New league looks set despite reservations

Published on 31st May 2007 in Sport

DESPITE RESERVATIONS, the new Unibond League Division One format looked set to be given the green light at a meeting of club chairmen at the Mere Golf and Country Club.

As with their respective leagues in the Southern and Isthmian Leagues, the Unibond will fall into line with two Division Ones comprising North and Midlands with 18 clubs in each league.

The whole argument received a further setback last week when Durham City revealed they were withdrawing from the new Unibond League due to the uncertainty, but the Northern Counties East League stepped in by stating they would allow Garforth Town to be promoted as a fourth club in the event of this happening.

Many clubs are still dissatisfied with the arrangements, i.e. geographical placing, (Warrington Town, Cammell Laird, Colwyn Bay and Goole to name four) reduction in games, hence revenue etc., etc., but the league, who are disappointed at getting no assurances of an increase in clubs from the FA for 2008-2009, discussed a package at their Management Committee meeting last Thursday, and those proposals were to be put forward last night.

The league will now take on a completely different look from last season's table (right), but one of the proposals expected to be considered last night was a season still comprising 42 games, despite the lack of clubs, with the games made up similarly to what happens in the closing weeks of the Scottish League season.

It is hardly ideal, but there appears little other option.

Time is running out now, and any further delay, it would appear, could cause chaos, and if the league do not embrace this new concept, the repercussions in the non-league pyramid in the short and long term could be severe.

The league Annual General Meeting takes place in Blackpool two weeks on Saturday, and it would be inconceivable that any further turmoil could affect that and any decisions.

The Vikings, it appears - and this is still unconfirmed - will be in the Midlands section with the clubs as indicated several weeks ago in the Goole Times. With Birmingham clubs re-located into the Southern League, the travelling element has been reduced somewhat.

A full appraisal of the items discussed last night will be in next week's edition, together with opinions from the chairman and manager.

First friendly confirmed

Goole, in the meantime, are awaiting replies from several league clubs re pre-season friendlies, but have arranged their defence of the Otisdale Cup against Selby Town.

This goes ahead at Flaxley Road on August 1 with a 7.45pm kick off, Goole having won the inaugural staging last year on penalties.

Danby hopeful about players

Meanwhile manager Nigel Danby is hopeful about players for the new season, which starts on August 18.

He has made approaches for players in those key places that needed strengthening, and is also optimistic that he can keep the majority of last season's squad.

Although the Vikings scored over 100 goals during the 2006-2007 season, he has a striker with 25 plus goals a season in the Unibond and Northern Counties East league in the last five seasons firmly in his sights.