The National League (1 Viewer)

[Nick]

Just had a look at the table, it's mad to see some of the teams we played only a few years ago down there and some struggling as well

Scunthorpe bottom
Yeovil
Southend
Oldham
Notts County are top
Chesterfield

 

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[ccfctommy]

Ever read up about Dorking Wanderers? They were only formed as basically a parks team in 1999 and are now in the National League!

 

[Frostie]

It's a fantastic league & farcical that there's only 1 auto promotion place. The top teams in the National League would be some of the best teams in League 2.

That said, it's a bit of a wild west with no FFP as such so clubs bankrolled to hilt to try to get promoted.

 

[Skyblueweeman]

Ever read up about Dorking Wanderers? They were only formed as basically a parks team in 1999 and are now in the National League!

Their story is quite remarkable. I played against them in the noughties in the West Sussex league.

The man who started them is still both their chairman and manager!

Woking FC are one of the teams we work with so glad they're doing well this season - hoping for promotion to L2!

 

[Nick]

Ever read up about Dorking Wanderers? They were only formed as basically a parks team in 1999 and are now in the National League!

Are they the ones with the knobhead manager on youTube?

 

[ccfctommy]

Are they the ones with the knobhead manager on youTube?

I'm not sure. But he is also Chairman.

Here is an article about them - 'Real-life Championship Manager': the incredible rise of Dorking Wanderers

 

[SkyBlueSoul]

I like catching a National League game when I can, decent standard considering it's the 5th tier. Agree with @Frostie , National League is stronger than it's ever been and isn't far off being League 3 at this point. Even the 3 semi-pro teams are holding their own. From what I've read RIck Parry is open to offering them a 2nd automatic spot so 3 come up, just needs a majority of EFL clubs to vote for it.

 

[Frostie]

I like catching a National League game when I can, decent standard considering it's the 5th tier. Agree with @Frostie , National League is stronger than it's ever been and isn't far off being League 3 at this point. Even the 3 semi-pro teams are holding their own. From what I've read RIck Parry is open to offering them a 2nd automatic spot so 3 come up, just needs a majority of EFL clubs to vote for it.

And therein lies the problem... Turkeys voting for Christmas.

 

[hill83]

Brimming with ready made top end of the championship players apparently.

 

[SkyBlueSoul]

And therein lies the problem... Turkeys voting for Christmas.

The one thing that may help is that it looks like it will be a simple majority needed (not like the Premier League needing 14/20) so a 37-35 vote in favour would do. 24 Championship clubs and 6 in L1 who will feel they're too big to go down again (Sheff W, Derby, Bolton, Ipswich, Portsmouth, Barnsley) gets you to 30 without breaking sweat. Teams like Wycombe/Peterborough might feel well enough set now too.

You're right though, gets a lot trickier after that. Strong chance many of them will feel the trapdoor to non-league is already only 1 bad season away without voting to make it bigger as well.

 

[NorthernWisdom]

The one thing that may help is that it looks like it will be a simple majority needed (not like the Premier League needing 14/20) so a 37-35 vote in favour would do. 24 Championship clubs and 6 in L1 who will feel they're too big to go down again (Sheff W, Derby, Bolton, Ipswich, Portsmouth, Barnsley) gets you to 30 without breaking sweat. Teams like Wycombe/Peterborough might feel well enough set now too.

You're right though, gets a lot trickier after that. Strong chance many of them will feel the trapdoor to non-league is already only 1 bad season away without voting to make it bigger as well.

Or look at it that if you do go down, more chance to go up.

 

[Nuskyblue]

And therein lies the problem... Turkeys voting for Christmas.

The exact phrase that popped into my head