Does it really matter what league we are in

[Barling Magna]

N

You can't get more TV exposure than you can when we're in L2 with an ifollow season pass for every game. Aa an overseas fan the 5 matches selected for BT Sport really doesn't compare.

Note I said national TV. iFollow TV live was only available during the lockdowns in the UK I think.

 

[danbowen]

There have been a few positives this season as mentioned above such as winning a few games which we had forgotten what that felt like however I won’t be fully happy until we get back to the football league. I do think they need to change the national league to league 3 for example and have a much better promotion system as a lot of the teams in the national league are much better than teams currently in league 2. I do like the transfer window in the national league though.

 

[Joolz]

I agree with the sentiment of the OP - I'll be going regardless of division and I've certainly enjoyed this season more than the last 2.

But...

The thing I've missed the most this season is teams that bring a decent away following and create a bit of an atmosphere. Was hoping Notts County would oblige yesterday, but they were strangely very quiet I thought. Probably what happens when you've been non-league as long as they have - the novelty wears off.

 

[sufc4life21]

I've been thinking recently about how much more I've enjoyed this season compared to the previous 4 simply because we are competitive in this league.

As we are never going to be a side to win the premiership / champions league, how much does it really matter what league we are in? As long as we are a professional side that performs well I don't really care what league we are in.

You will care what league we are in if we are here to stay..... if we do have long stay, we will lose our academy, attendances will drop and future fans will chose Premier league clubs rather than sufc. Unfortunately the national league has that stigma where its looked down upon compared to league 1/2. The future of the club would look bleak in my opinion if we have long stay in the National league.

 

[harveyoe]

Not being in the league does matter to me on various levels, including:

• Pride
• Money
• Streamed games to watch
• Pride

Pride?

I can understand about money and streamed games, but do the LGBTQ community really care what league we are in?

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

N

Note I said national TV. iFollow TV live was only available during the lockdowns in the UK I think.

For UK supporters not for overseas fans though.

 

[discord]

I wonder if the the Football League are enjoying less revenue from the tiny less supported teams that inhabit L1 L2. This league will only get stronger as more and more bigger supported clubs drop out of the league.
I can see why the play off has more teams vying for promotion, as finishing second appears to be a poor return play off wise, for a lot of teams as they hardly get promoted.
Should be 3 up 3 down as the runners up should be promoted like every other division you see.

 

[overseas shrimper]

Pride?

I can understand about money and streamed games, but do the LGBTQ community really care what league we are in?

Absolutely they do. In the LGBTQ community, Southend United is massive.

More massive than West Ham.

 

[overseas shrimper]

I've enjoyed this season with new clubs, new grounds and more TV exposure. It's weird that the National League has a higher profile on national TV than L2 does!

However, I'll be happier when we're back in the EFL I think......

That's because the EFL wouldn't accept the derisory sum BT pay for the NL games.

 

[Barling Magna]

That's because the EFL wouldn't accept the derisory sum BT pay for the NL games.

Yes, indeed, but the exiled fans miss out and it lowers the profile of L1 and L2.

 

[WestyReturns]

It does to me. I hate the fact we are a non league side.

 

[GBJ]

In the grand scheme of things and on a personal level, no it doesn’t particularly matter what league Southend are in. It won’t change much for me. I’ll still be there, I’ll still share good/bad times with friends/family and I’ll still be asked “who?”, when I tell delusional Prem fans I support Southend.

Of course I wish things could be better, but I’m just glad we’ve still got a team to support tbh.

However. from a commercial stand point, I’d say it’s very dangerous for us to be out of the FL for a prolonged time.

 

[bazzashrimper]

Of course it matters. If we get promoted we go into a rubbish league. When we compete in league one, it’s to get into a high quality league.

 

[hlane17]

It does to me. I hate the fact we are a non league side.

It hurts to be out of the EFL, where the club should be.

Next season needs to be a barnstormer or we might just do a long stretch in the NL, which I can hardly bear the thought of.

 

[Ramsdenblue]

Yes, its not good being down here in league 5, but strangely enough I have really enjoyed this season going home and away.

But as you say, it may not be as much fun next season if we are struggling.

 

[Tommy2holes]

N

Note I said national TV. iFollow TV live was only available during the lockdowns in the UK I think.

I'd prefer us to be in league 2 at the very least. I can access all of the games in all divisions at any KO time and miss being able to have me mates round to watch the blues in some far flung place on a Tuesday night.

 

[Strykr]

Matters a lot to me tbh. Perhaps its snobbery or a sense of righteousness but being non league i find very sad, something i never thought would happen in my lifetime, and ive seen some terrible squads these last 35 years.

Ive always taken massive pride in supporting my home team, and always will, never really understood how you can support everton or manu or liverpool but have no affinity with the place, so fake.

Even when we've been floundering at the bottom of League 2 i still took pride, but being non league feels so small time, even though as we've all discovered the standard in non league is the same if not better in some cases then L2.

Sooner we get back the better for me.

 

[Linda Loan Shark]

It's strange to say that I support a non league club and not a football league club

It's strange to think we are two divisions behind Morecombe/Cambridge and four divisions behind Brentford when it didn't seem that long ago we were playing them in the football leagueon a regular basis

 

[Dutch Branch]

I wonder if the the Football League are enjoying less revenue from the tiny less supported teams that inhabit L1 L2. This league will only get stronger as more and more bigger supported clubs drop out of the league.
I can see why the play off has more teams vying for promotion, as finishing second appears to be a poor return play off wise, for a lot of teams as they hardly get promoted.
Should be 3 up 3 down as the runners up should be promoted like every other division you see.

However, looking at it from a NL side of things it’s happy days. If I was running the NL I’d do my best to make sure things stay the same and ? that other teams like Oldham and Carlisle get relegated.

 

[Shrimpergonzo]

However, looking at it from a NL side of things it’s happy days. If I was running the NL I’d do my best to make sure things stay the same and ? that other teams like Oldham and Carlisle get relegated.

Yes this is an interesting point - I really hope Soiihull Moors go up via the play offs this year. It won't be long before the football league clubs get fed up of all these tiny clubs whilst the likes of Southend, Chesterfield, Notts County and (probably) Scunthorpe are bringing in gates twice or three times the size of most league 2 clubs.

I think they'll angle for 3 up 3 down as they'll want some of the lower league big guns back. As you say though, whether the National League will want to lose us is another matter!