HomeIn answer to the question raised by DA on the other thread. I will make this as simple as I can because I realise not everybody is familiar with steps in the NL pyramid and such like. Those who know their stuff, please bear with me.
Firstly, the bleedin' obvious for those not au fait with these things - The Calor (Southern) League Premier Division is Step 3 in the pyramid.
Poole were promoted last season from step 4, as we presumably all know. To gain promotion their ground needed to be up to the required standard for step 4 by 31st March 2013. Having gained promotion they had/have until 31st March 2014 (ie. this coming Monday) to bring it up to Step 3 standard. That is the work they are currently flat out trying to achieve. You might ask why they have left it so late? Three main reasons as I understand it.
Firstly, they needed planning consent for some of the works. This was quite contentious and was not granted until late in 2013. Secondly, they then had issues with the Landlord giving consent - the Landlord also happens to be the same Local Council who had granted the Planning Consent, but Landlord's Consent as such is a separate process. Thirdly, the bad weather this winter has prevented them getting on with some of it as quickly as they would have liked. I know that last Sunday they had a "work day" on the ground with supporters getting all sorts of bits and pieces finished off - seems like they are pulling out all the stops.
I believe there is an inspection on Tuesday 1st April which will determine whether they have got the grading. If so, they will be free to remain at this level, and able to participate in the play-offs for promotion (at which point they will have to start all over again to achieve the Step 2 grading). If they don't get the grading they will be demoted back to Step 4 at the end of the season.
The word seems to be that they are very confident they will be all right. But then, they would say that, wouldn't they?! We shall see...
How does all this affect us?
If Poole fail the grading they will obviously not be taking part in the play-offs come what may. If they then finish between 2nd and 5th then the FA's rulebook says this...
***********
"The Clubs in the bottom three places in each of the two divisions at Step 2 at the end of the Playing Season will be relegated to a feeder pool and placed in the most geographically appropriate division at Step 3 for the following Playing Season. They will be replaced by the Clubs finishing in 1st position in each of the divisions at Step 3 together with a further three Clubs determined by a series of play off matches involving those Clubs finishing in a Play Off Position in each of the divisions at Step 3. Where a Club finishes in a Play Off Position but does not meet the criteria for participation in play off matches the Club finishing in the next eligible position shall take part in the play off matches. The play off matches shall be played so that the highest placed of the eligible Clubs plays against the lowest placed and the other two Clubs play each other. The winners of each match will play each other and the winner of that match will be promoted. If there are only three eligible Clubs then the highest placed shall receive a bye to a second match where it will play the winner of the other play off match and the winner of that match will be promoted. Clubs finishing below position 7 will not be considered for play off matches.
***********
So the club finishing 6th would take Poole's place in the play-offs.
Incidentally, the quick-witted amongst you may have realised that the implication from this is that our ground IS eligible for Step 2 as we were allowed into the play-offs last season (which is what I always thought). However, those rules do only refer to grading and do not mention other factors that may fall foul of the Conference rule-book such as non-conforming groundshare arrangements. It's a technicality but it may be an important one.
Any questions?
Firstly, the bleedin' obvious for those not au fait with these things - The Calor (Southern) League Premier Division is Step 3 in the pyramid.
Poole were promoted last season from step 4, as we presumably all know. To gain promotion their ground needed to be up to the required standard for step 4 by 31st March 2013. Having gained promotion they had/have until 31st March 2014 (ie. this coming Monday) to bring it up to Step 3 standard. That is the work they are currently flat out trying to achieve. You might ask why they have left it so late? Three main reasons as I understand it.
Firstly, they needed planning consent for some of the works. This was quite contentious and was not granted until late in 2013. Secondly, they then had issues with the Landlord giving consent - the Landlord also happens to be the same Local Council who had granted the Planning Consent, but Landlord's Consent as such is a separate process. Thirdly, the bad weather this winter has prevented them getting on with some of it as quickly as they would have liked. I know that last Sunday they had a "work day" on the ground with supporters getting all sorts of bits and pieces finished off - seems like they are pulling out all the stops.
I believe there is an inspection on Tuesday 1st April which will determine whether they have got the grading. If so, they will be free to remain at this level, and able to participate in the play-offs for promotion (at which point they will have to start all over again to achieve the Step 2 grading). If they don't get the grading they will be demoted back to Step 4 at the end of the season.
The word seems to be that they are very confident they will be all right. But then, they would say that, wouldn't they?! We shall see...
How does all this affect us?
If Poole fail the grading they will obviously not be taking part in the play-offs come what may. If they then finish between 2nd and 5th then the FA's rulebook says this...
***********
"The Clubs in the bottom three places in each of the two divisions at Step 2 at the end of the Playing Season will be relegated to a feeder pool and placed in the most geographically appropriate division at Step 3 for the following Playing Season. They will be replaced by the Clubs finishing in 1st position in each of the divisions at Step 3 together with a further three Clubs determined by a series of play off matches involving those Clubs finishing in a Play Off Position in each of the divisions at Step 3. Where a Club finishes in a Play Off Position but does not meet the criteria for participation in play off matches the Club finishing in the next eligible position shall take part in the play off matches. The play off matches shall be played so that the highest placed of the eligible Clubs plays against the lowest placed and the other two Clubs play each other. The winners of each match will play each other and the winner of that match will be promoted. If there are only three eligible Clubs then the highest placed shall receive a bye to a second match where it will play the winner of the other play off match and the winner of that match will be promoted. Clubs finishing below position 7 will not be considered for play off matches.
***********
So the club finishing 6th would take Poole's place in the play-offs.
Incidentally, the quick-witted amongst you may have realised that the implication from this is that our ground IS eligible for Step 2 as we were allowed into the play-offs last season (which is what I always thought). However, those rules do only refer to grading and do not mention other factors that may fall foul of the Conference rule-book such as non-conforming groundshare arrangements. It's a technicality but it may be an important one.
Any questions?
Last edited by TRM on Fri Mar 28 2014, 19:38; edited 1 time in total
