The Conference and Scouseport

[Pilgrim86]

Points per game is a fair way of doing it, and is often used by the FA across steps to decide promotions and reprieves. This a factual method, whereas your two other highly depend on the word IF.

[leicester pilgrim]

It might be the fairest method of deciding the outcomes of Thurrock and Stafford, but in what way is any of this fair on Bishop's Stortford?

We're talking about a team that recruits players from the London area. Since last season ended - over a month ago - they will have been budgeting for the new season and planning their finances around trips to the Home Counties and the south coast. Suddenly they've got to fund trips to Workington, Blyth, Colwyn Bay, etc. And when you consider the ridiculous current cost of fuel that puts them at a massive disadvantage. Two further questions for me:-

(i) Given that the regular season ended in April, why does it take until June for the Conference to conduct its AGM? What happens during May? Surely the League should be meeting and resolving these issues at the earliest possible opportunity to give all of its member clubs time to prepare for the new season?

(ii) When a Premier League club drops into the Championship or when a League club drops into non-league, we hear about parachute payments being made to those clubs to offset their loss of income. I don't necessarily agree with parachute payments but given that the exist elsewhere and in the interests of fairness, should the footballing authorities step in and make a contribution towards Bishop's Stortford's increased running costs for next season?

[Pride of Bostonshire]

As this wonderful article from 200% points out, Bishops Stortford would actually travel less than Gloucester do and considerably less than Workington and Blyth already do in this league.

Yes the late notice is inconvenient but the mileage thing shouldn't be a factor.

[The Big M]

But the late notice is most of the point plus Gloucester like this league as there are a couple teams not far away and in bsbs they travel just as far as for workington not much anyone can do about that. The issue is the conference board not giving a shit about the clubs and just doin what they like and not caring if they send a team bust.

[Pride of Bostonshire]

Pretty sure I pointed out that the main issue was the inconvenience of finding players.  I'm not sure that it will necessarily send the club bust; it wouldn't be the first time a club has had to build a squad in no time and yet still got a respectable mid-table finish...

I agree it's daft in general, but then when has football ever not been?

[The Big M]

As i have pointed out though, its not us paying the bills at stortford. I just think they should put a little thought into what they do. rather than just having a that will do attitude.