner]

I get that!

When i was a lad, I fell in love with New England Revolution in the MLS and also Rangers for for the same reason haha but ultimately I was Southend through and through

I grew up with a Dad who put me in Chelsea kits as a baby and an uncle that put me in West Ham kits until I was old enough to discover Southend

Yeah another issue is the kits! I took my son to his first game for his 7th birthday last year and they had already sold out of the home kit in his size... I said they'll be back and we can try another time. But unless I'm wrong, they never got restocked? That's a real shame.

We did however find a mint circa-2005 Southend kit off Vinted for him, for a fiver! And my missus picked him up a SUFC hat from a charity shop lol, we're getting there.

 

[ALW]

Very tongue in cheek but If the worst does come to fruition what's the betting the national league draw the geographical line wonky and place us in National League North like they did with Bishops stortford, when there were teams further north and on M1.

I think when Stortford were first sent north and this time when they one promotion last season, it is arguable that Brainteee is slightly further north but would travel past Stortfords ground to w=every away game. The league now do N/s allocation on travelling distances rather then purely on geographical location.

The chances of Southend getting sent North is nil as Briantree, Hemel, St Albans and Chelmsford would go first.

 

[BoyWonder2]

Nothing could ever stop me from supporting Southend United and Southend only

I've always been in the minority of fans who support Southend and not a prem team on the side. so even if we are in the NLS I'll still support.

But in terms of revenue, it will be a massive drop. we would be semi-pro for one thing

No we wouldn’t.

 

[CanveyCastle]

We need to maximise income from Roots Hall 24/7 to create funds to compete and remain full-time irrespective of whatever League/Division we are playing in.

 

[BigCol]

Honestly can’t see home attendances dropping especially if we get a few wins together. Lots of new grounds for people to visit, cheaper tickets and beers in the stand. What’s not to like?

 

[steve1972]

This talk of relegation is daft, won't happen

 

[WestyReturns]

It's interesting 1, I see both points of view...... the worry I have is if we drop even lower the next generation fans won't be that interested in supporting Southend. Let's face it Southend have been disaster over the last 5/6 years so you can't really blame kids for supporting prem clubs.

This is a long term problem. Less kids will be interested. The next generation won't be interested in supporting a non league side. I certainly wouldn't of when I was a kid.