Sutton united V Torquay United 21/11/17

[Dazza]

It's a very even League and let's not kid ourselves -getting out of this will be far more difficult than in previous years. After Solihull the other three to be relegated don't seem at all obvious unless someone hits real financial trouble.

[arcadia]

LUCY well said I agree it's been a hard season and it's not Christmas yet.

[Plainmoor78]

After Solihull the other three to be relegated don't seem at all obvious unless someone hits real financial trouble.

If from what I heard, and I understand it correctly, the relegated clubs may well indeed contain a surprise.
It goes like this. There are sides competing for play off spots that have artificial pitches. These are not allowed in the football league. The national league has said that any team in the play offs not eligible to play in the football league will be automatically relegated.
I dare say someone on here and will correct me.

[kevgull]

If that’s the case Plainmoor, the National League should not allow any team with that type of pitch to compete for a League place.
I guess your talking about Sutton United, could they not just rip up the artificial pitch after promotion and lay a grass pitch before the following season starts?

[Jeff]

If from what I heard, and I understand it correctly, the relegated clubs may well indeed contain a surprise.
It goes like this. There are sides competing for play off spots that have artificial pitches. These are not allowed in the football league. The national league has said that any team in the play offs not eligible to play in the football league will be automatically relegated.
I dare say someone on here and will correct me.

I’m not certain, but I don’t think any club with a plastic pitch will be relegated. They just can’t be promoted. Their ground will still be NL compliant so they’ll be allowed to stay in. Similar to Poole and Hungerford not being allowed in the NLS playoffs last year

[merse btpir]

I still cannot believe that this issue will prevent a side being allowed to take their place in either the lpay-offs or the EFL should they achieve promotion.

The subject would be taken to law and the football authorities know that whatever those reactionary opponents to progress think; they would have to adhere to the decision ~ and can you imagine the chaos whilst the issue is sorted?

They have no more 'right' to deny Maidstone, Sutton or Bromley than they would have to deny any EU citizen the right to earn his living playing football in the EFL....it simply can't (and doesn't) happen!

[Jeff]

I still cannot believe that this issue will prevent a side being allowed to take their place in either the lpay-offs or the EFL should they achieve promotion.

The subject would be taken to law and the football authorities know that whatever those reactionary opponents to progress think; they would have to adhere to the decision ~ and can you imagine the chaos whilst the issue is sorted?

They have no more 'right' to deny Maidstone, Sutton or Bromley than they would have to deny any EU citizen the right to earn his living playing football in the EFL....it simply can't (and doesn't) happen!

Agreed that it is incredibly backwards of the FA to refuse to allow such surfaces in the EFL. They must be the only authorising body who don’t internationally. I think it’s been conclusively proved that there aren’t the issues with the new surfaces like their used to be with the AstroTurf of days gone by

[merse btpir]

.....and put hand on heart, you were there on Tuesday; did you retain the fact in your mind that the pitch was 3G once you were into the game and following it's progress? I wasn't; and never am when watching football on these surfaces (which is becoming a more and more regular occurrence these days)

[Kit_robin]

If from what I heard, and I understand it correctly, the relegated clubs may well indeed contain a surprise.
It goes like this. There are sides competing for play off spots that have artificial pitches. These are not allowed in the football league. The national league has said that any team in the play offs not eligible to play in the football league will be automatically relegated.
I dare say someone on here and will correct me.

You’re half right. The national league have stated that any club in the automatic or play-off places (and I presume successful in the play offs) who have a 3G pitch and then REFUSE to replace it with a grass one (and therefore turn down promotion) will not be able to take part in the national league the following season. That is a double relegation out of the entire national league.

I think that is slightly harsh, but I presume their reasoning is they don’t want the integrity of the competiton to be called into question by having clubs turn down promotion. As well as preventing other clubs from being promoted, it hardly helps the national league in their continuing argument that there should be 3-up/3-down between the NL and EFL. It may also render a play-off final, one of the NL’s ‘showpiece’ events a farce if one of the clubs playing in it have categorically states they will not replace the pitch.

Also as I understand it the blocker is not the FA but the EFL. The FA is, broadly, in support of 3G pitches but the EFL clubs routinely vote against it. I’m sure the FA could do more to put pressure on the EFL but at the end of the day it’s their competiton and their members vote for their own interests: if they think stopping 3G pitches being allowed may save them from the non-league abyss of the worst was to happen, then they are hardly going to cote for it I suppose.

[jono_Gull209]

Highlights from Tuesday night here: http://www.thenationalleague.org.uk/mat ... eos/119796

[Cruisinho]

.....and put hand on heart, you were there on Tuesday; did you retain the fact in your mind that the pitch was 3G once you were into the game and following it's progress? I wasn't; and never am when watching football on these surfaces (which is becoming a more and more regular occurrence these days)

Just to add to this, there are some grass pitches that get very worn during the season, and impacts on the actual game. As a spectator wouldn’t you rather watch a game where it’s all about the football? Rather than going away talking about how bad the pitch was, and what if.

[Amber SUFC]

You may be interested in this 'match report' .

http://www.gandermonium.com/2017/11/the ... -lads.html