League One North and South Yes or No?

[Top of the JES]

Been suggested by some clubs during last weeks EFL discussion that next season leagues One and Two should be organised as League One North and League One South. This would cut costs for clubs and if/when we are allowed back into grounds boost attendances.


Would you be in favour?

[Smendrick Feaselberg]

You should set this up as a poll.

It's a yes for me, but maybe not from next season.

[Real Al]

I don't really see what it's got to do with the current crisis tbh.

However, I think it's a reasonable idea. The main argument for would be a lot more local games, so larger crowds. It seems pointless making 50 Hartlepool fans travel to Plymouth mid-week. Can't see much negative. What would be other people's concerns?

[Stamford O]

Why not east and west.handy for me just off A1

[Top of the JES]

I don't really see what it's got to do with the current crisis tbh.

However, I think it's a reasonable idea. The main argument for would be a lot more local games, so larger crowds. It seems pointless making 50 Hartlepool fans travel to Plymouth mid-week. Can't see much negative. What would be other people's concerns?

Clubs are estimating it would save thousands a year in travel and overnight stay costs, in theory it should also push up attendances.

Clubs are going to be cash strapped next season. It would be one way to save money.

[Red_Army]

It would be disastrous for my enjoyment of following Orient.

There isn't necessarily a crowd boost either. I think there are plenty of better ways to make football more sustainable

[Ronnie Hotdogs]

Why not?

If evidence suggests bigger income and lower costs for clubs, plus easier lives for fans, yeah do it.

[The Mindsweep]

Clubs would miss out when a big club drops down to L1, like Leeds or Sunderland in the North and......can't think of any in the South. Would affect the South more.

[Disoriented]

Stupid idea.

[Dunners]

Plenty of arguments both for and against, however in the grand scheme of things I'm not sure this change will make much difference. But if it helps, then why not?

[Rich Tea Wellin]

For a season or two maybe but not long term.

I guess short term youre also not having to stay overnight in hotels, or sit on coaches for hours and his limiting exposures to corona (might be tenuous)

[JimbO]

yes but as someone else said only in the short term till the game gets back on its feet.

[Dunners]

If this change was made, it would not revert back in the short term. It's more likely it would be a permanent thing.

[slacker]

I can see a short term expenses advantage, but I think you have to remember why the FL binned this off back in 1958: because there was little movement between the divisions with only 1 up from each region to Div 2 (and no automatic relegation either), which made for a rather boring competition. Playoffs might help ease that, mind.

[Fanny]

In practical terms how would this work?

Would you double the number of teams in each division or each team plays each other 4 times.

If it’s the former then that will require a shift of the entire league structure. Can’t see that happening.

If it’s the latter then imagine how boring it would get playing the same teams 4 times in a season. There’s no way I’d make an away trip to the same club twice in one season either.

Somebody mentioned above about Hartlepool travelling to Plymouth on a Tuesday night (even though they aren’t in the same division). I’ve never been entirely sure how fixtures are worked out (super computer? Magic sorting hat?) but fixtures such as this could be avoided with a bit of tweaking to ensure that midweek games are only between teams geographically close (i’m sure they do this for Boxing Day fixtures).

[Admin]

Think part of it being ditched was due to the imbalance of clubs locations - if 3 southern championship clubs were relegated, there'd have to be re-organisation every season to try and balance north and south divisions.

Pretty certain this has destroyed a few clubs at non-league level who've ended up in Northern Sections with massive distances to travel.

[Mr Wu]

Think we'll have to wait and see how many clubs survive this hiatus.

[OyinbO]

Knotty, but I'm not in favour. Perhaps for selfish reasons, but the longer trips to more exotic places (Grimsby, Carlisle, York, Bradford etc etc) are often the highlights of the season.

In favour: it halves the number of promotions required to get to the second tier.

But, as others have shown, there's little evidence that attendances would be affected much by this change, at least for Orient. And we still have some potentially long journeys to Plymouth, Exeter, Newport etc. Indeed, Travis & Macklin didn't seem to agree on the scale of the potential savings in the recent article in the ELG.

I can see how it might help some clubs, I doubt it would give Orient a relative advantage, even if we get a small absolute one, in financial terms.

It's a no from me.

[OyinbO]

Clubs would miss out when a big club drops down to L1, like Leeds or Sunderland in the North and......can't think of any in the South. Would affect the South more.

Charlton, Norwich, Southampton & Portsmouth have all been down in the bottom two divs in recent years.

[EliotNes]

Clubs would miss out when a big club drops down to L1, like Leeds or Sunderland in the North and......can't think of any in the South. Would affect the South more.

Charlton, Norwich, Southampton & Portsmouth have all been down in the bottom two divs in recent years.

Don't forget Ipswich.

Gotta say that as we live in deepest, darkest Suffolk and those Norfolk boys were mentioned.

[Chelmsford Swimmer]

So league clubs can no longer afford to travel another 150 miles, but part time Conference clubs can ?

Also I'm an old timer realist. Next stop being the Championship probably means no more promotions in my lifetime. Not unless we grace the Conference again.

[Top of the JES]

So league clubs can no longer afford to travel another 150 miles, but part time Conference clubs can ?

Also I'm an old timer realist. Next stop being the Championship probably means no more promotions in my lifetime. Not unless we grace the Conference again.

Going to be discussed by NL clubs. Possibly Conference premier North and South. Would be really difficult to do at lower NL level although most of the feeder leagues are regional anyway.