league structure and 1985 cup

[POR]

Betfred League One will be a nine-club competition, with each side playing 20 matches – 10 at home, and 10 away. This will involve four loop fixtures for each team, to be determined by seedings based on 2023 finishing positions (a contingency model has also been devised for an eight-team competition, which would see each team play the other three times in a 21-round programme). The League One Grand Final will be played on October 6 at home ground of the team ranked highest during the regular season. 

In 2024 the 13 England-based Championship clubs will join eight League One clubs (Cornwall will not be taking part) in seven groups of three. Groups will be seeded and regionalised, with League One clubs awarded home advantage in any fixtures against Championship opposition. The top team in each group will qualify for Quarter Finals, joined by the best-performing second-placed team – the latter to be determined by competition points initially and then, if necessary, by points difference.

[Dovster]

I think it is probably the best compromise that could have been agreed TBH. Although I'm not happy that Cornwall have been left out.

We desperately need a better plan going forward though.

[Indigogo]

These are my thoughts...

The statement says there's play offs and a grand final as normal, I presume that's played between teams finishing 2nd to 5th and top would have automatic promotion as usual. 

 

The concerning part is no one actually knows what they're playing for at the moment. There's a forum in place to discuss the 2025 format, with a decision before the season starts. The sensible and logical thing to do would be to move to 2 leagues of 11 or increase SL to 14 and have one big league below that. 

 

If you move to 2 divisions of 11, there's going to be some unhappy clubs. Either there's no promotion from L1 this season or, there's 1 up 3 down, or 2 up and 4 down. Either way some clubs somewhere won't be happy. 

 

If there's one league of 20 then we aren't playing for anything this season other than sweet sweet IMG points!

[Dovster]

12 minutes ago, Indigogo said:

These are my thoughts...

The statement says there's play offs and a grand final as normal, I presume that's played between teams finishing 2nd to 5th and top would have automatic promotion as usual. 

 

The concerning part is no one actually knows what they're playing for at the moment. There's a forum in place to discuss the 2025 format, with a decision before the season starts. The sensible and logical thing to do would be to move to 2 leagues of 11 or increase SL to 14 and have one big league below that. 

 

If you move to 2 divisions of 11, there's going to be some unhappy clubs. Either there's no promotion from L1 this season or, there's 1 up 3 down, or 2 up and 4 down. Either way some clubs somewhere won't be happy. 

 

If there's one league of 20 then we aren't playing for anything this season other than sweet sweet IMG points!

Isn't there a chance of increasing SL to 14 clubs? I keep hearing it mentioned as the IMG preferred format.

This could lead to one division under SL.

 

[Indigogo]

1 hour ago, Dovster said:

Isn't there a chance of increasing SL to 14 clubs? I keep hearing it mentioned as the IMG preferred format.

This could lead to one division under SL.

 

If there's a 14 team SL that leaves 21 team (if Newcastle participate). Is that too many for one league? 

You could arguably have 2 leagues below, one with 11 teams and another with 10, but that presents its own problems as outlined above. Somehow you need to find 2 (or 3) extra teams for  L1. However they do it there's going to be some clubs upset somehow. 

If it's one big league, essentially this season is pointless for the majority of L1 and Championship clubs and is a stop gap to 2025. Other than finishing as high as possible for IMG purposes.