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Non league is brilliant!


Fordy62

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Non-league in chaos supposedly this morning due to different tiers.

If the clubs simply can't afford to play without paying fans, then logic dictates teams based in tier 3 areas can't play home games. But teams in tier 2 can... but that still doesn't earn the other clubs any money! So does football resume or not? 

Really hope it does. Missing live sport big time. Given up on being at a City game anytime soon, but have enjoyed being down Wingate & Finchley FC! 

EDIT: In addition to this, the rules meaning pints can't be sold mean a significant revenue stream goes out the window too. 

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17 minutes ago, Robin101 said:

Non-league in chaos supposedly this morning due to different tiers.

If the clubs simply can't afford to play without paying fans, then logic dictates teams based in tier 3 areas can't play home games. But teams in tier 2 can... but that still doesn't earn the other clubs any money! So does football resume or not? 

Really hope it does. Missing live sport big time. Given up on being at a City game anytime soon, but have enjoyed being down Wingate & Finchley FC! 

EDIT: In addition to this, the rules meaning pints can't be sold mean a significant revenue stream goes out the window too. 

Not a good situation to be in at the moment, one way around it is to try and get games on but only have tier 2 sides playing each other and when areas move down tiers hopefully get more teams playing. 
 

I volunteer at a team in Manchester the league are meeting tonight to discuss a start date and what to do going forward. 
 

Seems the FA want to get the seasons finished after voiding last season and clubs will have to make a loss. 
 

Personally would like to see season extended till June so midweeks can be scheduled in March onwards when weather is better and season can be compressed in better conditions.

Also what needs remembering is fans who were watching when Elite football was behind closed doors may now go back to watching there normal teams which will hit clubs lower down the ladder regards gate receipts.

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12 minutes ago, arrytheb said:

Western league been suspended till at least December 18th. 

No fans, no bar takings no chance of restarting 

Do you think that will set a precedent now for the rest of the leagues? Just had a look at the Isthmian league and only two of the sides are in tier 3. Perhaps more of a chance of a restart.

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It's a tricky one isn't it and ultimately some clubs will probably be annoyed which ever option is taken. Do they get 2 weeks of matches in and reassess when next set if tiers are announced? The other thing we've discussed is when does the first game take place. If it's straight into it on Saturday 5th then you'll have team's who have gone 4 weeks without training and then going straight into a game. Not ideal. 

Tier 2 clubs in theory can't open their bar though so loss a lot of income from that even if fans are allowed to watch. 

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Been reflecting slightly more on why I was enjoying watching non-league so much before COVID took that, along with everything else, away. 

I think it has something to do with the fear of losing being removed. Don't get me wrong, the players, the managers - they are playing extremely competitive football and I'm sure they take any loss as hard as professionals do. But it seems to me that the threat of finishing low in the table, or even being relegated, doesn't have the same risks as, say, Championship football.

Dropping to League One is catastrophic for club's finances, attendances. Even knocking around low to midtable draws sometimes quite vicious criticism from fans too. Reaching the division above brings riches like no other.

As a result, football at this level is the ultimate results business. Taking risks rarely happens. Not on a managerial level (setting up to attack, you score 3 we'll score 4) and rarely in play either (the howls of derision from 20,000 fans if you give the ball away). Lose three games in a row and your job is on the line. The pressure is too high, and the sheer enjoyment of the game loses out a bit. My fag packet analysis is that football clubs at this level probably get better attendances - £££ - when the team is in the play-offs and playing crap football than they do if they're 18th and playing some barnstorming stuff. 

Now, take Wingate & Finchley on the other hand. I was regularly attending these games not because I really care if the team is pushing for promotion in the Isthmian Premier League or not. I went because the games were a riotous affair, the atmosphere was fun and, yes, you could drink pints at the touchline. They're a tiny club, and they know that their survival depends on getting enough people through the gates each week. I think they know that decent football - a great game - will bring more people back than a long-ball, 1-0 win. 

As a result, the financial motivation for these clubs is putting on a show rather than getting the results. And it makes for a much better day out. Just my 2 pence.

TL;DR: The level of money and pressure to succeed in the Football League makes for a crap product. The higher up you go, the more you have to lose. 
 

 

 

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