Potential League 2 Merge with National League

[Highwood Man]

Totally against this. Would be OK with a Leagues 1 and 2 merger and perhaps regionalising the result but two years in The National League was two years too many for me. Tinpot grounds, thuggish players and laughable referees. No thanks.

[DonaldRocks]

Radical plan to merge League Two and the National League https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/footb ... e-masthead

And create a league 2 north and south. Not so sure this is a good idea. What's your thoughts?

I think a regional league for a year or 2 could be a runner but nobody wants to be back in the National League no matter what form it was to take. Hell no.

[StillSpike]

The problems with football are not with the organisation of the leagues, they are all about the distribution of the wealth.

We've got a sport worth billions, clubs at the top raking so much in that they can afford to pay players the sort of wages that meant they can sponsor a lower league team's shirts out of pocket (very, very welcome though that might be), and yet the powers that be are apparently tinkering around trying to work out if some magical new structure will save pauper clubs a few pounds in hotel bills and diesel.

If you want to tinker - stop any club registering more than 35 players (in total, all pro players). That'd make the money trickle down the leagues, and suppress wage costs at the top end too.

The problems with football are not with the organisation of the leagues, they are all about the distribution of the wealth.

[BuckinghamO]

Never going to happen

[slacker]

There'd be a degree of self interest here.L2 clubs would vote against joining up with the NL (who'd vote in favour), whilst more in favour of joining up with L1 (who'd vote against for similar reasons).

The reason I'm not keen on either option is the same one that was the old Div 3 North & South get binned: getting promoted would be much more difficult and the leagues would be more static, though play offs could keep things more interesting than when it was only 1 up from each league.

[Disoriented]

We would get to go to more away games.

[Rich Tea Wellin]

So would all the morons that frequent those.

[Disoriented]

So would all the morons that frequent those.

Eh?

[Rich Tea Wellin]

The crowds at local away days are usually the dregs of the fanbase.

[EH16]

No.

[Mikero]

If the club chairpersons are convinced that they will make/save money from this our views will not matter, it just depends on what 'carrots' the authorities can dangle. I know our chairman is against it but, as has been said, the National league will want it as will the more impercunious League Two teams. Coupled with this will be 'financial fair play' and possibly 'wage caps', either on a squad or individual basis.

Mikero

[Red_Army]

The problems with football are not with the organisation of the leagues, they are all about the distribution of the wealth.

We've got a sport worth billions, clubs at the top raking so much in that they can afford to pay players the sort of wages that meant they can sponsor a lower league team's shirts out of pocket (very, very welcome though that might be), and yet the powers that be are apparently tinkering around trying to work out if some magical new structure will save pauper clubs a few pounds in hotel bills and diesel.

If you want to tinker - stop any club registering more than 35 players (in total, all pro players). That'd make the money trickle down the leagues, and suppress wage costs at the top end too.

The problems with football are not with the organisation of the leagues, they are all about the distribution of the wealth.

Exactly right.

This would be akin to rearranging the deckchairs on the Titanic.

[Red_Army]

We would get to go to more away games.

Real fans go to all the away games anyway.

[Red_Army]

I see where people are coming from when they say they don't want to go here or there ect. but that isn't really a valid reason to oppose it and is simply self interest.

A far better reason is that it would produce a worse product, ruin the magic of travelling to away games and likely reduce crowds in the southern section. It would also make promotion more difficult which could lead to clubs taking undue financial risks to get promoted as well as exposing smaller clubs to the professional game when they are not equipped to do so.

[Disoriented]

We would get to go to more away games.

Real fans go to all the away games anyway.

Do they? So those people who work weekends, have young families or can’t afford it aren’t real fans?

[Red_Army]

We would get to go to more away games.

Real fans go to all the away games anyway.

Do they? So those people who work weekends, have young families or can’t afford it aren’t real fans?

No they are not, and whatsmore, they should be ashamed.

[Disoriented]

Real fans go to all the away games anyway.

Do they? So those people who work weekends, have young families or can’t afford it aren’t real fans?

No they are not, and whatsmore, they should be ashamed.

[Clive Evans]

Geezer wot owns Aldershot was on Today Radio 4 this morning. He very very quietly said that he was all in favour of League 2 being combined with whatever the non-League thugs are called these days ( well he would,wouldn't he?)

[Disoriented]

The crowds at local away days are usually the dregs of the fanbase.

You could be right there in some cases anyway.

[Rich Tea Wellin]

I see where people are coming from when they say they don't want to go here or there ect. but that isn't really a valid reason to oppose it and is simply self interest.

A far better reason is that it would produce a worse product, ruin the magic of travelling to away games and likely reduce crowds in the southern section. It would also make promotion more difficult which could lead to clubs taking undue financial risks to get promoted as well as exposing smaller clubs to the professional game when they are not equipped to do so.

Why do you think it would reduce crowds, out of interest?

As much as people say that the away days up north are better (they are), it doesn't stop local games getting far bigger away followings. Carlisle might be a better trip but we would still only take 300/400 up there on a saturday. We'd have 2k at Southend, Col U and dagenham if tickets were available.

Add to this that a lot of fans have uncertain financial futures and will be able to get to a lot more games if it was regionalised might also be a positive.

I'm very much against it overall, but it's not all black and white imo.