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Post by kevinb on Jan 10, 2012 20:40:28 GMT 1
My thoughts, for what they are worth as a "UCL Chairman" as well. With us being a Lincolnshire club, I presume that we would be "reallocated to division entitled North East or Midlands" to quote the press release from the UCL. That in itself would certainly double our travelling costs as we are in the South of the County. I love the UCL, I moan about it, but I love it. We've been in the UCL since 1984 and my real concern on reading the statement is that the UCL has an "open mind concerning the restructuring process", surely they should be saying that we will fight at all costs to keep our League and push the FA in other directions. From past dealings with the FA I would guess that the little Clubs (ie: all of us) will just be told where to go and to do as we're told. I'm really concerned about all of this, as we as a Club are just looking to probably invest in more improvements to our Ground but they will certainly have to be put on hold until our future travelling costs etc are fully understood. The FA would be better employed in making more funds available to grassroots football than is currently available and at the same time making it "easier" to actually get our hands on what is there at present!
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Post by desboroughvp on Jan 10, 2012 22:22:46 GMT 1
My local newspaper [Evening Telegraph] tonight gave an entire page surrounding these proposals and have discussed how these plans would effect clubs in North Northamptonshire.
It states that S&L Corby, Wellingborough, Thrapston and Irchester would go into what is basically the Eastern Counties League and would see those teams travelling to Norfolk and Suffolk every other week.
It goes onto say that Desborough Town would go into a league with teams from Leicestershire and the West Midlands which sounds a lot like the Midland Football Alliance.
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Post by fozwaldo on Jan 10, 2012 23:39:00 GMT 1
Are we talking about the same FA who gave the OK for a self-confessed 'lager lout' and 'cocaine user' to be returned to the National team?
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Post by kilnparkspeedwaystarborgslayer on Jan 11, 2012 11:04:16 GMT 1
Well said kevinb.
What we need to see is the Winston Churchill fight ‘them on the beaches’ spirit not Churchill insurance ‘OH YES’ to the FA!
Agree Foz yes I’m afraid it is the very same FA totally out of touch and sorts with reality. They don't give a monkeys about how this will affect clubs. Like all organisation some useless jobs worthy(s) trying to make a name for themselves, 'The Dr Beeching of football springs to mind!!
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Post by Lankie on Jan 11, 2012 11:27:19 GMT 1
Yes KPman and the chairman of said FA committee - none other than Brian Walden former bane of many UCL secretaries when NFA secretary !
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Post by ianh on Jan 11, 2012 11:45:39 GMT 1
Cant beleive all this is happening, am still shell-shocked from the meeting at Burton.
The rationale behind this so-called re-organisation is because
leagues had asked for it, altough I saw precious little acknowledgement from the other 27 step 5 league members in the room.
The FA want to solve an anomaly where 1 year (in the last 15) there hasnt been enough promotion places from 5 to 4
and erm to make it tidy
I can see the promotion aspect needs changing, but to give every step 5 team in the country on average 430 miles (and associated time) to travel is ludicrous. To levy a charge of thousands on 287clubs just to satisfy what has only happened once in the last 10 years is well ...........
all the hard work clubs and committee members have put in, travelling, working all hours, the successes, out of a love for the game. for this..........
The FA were keen to say that this was only a proposal, but werent prepared to listen to other solutions.
Its your league, have your say at Leicester on the 29th
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Post by Lankie on Jan 11, 2012 12:24:55 GMT 1
ianh - where does the figure of 430 miles come from ?
The latest figures I have show UCL prem clubs travelling around 780 miles on average (one way) , although Irchester,PNS,Thrapston, Kempston & Kings Lynn have replaced Bourne, Raunds,Stotfold,St Neots & Daventry Town. Not much change there I would estimate !
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Post by ianh on Jan 11, 2012 12:57:03 GMT 1
ianh - where does the figure of 430 miles come from ? The latest figures I have show UCL prem clubs travelling around 780 miles on average (one way) , although Irchester,PNS,Thrapston, Kempston & Kings Lynn have replaced Bourne, Raunds,Stotfold,St Neots & Daventry Town. Not much change there I would estimate ! Actual FA figures they produced on the day 1,464 to 1,896 that was for every step 5 club in the country, the current UCL figure was given as 1,629 by the FA and looking at figures produced by the UCL for next weeks meeting the average for clubs currently in the UCL is coming out at 2,583 |
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Post by Lankie on Jan 11, 2012 13:11:57 GMT 1
By excluding the 4 clubs whose mileage is reduced the average increase is over 80% from 1510 to 2753 miles! Perhaps the league should invite Brian Walden to attend its meeting. I am sure that someone would give him a lift from Kettering to Raunds if travelling expenses are a problem !
Amended 14 Jan as error in Sleaford figures
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Post by georgieboy on Jan 11, 2012 13:53:57 GMT 1
See where your club might be going. And I suggest like ianh said, have your say and put your point across....
The UCL appears to be one of the major losers in the proposal (along perhaps with the Sussex County League). The proposal has only two leagues across the width of England in the centre (seven across the south!). Wellingborough appears to be a rough dividing point across the country.
Ten of our clubs were placed in a 24 club ‘Eastern Division’ along with 14 clubs currently playing in the Ridgeons Eastern Counties League. The composition of this division is Blackstones, CRC, Deeping, Dereham, Diss, Ely, Gorleston, Great Yarmouth, Haverhill, Irchester, Kings Lynn, Kirkley, Mildenhall, Newmarket, Norwich United, Peterborough Northern Star, Stewarts & Lloyds, St Ives, Thrapston, Walsham le Willows, Wellingborough, Wisbech, Wroxham and Yaxley.
Five of our clubs were placed in a 24 club ‘Midlands Division’, based on the current Midland Alliance, comprising Alvechurch, Atherstone, Boldmere, Bridgnorth, Causeway, Cogenhoe, Coleshill, Coventry Sphinx, Daventry United, Desborough, Gresley, Heath Hayes, Heather, Highgate, Kirby Muxloe, Long Buckby, Loughborough University, Northampton Spencer, Stratford, Studley, Tipton, Tividale, Westfields and Willenhall.
In addition four of our clubs were allocated to a North East Division of 24 clubs (based on the Northern Counties East League plus one Midland Alliance club) comprising Armsthorpe, Arnold, Barton, Boston Town, Bridlington, Brighouse, Dunkirk, Hall Road, Holbeach, Lincoln Moorlands, Liversedge, Long Eaton, Maltby, Nostell, Parkgate, Retford, Scarborough, Selby, Sleaford, Spalding, Staveley, Tadcaster, Thackley and Winterton.
Finally two of our clubs were allocated to a 24 club ‘London North West Division’ which is predominantly made up of Spartan South Midlands clubs with one apiece from Essex Senior and Combined Counties). Allocated to this division are AFC Dunstable, AFC Kempston, Aylesbury, Berkhamsted, Biggleswade United, Broxbourne, Colney Heath, Dunstable, Enfield, Hadley, Hanwell, Harefield, Hatfield, Hertford, Hillingdon, Leverstock Green, London Tigers, Newport Pagnell, Oxhey, Royston, St Margaretsbury, Stotfold, Tring and Wembley.
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Post by ianh on Jan 11, 2012 15:44:15 GMT 1
A UCL pre-Leicester meeting arranged to sum up the disadvantages (or advantages?) of this proposal to be held next Thursday
Hope to see you there
Together we can defeat this and find a much less costlier solution
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Post by desboroughvp on Jan 11, 2012 18:00:03 GMT 1
See where your club might be going. And I suggest like ianh said, have your say and put your point across.... The UCL appears to be one of the major losers in the proposal (along perhaps with the Sussex County League). The proposal has only two leagues across the width of England in the centre (seven across the south!). Wellingborough appears to be a rough dividing point across the country. Ten of our clubs were placed in a 24 club ‘Eastern Division’ along with 14 clubs currently playing in the Ridgeons Eastern Counties League. The composition of this division is Blackstones, CRC, Deeping, Dereham, Diss, Ely, Gorleston, Great Yarmouth, Haverhill, Irchester, Kings Lynn, Kirkley, Mildenhall, Newmarket, Norwich United, Peterborough Northern Star, Stewarts & Lloyds, St Ives, Thrapston, Walsham le Willows, Wellingborough, Wisbech, Wroxham and Yaxley. Five of our clubs were placed in a 24 club ‘Midlands Division’, based on the current Midland Alliance, comprising Alvechurch, Atherstone, Boldmere, Bridgnorth, Causeway, Cogenhoe, Coleshill, Coventry Sphinx, Daventry United, Desborough, Gresley, Heath Hayes, Heather, Highgate, Kirby Muxloe, Long Buckby, Loughborough University, Northampton Spencer, Stratford, Studley, Tipton, Tividale, Westfields and Willenhall. In addition four of our clubs were allocated to a North East Division of 24 clubs (based on the Northern Counties East League plus one Midland Alliance club) comprising Armsthorpe, Arnold, Barton, Boston Town, Bridlington, Brighouse, Dunkirk, Hall Road, Holbeach, Lincoln Moorlands, Liversedge, Long Eaton, Maltby, Nostell, Parkgate, Retford, Scarborough, Selby, Sleaford, Spalding, Staveley, Tadcaster, Thackley and Winterton. Finally two of our clubs were allocated to a 24 club ‘London North West Division’ which is predominantly made up of Spartan South Midlands clubs with one apiece from Essex Senior and Combined Counties). Allocated to this division are AFC Dunstable, AFC Kempston, Aylesbury, Berkhamsted, Biggleswade United, Broxbourne, Colney Heath, Dunstable, Enfield, Hadley, Hanwell, Harefield, Hatfield, Hertford, Hillingdon, Leverstock Green, London Tigers, Newport Pagnell, Oxhey, Royston, St Margaretsbury, Stotfold, Tring and Wembley. Don't understand why Desborough are in a totally different league to others in our area such as S&L Corby. Though that said i'd rather see Desborough travel up the A14 than into Deepest Norfolk |
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porthos
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Post by porthos on Jan 11, 2012 20:14:06 GMT 1
Strictly tongue in cheek - no offence to our Lincs,Leics,Beds,Bucks, Cambs etc. teams.
But how about a NFA league of the 18 teams currently in Prem/Div1 plus 2 phoenix sides from Kettering and Irthlingborough - tasty !
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Post by fozwaldo on Jan 11, 2012 22:18:48 GMT 1
Nice one porthos. I particularly like the last two 'clubs' mentioned!! :-D
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Post by charlie on Jan 11, 2012 23:07:03 GMT 1
I dont really want to see this happen and quite use to the ucl after 20 years , if the above league structure went ahead my secretary and brother has informed me that that we over the course of a season we would travel 99 miles less in the new league . I suppose being in Daventry we do the most travelling in the ucl . We are only one case mind you .
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