FA Cup 2nd Round

[AndyT]

Oh no, Mick.

I guess they have their reasons, but a place at Wembley doesn't even seem to interest some National League sides these days.

 

[Jonny_Stokes]

Oh no, Mick.

I guess they have their reasons, but a place at Wembley doesn't even seem to interest some National League sides these days.

Aldershot’s injury situation is so bad they could only field two substitutes in the initial tie. The National League schedule is already brutal enough without the FA Trophy chucked into the mix. They’re battling relegation as well, so I can’t blame them for throwing the game.

 

[AndyT]

OK thanks, Jonny. That makes a bit more sense with the injuries.

The league schedule is the same as the three divisions above, but I guess they also have the FA Cup, which they reached the 1st Round Replay in, as well.

 

[Jonny_Stokes]

The league schedule is the same as the three divisions above, but I guess they also have the FA Cup, which they reached the 1st Round Replay in, as well.

Sure, the same number of games are played in total, but it is slightly more front-loaded than the League One/Two schedules. Partially because NLND sides are expected to progress in the Trophy, and partly because our season ends in April rather than May. Admittedly that does make a pleasant change from our season ending in December like usual.

 

[AndyT]

Ah yes, of course, I'd forgotten it finished earlier.

Now there are two promotion places these days, I wonder if they've thought of regionalising the National League and having one up from each region.

Some of the travelling seems a bit much. Like the other year Torquay going to Guiseley on a Tuesday night.

 

[Jonny_Stokes]

Ah yes, of course, I'd forgotten it finished earlier.

Now there are two promotion places these days, I wonder if they've thought of regionalising the National League and having one up from each region.

Some of the travelling seems a bit much. Like the other year Torquay going to Guiseley on a Tuesday night.

No different to Exeter going to Carlisle or Boro going to Bristol City. There’s only four or five semi-pro sides at this level (Bromley, Maidenhead, Braintree, Dover, sort-of Sutton). A split in the 5th tier would cause far more imbalance on the pro/semi-pro front (especially in the South), plus it would leave 10 or more sides with nothing to play for in February.

I personally think that a better solution would be to standardise all the top 5 divisions to 3 up, 3 down.

 

[AndyT]

I was thinking the same and posted as such a year or so back.

For example, I can't understand why The Championship has 3 up and 3 down, when League One has 4 down and League Two has 2 down, yet all three divisions have 24 teams.

I'd do away with the play-offs and have 4 up and 4 down in all divisions, so I agree on that score for sure.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

No different to Exeter going to Carlisle or Boro going to Bristol City. There’s only four or five semi-pro sides at this level (Bromley, Maidenhead, Braintree, Dover, sort-of Sutton). A split in the 5th tier would cause far more imbalance on the pro/semi-pro front (especially in the South), plus it would leave 10 or more sides with nothing to play for in February.

I personally think that a better solution would be to standardise all the top 5 divisions to 3 up, 3 down.

Do you not think the only 2 go up rule has improved the standard in the Conference because there are some decent teams still knocking around who would have otherwise been promoted? It was quite pronounced when only one team got promoted. They would invariably storm the 4th tier.

I think the standard in League Two is undermined by anyone half decent usually getting promoted as 4 go up whilst losing only 2 bad teams. Similarly League One is undermined by promotion to it being too easy. We were definitely well served by challenging for a few years (plus a Wembley final) before returning to League One.

 

[Jonny_Stokes]

Do you not think the only 2 go up rule has improved the standard in the Conference because there are some decent teams still knocking around who would have otherwise been promoted? It was quite pronounced when only one team got promoted. They would invariably storm the 4th tier.

I think the standard in League Two is undermined by anyone half decent usually getting promoted as 4 go up whilst losing only 2 bad teams. Similarly League One is undermined by promotion to it being too easy. We were definitely well served by challenging for a few years (plus a Wembley final) before returning to League One.

The standard of the division has improved with the advent of near-universal professionalism. It’s no coincidence that this happened after the introduction of an extra promotion place. A churn of more sides dropping down would only improve it further IMHO. I think it would remain difficult for any side to bounce back up straight away due to the disarray that usually causes the relegation in the first place. Falling into the NL is certainly not the immediate death sentence it once was. It’s just a pity the officiating is so godawful.

Ps. Been a few years since I was able to de-rail a thread so comprehensively. Doing it via the medium of constructive debate is a bit of an anathema, mind. I must be getting old.