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All opinions expressed here are my own.
"Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn." -Benjamin Franklin
Is this the former Zone Premier League?
Looks like delays in getting divisions out because not enough teams in league 2 can fill 3 grades? what?s the solution? Make league 1 and league 2 smaller and then have 2 smaller leagues below with 2 grades? Interesting so many clubs struggling for a 3rd grade despite the overwhelming vote to keep 3 grades at the ZLF meeting the other week?
Is there an issue if say only 8/12 teams can field a 3rd grade side? A smaller comp for just 3rds doesn?t seem too bad. Almost appealing for that demographic of players where you get a bit more flexibility with your weekends and still get to play club football opposed to going the all age route. I imagine there would probably a bit of an issue with the admin side of things if the association tried to get cute with the fixtures but I personally don?t mind that option. Happy to be told it?s a scud idea too
would be because most of the blokes that actually put in the shift for their clubs and go to these meetings would be third graders.
Third grade is needed for Zone clubs, take it away and watch many fold (thats if some clubs keep taking 5th division reserve grade too seriously so they cant play in ressies)
Didnt we just hear again that other clubs are struggling to get into or maintain teams in the higher grades because of this?
BS will they fold. They are stalwart clubs and if they did fold they fully deserve it as they were coat tailing on the other poor buggers. Maybe those clubs deserve AllAge.
Not at all am i saying running a big club is easy but depending on 3rds to run the club is pathetic. anyone can go meetings. do a roster ffs. no one is above the club. Geez because noone plays at 10am we cant cook a barby?
3rds is a luxury and should be optional so other clubs can enter or maintain a club in the ZLs with 1st and ressies.
Friday Night Zone League. 1 team full of the mythical clubmen and BBQ heroes.
Let?s clubs that want to have a 3rd Grade Team have a run and those diehards can show up Saturday arvo to run the BBQ and sink some tins.
Why is this forced promotion happening? What does it achieve?
ZPL is the pinnacle of pub football. A place where you can train less, more relaxed competitive environment. Play with mates. Why ruin that? Making it optional works perfectly fine to make the stepping stones required.
Is this going to make NPL2 stronger? I don't think so. Unless that club has full aspirations and huge $$$ they will just fall over. And who wins out of that?
If you don?t have aspirations then why bother, promotion and relegation is where it?s at, get use to it.
The reality is that clubs do not have the resources, people power and facilities to go to a higher level. Every club has aspirations, but they certainly differ between clubs. So what happens to clubs that simply don't have the facilities to go up? Don't have an enclosed ground which then disadvantages that club to all the others that generate income from spectators? There's a plethora of reasons as to why a top to bottom promotion relegation within 5 divisions of local football in Newcastle won't work.
There absolutely needs to be a minimum of two divisions with promotion and relegation, but there needs to be separation below that.. For sure, if there are clubs that aspire to make that jump, then that can still be achieved. But forcing clubs isn't the right way to do it.
The mid-season phone calls from Northern to clubs within reach of top spot in ZL1 to discuss facilities and upgrades is going to be a good laugh.
There was a rumour about Northern's plans when clubs refuse to meet any of the requirements because they don't want to go up apparently looking at docking points for the following season. Though many of the requirements are being downgraded to allow these clubs to go up, which seems to be have been the preferred method by Northern.