Not strictly Saints related.... but Eastleigh secured their place in the Conference South Playoffs last night with a win over Truro City. Do you think they can win them? If so, do you think they can survive in the Conference National, where they'd only be one division below us ?
Great for them, i havent followed eastleigh for a couple of seasons, back then i remember them having a decent squad. I would hope they would survive and go up to league 2 too. Could only be one division below portsmouth.... How things have changed
Who do they face in the play offs? Would be one hell of a challenge for them to compete in the Conference, there are some big clubs in that division (relatively speaking) but good luck to them. I guess with a step-up in class, Eastleigh maybe able to tap into the Saints Youth/U21 set up for loans.
Excellent idea. Would be good for some of the upcoming youth players to get game time rather than being 'blooded' in the PL (god I hate that phrase).
Depends on the last day, they are 5th so would play (Jamie White's) Salisbury if things stay as they are. Dover and Chelmsford are the other two. It's attritional in the Conf national, there are some notable teams up there, and only two promotion spots, so some of them are itching to get back to L2. The wages and travel will be tough in their ground as well. With the academy playing some games there I can imagine more of a link up developing in the next few years, whether they do go up or not.
I've always wondered with the Conference. 2 teams go up from each league (2 southern, 2 nothern) ... what happens if say, there were 3 southern relegated teams and only 1 northern team?
Ooh, that's a good question..! I don't know. Answer: http://www.kgbanswers.co.uk/what-ha...ted-from-the-blue-square-bet-premier/22314163 and perhaps here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_conf/7201054.stm and here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Football_Conference#Promotion_and_relegation
Some teams in the midlands move across the North-South split sometimes. But the problem is there are loads more Southern teams in the 6th tier than Northern, for various reasons. So "North" actually means "above the M4". Oxford City play in the North, for example, much to the pleasure of their travelling supporters.
They can move Midlands teams sideways to even it up - in 2008 [source: Wikipedia] Worcester City moved from the Conference North to the Conference South due to the relegated teams being Farsley Celtic (Leeds), Stafford Rangers (Stafford) and Droylsden (Manchester). (Only 3 relegated teams due to Halifax Town folding). TBH, it's pretty rare that four teams are actually relegated from the Conference National to the Conference North/South since so many teams fold or get demoted multiple divisions.
Cheers guys So, if I'm reading this right, for example, Oxford could be playing the Northern League one season, but if 3 northern teams come down, they could be moved to the Southern? That's a hell of a hassle!
Yep. In fact, they might well be next season, since 3 of the 4 relegated teams are northern ones. Or it might be Bishop's Stortford who move. Or both, depending on who gets promoted from the Southern League. Must be fun for the organisers...
So can anyone tell me more about Eastleigh? My interest stems from my following Chester City for the last three years as a sideline to following Saints up and down the country. They have achieved three promotions and are now going into the Conference Premier with the likes of Wrexham and Luton. Their gates are around 3000. How does this compare to Eastleigh? Chester, I know, are already concerned about the huge hike in operating costs at this new level, which is more akin to League 1 & 2 than "non-league" football.
Below Conf N/S are three divisions, Southern Prem, Northern Prem, and Isthmian Prem, which is basically London + South East. Whitehawk in Brighton have just won it, so they will be in the Conf South. Because essentially two leagues feed the Southern and one the Northern, there is a big imbalance. It's all a bit weird.
Eastleigh got 1,200 for last nights game, but that was with free entry. They normally get between 500 - 600 crowds, bit more if they play another local team like Salisbury. So they will get bigger crowds if they go up, be interesting to see how they would segregate big away followings from the likes of Luton or Wrexham.
Weirdly, the Southern Prem is actually further north than the Isthmian. Leamington are up, and they would definitely be Conference North as it stands. And there are at least two teams in play-off contention who would also be Conference North (Stourbridge and Barwell). If either of them go up, the 10 teams joining the Conference North/South (from either side) would split 7 North 3 South. Totally with you on the "a bit weird" front...!
