England > Antepost > Conference Premier League 2013/2014

[Shipsupstreets]

Re: England > Antepost > Conference Premier League 2013/2014

What are your thoughts on Grimsby guys?

It'll depend partly on the quality of the signings - there are plenty of squad places to fill - and how flexible Scott and Hurst manage to be when things aren't going well. I've been quite an advocate of them over the years but they were a bit exposed when things weren't going right at the business end of last season. There isn't much in the prices at the moment - Hills are a best 9s and I wouldn't want to be any further in than that currently.

[kevshat]

Re: England > Antepost > Conference Premier League 2013/2014

Have to confess that I was lazy about keeping notes on Histon once they disappeared off the betting radar' date=' but of the two Jim Stevenson has made more impression with me - a central midfielder who was sometimes deployed in a more forward role after Kaine Sheppard left. Likes a strike and a clever football. Danny Fitzsimons hasn't really registered with me but he was a regular in a defence that improved markedly over the season, even when personnel was never settled. Like Elliot Justham, ones for the future and I doubt if they'll be regulars for a while.[/quote'] If Fitzsimons is a left back then he'll be fighting with Scott Griffiths for the left back slot but from what I saw of Griffiths at the end of last season he'll do well to dislodge him. He looks pretty reliable there. That's one position we've definitely improved on from this time last year. I think we're just another experienced centre back away from the squad pretty much being complete barring anymore youngsters coming in for the future.

[Shipsupstreets]

Re: England > Antepost > Conference Premier League 2013/2014

If Fitzsimons is a left back then he'll be fighting with Scott Griffiths for the left back slot but from what I saw of Griffiths at the end of last season he'll do well to dislodge him. He looks pretty reliable there. That's one position we've definitely improved on from this time last year. I think we're just another experienced centre back away from the squad pretty much being complete barring anymore youngsters coming in for the future.

He may have started last season at left back but soon switched to the centre of defence, with the preferred line-up a four, partnered with Remy Clerima. Once Clerima was injured, Brian Page handed Fitzsimons the captain's armband. I'm assuming he's been signed as a central defender. I agree that Luton need more cover in this area - it seems to me a comparatively weak area for you at the moment.

[Shipsupstreets]

Re: England > Antepost > Conference Premier League 2013/2014 Jamie Collins has left FGR. A tidy midfielder with plenty of experience and a very useful figure to have operating in front of the defence. The most surprising thing is his destination: Eastleigh in the Conference South. A tremendous signing for them.

[Darran]

What are your thoughts on Grimsby guys?

I am with ships they aren't for me and unlike ships I have never been a fan of the management. Play offs at best. Sent from my GT-I8190N using PL Forum

[Aidymac]

Re: England > Antepost > Conference Premier League 2013/2014 Luton look very short? :unsure Kidderminster @ 10/1 looks very big to me. I don't know a whole pile about the Conference, but can someone give me some info on Kidderminster and whether they also feel 10/1 is big, before I place the bet. Thanks.

[Darran]

Re: England > Antepost > Conference Premier League 2013/2014

Luton look very short? :unsure Kidderminster @ 10/1 looks very big to me. I don't know a whole pile about the Conference, but can someone give me some info on Kidderminster and whether they also feel 10/1 is big, before I place the bet. Thanks.

Luton were always going to be favs. I think Still will do well there, but I will probably bank on them having a slow start and back them when they drift out. Still is building a new squad so it could take time for them to gel and clearly they seem to be buying players for the future as well. As for Kiddie I think it is a fair price, but they aren't a rich club so they may well struggle to get any decent new additions in and you have to worry some players might leave. If they can keep the squad together they will have a chance, but my gut feeling is their best chance of winning the league was this year. I can't see the price moving too much, if anything it might drift so I would hold fire and went until nearer the start of the season and then you have a better idea of how they will shape up.

[Shipsupstreets]

Re: England > Antepost > Conference Premier League 2013/2014

Kidderminster @ 10/1 looks very big to me. I don't know a whole pile about the Conference, but can someone give me some info on Kidderminster and whether they also feel 10/1 is big, before I place the bet. Thanks.

There is some appeal in the price, I think, and I can't put you off. The biggest danger for me is that they'll lose Steve Burr, who would be my manager of choice if I were assembling a Dream Conference Team. It's a real danger that a chairman from higher up the food chain comes courting. They've a strong squad currently, and although a bit of freshening up is inevitable and healthy, I think they'll survive a couple of departures - Burr has been pretty good at finding replacements.

[Shipsupstreets]

Re: England > Antepost > Conference Premier League 2013/2014 There's still not much clarity as to the situation at Aldershot. Most of the playing squad who can be disposed of have been disposed of, leaving a handful of players and a manager, with those departing still owed part of their wages. The administrators are weighing up interest from a number of parties, the most serious of which is probably the newly formed supporters' trust. There are a few possibilities here, including the bad (a voluntary or forced demotion) and the really bad (liquidation), as well as a muddling through with a new, more tightly run regime. What seems unlikely currently is a sudden burst of investment and football-related debt-clearing to make the 40/1 seem anything like value, though it's hard to make predictions. As things stand, if they stay at this level they most likely won't be very competitive. Barnet have, rather surprisingly, retained the services of Edgar Davids. They've a new team to build and a new home to get used to, so the potential for fireworks this season are limited, though they are in a much healthier position than Aldershot. The quality of the squad and backroom staff he puts together will be the key pointer, of course, and I don't rule their chances of being competitive.

[Darran]

It seems the Chester gamble could well be a tipping line job. Feel sorry for the people who have paid for that tip. Sent from my GT-I8190N using PL Forum

[Shipsupstreets]

Re: England > Antepost > Conference Premier League 2013/2014

It seems the Chester gamble could well be a tipping line job. Feel sorry for the people who have paid for that tip.

That makes sense and after all it only takes one lumpy punt to bury a fresh price. Even Chester fans seem more realistic about their chances than the market-makers, and the only comments I've seem recommending them have come from the hindsight tipsters on Twitter, who only felt the need to post after the prices came in. I'm guessing they'll put together a decent squad but they've a huge rebuilding job and if they consolidate as a top half side this season they'll have done well. Twelves will be a good price in 2014/15.

[Darran]

Re: England > Antepost > Conference Premier League 2013/2014 Thurrock have been deducted 3pts and are relegated from the Ryman Premier.

[Darran]

Re: England > Antepost > Conference Premier League 2013/2014 Latest on Farnborough http://www.farnboroughfc.co.uk/2013/05/administrators-update/

[Shipsupstreets]

Re: England > Antepost > Conference Premier League 2013/2014

Thurrock have been deducted 3pts and are relegated from the Ryman Premier.

And not surprisingly they are appealing.

[Darran]

Re: England > Antepost > Conference Premier League 2013/2014

And not surprisingly they are appealing.

Struggle to see them winning that appeal. Given Harlow actually did the job properly I am not sure they have a leg to stand on really as they are the rules however silly in this case they may appear.

[Shipsupstreets]

Re: England > Antepost > Conference Premier League 2013/2014

Struggle to see them winning that appeal. Given Harlow actually did the job properly I am not sure they have a leg to stand on really as they are the rules however silly in this case they may appear.

AFC Wimbledon? In that case the rules were bent partly to account for common sense. Mind you, they had any number of well-connected legal brains among their support - not sure if Thurrock can call on such a stellar team to face down some dusty FA solicitor.

[bartonbank]

I hope Thurrock do succeed. The fine for the player was imposed because his Sunday team folded and all of his team were fined. He didn't know of the fine. Why can't there be a central register for all secretaries to check in this day and age? It is also interesting to compare this punishment with that meted out to West Ham with Tevez (fine) and Watford (transfer embargo they easily circumvented). In relation to Luton's new striker from Hull, he played for Stockport at ours last season. He was standing on our goal line as a shot was about to go in. He decided to help it in from six inches and the goal was ruled out for offside! Sent from my HTC One X using PL Forum

[Darran]

Re: England > Antepost > Conference Premier League 2013/2014

AFC Wimbledon? In that case the rules were bent partly to account for common sense. Mind you' date=' they had any number of well-connected legal brains among their support - not sure if Thurrock can call on such a stellar team to face down some dusty FA solicitor.[/quote'] You will have to jog my memory on the AFC Wimbledon case. I agree BB things should change, but the rules are as they are and at the end of the day a club in a lower league did find out he was banned. The problem is teams have been deducted points in the past or thrown out of cup competitions so to be fair on them they have to be deducted the points however harsh it is.

[Shipsupstreets]

Re: England > Antepost > Conference Premier League 2013/2014

You will have to jog my memory on the AFC Wimbledon case.

Back on 06/07 AFC Wimbledon signed Jermaine Darlington, who was performing pretty well as a left back/wing back. I can't recall the exact details, but he was previously registered as a Cardiff City player and therefore his transfer required international clearance, which AFC Wimbledon hadn't sought. When the mistake came to light, the Ryman applied its own rules and deducted the points won by AFC Wimbledon with him in the side - a huge 18, which knocked them out of the playoffs. Cue a massive media campaign which got as far as a question in the House of Commons, and when the FA heard their appeal - delivered by a QC offering his services for free - they basically rolled over, reducing the punishment to three points (although a fine stood and I think they were bounced out of the Trophy quarter-finals). I was at Kingsmeadow a fair bit in those days, and didn't quite share everyone's enthusiasm for the wrongness of the Ryman's action - though the punishment was harsh (I am sure there was no aim by the club/player to bend any rules to gain an advantage), AFC Wimbledon had made a blunder of the highest order in not seeking international clearance. The suspicion lingered that the FA had been defeated not by force of argument but by a decent PR campaign. Having said that, the FA now - surely - has a precedent for dealing with these cases (one that didn't apply a year earlier when Alty lost a similar amount of points mid season and nearly got relegated from the top tier). Now, the FA can overturn a harsh penalty if it deems the punishment inappropriate. In this case, with the sum involved and the player blissfully unaware of it, that surely applies. This is, at least, one way out for Thurrock, though Carshalton might not agree. The best and most clear outcome would be some proof that the player wasn't actually registered with the Sunday league club - that seems to be a peg on which Thurrock are hanging their appeal.

[Darran]

Re: England > Antepost > Conference Premier League 2013/2014

Back on 06/07 AFC Wimbledon signed Jermaine Darlington, who was performing pretty well as a left back/wing back. I can't recall the exact details, but he was previously registered as a Cardiff City player and therefore his transfer required international clearance, which AFC Wimbledon hadn't sought. When the mistake came to light, the Ryman applied its own rules and deducted the points won by AFC Wimbledon with him in the side - a huge 18, which knocked them out of the playoffs. Cue a massive media campaign which got as far as a question in the House of Commons, and when the FA heard their appeal - delivered by a QC offering his services for free - they basically rolled over, reducing the punishment to three points (although a fine stood and I think they were bounced out of the Trophy quarter-finals). I was at Kingsmeadow a fair bit in those days, and didn't quite share everyone's enthusiasm for the wrongness of the Ryman's action - though the punishment was harsh (I am sure there was no aim by the club/player to bend any rules to gain an advantage), AFC Wimbledon had made a blunder of the highest order in not seeking international clearance. The suspicion lingered that the FA had been defeated not by force of argument but by a decent PR campaign. Having said that, the FA now - surely - has a precedent for dealing with these cases (one that didn't apply a year earlier when Alty lost a similar amount of points mid season and nearly got relegated from the top tier). Now, the FA can overturn a harsh penalty if it deems the punishment inappropriate. In this case, with the sum involved and the player blissfully unaware of it, that surely applies. This is, at least, one way out for Thurrock, though Carshalton might not agree. The best and most clear outcome would be some proof that the player wasn't actually registered with the Sunday league club - that seems to be a peg on which Thurrock are hanging their appeal.

Surprised I don't remember that although it was before my times of following non-league as closely as I do now. I seem to remember when I lived in Leeds that Farsley were affected in the Unibond one season and they had to go into the play-offs after they thought they had won the league.

[Shipsupstreets]

Re: England > Antepost > Conference Premier League 2013/2014

Surprised I don't remember that although it was before my times of following non-league as closely as I do now. I seem to remember when I lived in Leeds that Farsley were affected in the Unibond one season and they had to go into the play-offs after they thought they had won the league.

That was completely mad! They were caught up in the season when Spennymoor's record was expunged, which should have actually helped Farsley, who'd managed just a single point in two games against them (and therefore didn't lose much) and in the revised table were champions (instead of Workington). But there were a series of end-of-season meetings and the league decided that the record wouldn't be expunged but the fixtures unfulfilled by Spenny (about a dozen) would be treated as three points to the opposition (with no goal advantage). Suddenly, Hyde (who I don't think had played Spenny) were champions! Farsley lost to Worko on pens in the playoff final, and a few years later would play a part in the record-expunging issue when Fleetwood and Southport were vying for the Conny North.

[Darran]

That was it obviously totally different although an example of rules being used in different ways in different leagues. Sent from my GT-I8190N using PL Forum

[Shipsupstreets]

Re: England > Antepost > Conference Premier League 2013/2014

That was it obviously totally different although an example of rules being used in different ways in different leagues.

Indeed - what the league say is flexibility just looks like inconsistency in some cases.

[Shipsupstreets]

Re: England > Antepost > Conference Premier League 2013/2014 Not much has happened at Aldershot in the past week, other than they have even fewer players in the squad now and look even less like a Conference side. There is some excitement in Stockport about the possibility of a reprieve from relegation but while this is not an impossibility it looks some way off: the Conference's rules lose a lot of their bite when applied to relegated league clubs. Unless Aldershot mightily mess up at the AGM or request a demotion themselves, they most likely will be a Conference Prem side next season.

[Shipsupstreets]

Re: England > Antepost > Conference Premier League 2013/2014 BetVics have some bottom four and bottom half prices out in the Prem. Nuneaton and Tamworth lead the way at 4/5 in the Bottom 4, Hyde at 11/10, then Southport and Alfreton at 7/4. Braintree, Darford, Salisbury, Welling and Woking are 7/2. Should be competitive down there, although there is value in 7/4 Southport. Alfreton are a quiet fancy of mine this season and will be more likely top half than bottom four (a 5/1 shot for top half - pretty decent). Aldershot at 6s are a competitive play if they make it to the start line at this level, and I have to say Macc at 12s is pretty big given that they are really cutting their cloth at the moment. A sporting play is Forest Green Rovers at 66s, who among the contenders at the top are really the only one who have a chance of imploding.

[Shipsupstreets]

Re: England > Antepost > Conference Premier League 2013/2014 Ebbsfleet in the Conny South have flexed their new financial muscle with the signing of Daryl McMahon from Dover - for £13,000. That's a staggering fee for an intra-league transfer at this level. As a statement of intent, it's a clear signal, though it's a profoundly absurd bit of business by Ebbsfleet. He's a decent player no doubt, but he doesn't control things as regularly as someone with his reputation should. I thought he was pretty good at Farnborough a couple of seasons back, but his Eastleigh and Dover contributions don't warrant anything like that amount of cash.

[Shipsupstreets]

Re: England > Antepost > Conference Premier League 2013/2014 Betway have relegation prices out for the Prem. Southport are 2/1 - even better value than BetVics. Aldershot are priced at 3/1 - much more realistic, given that if they do go off in August, it will be with a side that is patched together and very possibly uncompetitive. FGR at 80/1 is better than BetVics 66s.

[Shipsupstreets]

Re: England > Antepost > Conference Premier League 2013/2014 Conference AGM today, with most focus on Aldershot and Farnborough. Farnborough's creditors yesterday agreed to the terms of the CVA, which means they can exit admin (provided football debts are cleared). That option doesn't look available to Aldershot, who'll most likely start the season in the Prem in administration, -10, with a vastly reduced budget, or outside the Conference altogether. Such are the rules for the newly relegated that if they want to start in the Prem they most likely will.

[Shipsupstreets]

Re: England > Antepost > Conference Premier League 2013/2014 ... and I'm not sure when the news is officially confirmed, but some random chairman always tweets the verdicts after lunch.

[Shipsupstreets]

Re: England > Antepost > Conference Premier League 2013/2014 Aldershot confirmed as a Prem club, starting with a -10. Stockport start in the Conny North, which given their signings so far means a different accent to the betting. Farnborough have been confirmed as a Conny South club (though there are some conditions). BetVics' 6/1 about a bottom four place for Aldershot just got a bit more attractive.