The case for meritocracy

[Piethagoram]

https://www.football365.com/news/opinion-wrexham-notts-county-prove-the-case-for-greater-efl-meritocracy

[Chris]

Reform will happen if fans and clubs push for it, just like the contract agreement which most of the captains of National League teams signed should go along way to being heard. The difficulty of gaining promotion makes this division: A) harder, B.) more competitive and C) unfairer on teams that do perform well.

I like the idea that 2nd and 3rd miss out on playing in the early stages of the playoffs.

Yet I do think two automatic places is something the league must adapt to.

[liampie]

i think the fact that even ryan reynolds commented about the leagues structure to bt sports after the wrexham game speaks all, its someone outside of the years of following sport but it showed how behind the times the national league is with some of its rules.

the amount of subs needs to be changed, i know some say its because clubs cant afford large teams but it does not reflect well on the structure when you have players you cant use on a match day simply due to a silly limit. if the numbers were increased, other clubs would probably pad their spaces out with more players and quite possibly youths which would be good for the game. as for one automatic spot, it shows how badly they want to make teams suffer.

it could kill off clubs struggling to attract fans, where as opening the amount up would breath freshen up the chances that players may drop down for a season. whilst making the national league and league two more competitive.

[TheSkipper]

I couldn't agree more with the sentiment that there should be more promotion and relegation places between the National League and League Two. The recent match that was described as 'the most important match in the history of non-league football' has really brought this issue to the forefront.

Football is not just a sport, it's also a business, and having more promotion and relegation places would mean more interest and excitement for fans. It would also give more clubs the chance to climb the ladder and compete at a higher level, which is what the sport is all about.

It's interesting to note that automatic promotion and relegation between the EFL and non-league football has only been around since the 1986/87 season, and there was only one promotion and relegation place until 2003. Before that, the Football League was effectively a closed shop, with only a complicated 're-election' system in place for clubs to gain entry.

This system led to decades of stagnation and lack of transparency, with existing league clubs perceived to be excluding those from outside. It's clear that changes were needed, and the introduction of more promotion and relegation places has been a step in the right direction.

I believe that more promotion and relegation places would be beneficial for the sport and its fans. It would give more clubs the chance to compete at a higher level and make the sport more exciting and interesting. It's time to move forward and embrace change, rather than sticking with outdated systems just because 'that's the way it's always been'.

[CliftonMagpie]

I believe that League Two should relegate the bottom three teams based on their points, while promoting the top two teams from the National League are promoted automatically. The third promotion spot should be determined by a playoff among the teams that finish in 3rd to 7th place. This system ensures that the best teams are promoted and the quality of the league is maintained.

[Dry Nelson Ray]

Well, it’s all about perspective, isn’t it? On one hand, you could say that their advocacy for streaming all matches is self-serving. But on the other hand, it could also be seen as a way to level the playing field and give clubs with global reach the same opportunities as those owned by local businesses. And when it comes to promotion and relegation places, it’s not just about benefiting one club or owner - it’s about improving the game as a whole. So really, it all depends on how you look at it.

@liampie It’s always interesting to hear fresh perspectives on things, especially from someone who may not have been following the sport for years. Sometimes an outside perspective can bring new ideas and insights to the table. And hey, if it gets people talking and thinking about the league structure, that can only be a good thing, right?

[liampie]

@Dry Nelson Ray i meant for my comment to point that out, but to also mention how someone that has only recently adapted to the sport understands how cruel the national leagues system can be. i was not having a dig at ryan reynolds or trying to suggest his thoughts mean any less because of how long he has been interested in football.

[allardyces tash]

It is clear that changes are necessary in the National League and the lower tiers of English football. The current system often prevents clubs from growing and expanding due to limited investment opportunities. However, there is no reason why the National League, as well as the North and South leagues, cannot transition to fully professional status. This would be a positive step forward for the development of football in England.

There is a need for the National League and the lower tiers of English football to adapt and modernise. By making these changes, clubs would have more opportunities to grow and develop, ultimately leading to a stronger and more competitive football landscape in the UK.

[menzinho]

I’m not just saying this because it suits us, but I agree 3 up 3 down needs to happen now.

According to last season’s league table Grimsby were the 6th best team in this league, they are comfortably mid-table in league 2. There is no gap between the bottom half of league 2 and the top half of the national league.

And look at Oldham and Scunthorpe relegated out of League 2 last year, one’s mid-table the other’s just been relegated again! If this league was a bad as everyone seems to think that would not have happened.

It’ll be genuinely beneficial for teams that do get relegated too, getting back into the league would be a lot easier. Imagine first season after we’d been relegated, Harrogate got automatic promotion too, the play-offs (on paper) would’ve been easier for us. 

[Dry Nelson Ray]

11 hours ago, liampie said:

@Dry Nelson Ray i meant for my comment to point that out, but to also mention how someone that has only recently adapted to the sport understands how cruel the national leagues system can be. i was not having a dig at ryan reynolds or trying to suggest his thoughts mean any less because of how long he has been interested in football.

Hey, no hard feelings. I get what you were trying to say. You were just pointing out the harsh reality of the National League system, anyway, thanks for your comment. It was very insightful and respectful. Unlike some of the other comments I see on Twitter. Seriously, some people need to chill out and get a life. Or a hobby. Or a therapist.

[upthepies]

With the game being altered in numerous negative ways, it seems like the individuals responsible for making decisions are intentionally attempting to ruin something that does not require repairing. However, the areas that do make sense, such as this, are disregarded and compressed. If they wish to generate more revenue, they must make it more competitive. Having teams such as Stockport dominate the league, and even to some extent, Wrexham and Notts, is not the most favourable advertisement for other clubs. Nevertheless, it is a positive advertisement for the league, and they must make the necessary changes to open up the league and make it even more thrilling.

[DangerousSausage]

It's worth pointing out that in 2006, Wrexham and Notts (both Football League members at the time) voted against 3-up-3-down between League Two and the NL. Six years later, Wrexham finished second on about 98 points and weren't promoted. Hopefully it isn't our turn this season.

It's really just about getting the FL members to agree to it. Before about 2000, dropping into the Conference meant entering a wasteland of semi-professional clubs playing to crowds of 500. You either came back up straight away or vanished forever, so clubs perceived it as their self-interest to reduce the risk of relegation by resisting attempts to increase the number of promotion/relegation spots. But now, about 17 of the 24 League Two clubs and 12 of those in League One have played in non-League - some of them smaller clubs that rose through he pyramid, others traditional League clubs that dropped down for a few seasons. Today, many more clubs are aware that they are never far away from having a "disaster season" and going on a NL tour themselves. And in that case, having a reasonable chance of going back up is in their own best interests.

There is no sporting reason for there to be fewer promotion spots in the NL than in League Two, it's simply a hangover from the past. And if that increases our chances of going down again if we ever find ourselves at the bottom of League Two, that's simply part of the game.

[Chris]

It's been something that has been said for a while, I think most struggling League two teams wouldn't want relegation expanding to 3 teams. It's a lottery with promotion right now.

Is it the Scottish Championship where a team gets to play a team from their Premier League to see either stay where they are or, if one goes up and the other down?

I like how teams in the National League are rewarded for finishing higher up, but if promotion and relegation rules were changed to 3 up and 3 down, it could push teams to the North and South divisions. Additionally, determining which team would be the third to move up could become a challenge. Is it a one-off-match against both 2nd places? Personally, I think it should be 4 teams that are relegated because it would force them awful teams like Dover to take the league far more seriously.

As for promotion, 3 up would work just fine. One automatic spot and one through the playoffs.

Some teams could benefit from spending a few seasons in the National League. We were able to benefit from our own hard reset. Simply, the club couldn't continue to paper over the cracks.

[DangerousSausage]

54 minutes ago, Chris said:

I like how teams in the National League are rewarded for finishing higher up, but if promotion and relegation rules were changed to 3 up and 3 down, it could push teams to the North and South divisions. Additionally, determining which team would be the third to move up could become a challenge. Is it a one-off-match against both 2nd places?

It's not really the same thing though. The number of promotion spots to L2 will be decided by League clubs, the NL will take what it can get. Relegation to the NLN/NLS is a National League issue and doesn't have to change. Only having two promotion places when more than one divisions feed into one isn't unusual in non-league and is justifiable, as otherwise you'd have five or six teams going down from the NL, which is too many.

[Chris]

51 minutes ago, DangerousSausage said:

It's not really the same thing though. The number of promotion spots to L2 will be decided by League clubs, the NL will take what it can get. Relegation to the NLN/NLS is a National League issue and doesn't have to change. Only having two promotion places when more than one divisions feed into one isn't unusual in non-league and is justifiable, as otherwise you'd have five or six teams going down from the NL, which is too many.

The argument can be made as to why they don't get two promoted teams, opening it up would make a difference.

3 teams should come down from the English Football League. 3 teams should go up for the National League. I also do feel that two teams from each of the North and South divisions should get a chance to play in the National League. When the Premier League idea was floating around, they planned for only one team to go up, thankfully it went more inline with the football league system.

Even the EFL have made sensible adjustments over the years, which is why the National League needs to reflect on this.

[Joshua]

I believe that the Non-League restricts club growth at a time when it is becoming increasingly popular to watch these types of teams. It may be worth merging the North and South leagues into two mixed leagues and having regionally-based leagues beneath them.

[Wilfordpie]

The Football League has moved with the times, my dear chap, in order to keep up with the Premier League. Now it is the turn of the National League to catch up with the Football League, but unfortunately, it is managed by people who are not very competent. I fear that it will take several years before any changes are made to the league structure. They will be hoping that Notts does not go up with Wrexham because then they will lose the spotlight, and the league will become average again.