If you split the lower leagues West/East...

[Midlands hobo]

7 minutes ago, Griff said:

fact is that half the teams are in Yorkshire and half the rest are in the southern part of Lancashire. That's just how it is. Live with it.

Oh so close to needing my bingo board. Nearly had heartlands true fans or traditional clubs from you. 

Want to try again?

[Griff]

8 minutes ago, Midlands hobo said:

Oh so close to needing my bingo board. Nearly had heartlands true fans or traditional clubs from you. 

Want to try again?

Not sure what you're after here, Hobo.  Is it half a dozen clubs to relocate from Yorkshire to East Anglia?

Or just give us your answer.

[Midlands hobo]

1 minute ago, Griff said:

Not sure what you're after here, Hobo.  Is it half a dozen clubs to relocate from Yorkshire to East Anglia?

Or just give us your answer.

The answer actually is very similar to your earlier one. Not a fan of regionalisation.

If something could be done and I had my choice I'd have NFL style conference.

Conferences can be mixed up with best split based on travel which I'm sure a spreadsheet could work out.

[Griff]

2 minutes ago, Midlands hobo said:

The answer actually is very similar to your earlier one. Not a fan of regionalisation.

So why all the venom?

 

[Midlands hobo]

9 minutes ago, Griff said:

So why all the venom?

 

I was pointing out to OP that the split they suggested was massively bias towards Yorkshire clubs. 

You decided to chip in with "Live with it". 

[Griff]

2 minutes ago, Midlands hobo said:

I was pointing out to OP that the split they suggested was massively bias towards Yorkshire clubs. 

You decided to chip in with "Live with it". 

OK.  But that's because there are a lot of clubs in Yorkshire.   It's just a fact.

[Wellsy4HullFC]

1 hour ago, Barley Mow said:

I'm not sure I agree about the split being an indicator for aiming expansion: Your western group covers 3 government regions with a population of about 19 million (plus 1 club in Wales), your eastern group covers 6 government regions with a population of about 37.5 million (plus 1 club in France). The ratio of clubs to people is higher in the west group.

It may cover 6 regions, but only 3 of them currently have clubs (NE, Yorks, London). If we ever got to a point where we had an Eastern, South East and East Midlands club in addition, then we'd be in a great position to split to a southern division.

As is, even with the greater coverage in theory, in practice, the west division has more travel on average. There's a huge concentration of West Yorkshire pro clubs. That could really do with a counter balance of Lancashire clubs (there's still loads of areas there without clubs). Sometimes regionalisation can show areas to target.

[Wellsy4HullFC]

22 minutes ago, Midlands hobo said:

The answer actually is very similar to your earlier one. Not a fan of regionalisation.

If something could be done and I had my choice I'd have NFL style conference.

Conferences can be mixed up with best split based on travel which I'm sure a spreadsheet could work out.

How large would your conferences be?

It would still have the same issue of clubs in areas having to travel due to concentration of clubs in hotspot areas, mainly West Yorkshire.

[Wellsy4HullFC]

1 hour ago, Harry Stottle said:

Err, Workington and Whitehaven even Barrow, travelling to Birmingham and Cornwall and Visa versa.

The only option is to obviously chuck out Cumbria...

 

Seriously though, until we have more southern clubs, this is unavoidable. The West Cumbrian clubs will always be outposts as there's literally nothing else around there. They either travel to Lancashire or travel to North East (which are similar distances).

[donald]

North and South would be better . Draw a line through the map.  Pretty simple if some teams don't like it tough . We at Haven and our friends at Town pay a fortune to travel all over the spot

[Harry Stottle]

6 minutes ago, Wellsy4HullFC said:

The only option is to obviously chuck out Cumbria...

 

Seriously though, until we have more southern clubs, this is unavoidable. The West Cumbrian clubs will always be outposts as there's literally nothing else around there. They either travel to Lancashire or travel to North East (which are similar distances).

Well actually it isn't unavoidable we don't employ this system simple, but you say the West Cumbrian clubs are outposts, there are 3 clubs there so how would you term Cornwall?

[Wellsy4HullFC]

8 minutes ago, Harry Stottle said:

Well actually it isn't unavoidable we don't employ this system simple

That doesn't avoid them being outposts. They'd still be outposts, but without the guarantee of being in the same division (potentially making them even greater outposts).

9 minutes ago, Harry Stottle said:

but you say the West Cumbrian clubs are outposts, there are 3 clubs there so how would you term Cornwall?

Another outpost.

[Midlands hobo]

19 minutes ago, Wellsy4HullFC said:

The only option is to obviously chuck out Cumbria...

 

Seriously though, until we have more southern clubs, this is unavoidable. 

Grass roots investment with a solid lower league. Central funding to support 3 new southern (ex) teams. Stags, all golds and either skolars or Oxford. Or both. It depends if people actually want expansion and it to be a success or if they just want their local club to be ok and sod the rest.

Until people can look beyond superleague to distribute funds it's all a rhetorical game.

[Griff]

6 minutes ago, Midlands hobo said:

Grass roots investment with a solid lower league. Central funding to support 3 new southern (ex) teams. Stags, all golds and either skolars or Oxford. Or both. It depends if people actually want expansion and it to be a success or if they just want their local club to be ok and sod the rest.

Until people can look beyond superleague to distribute funds it's all a rhetorical game.

IMG have this covered.

[Midlands hobo]

Just now, Griff said:

IMG have this covered.

And the Titanic was ok when it left Belfast 

[Griff]

Just now, Midlands hobo said:

And the Titanic was ok when it left Belfast 

So my in-laws tell me.

[Harry Stottle]

12 minutes ago, Wellsy4HullFC said:

Another outpost

And twice the distance, just guessing without checking.

 By the way talking of outpost who are the Hull clubs nearest neighbour's in SL must be Cas and what 50 miles? 

Edited November 19, 2023 by Harry Stottle

[Harry Stottle]

3 minutes ago, Midlands hobo said:

And the Titanic was ok when it left Belfast 

 Brilliant, well said.

[Harry Stottle]

4 minutes ago, Griff said:

So my in-laws tell me.

Poor response Griff.

[Griff]

3 minutes ago, Harry Stottle said:

Poor response Griff.

I can't be bothered with stupid straw man arguments, Harry.

Edited November 19, 2023 by Griff

[Harry Stottle]

Just now, Griff said:

I can't be bothered with stupid straw man arguments, Harry.

Must admit though it was funny.

[Griff]

12 minutes ago, Harry Stottle said:

Must admit though it was funny.

Folk in Lancashire are easily amused.

[Blind side johnny]

An interesting discussion no doubt.

As a matter of curiosity just how many contributors to this thread are active supporters of clubs outside of SL?

[Harry Stottle]

5 minutes ago, Blind side johnny said:

An interesting discussion no doubt.

As a matter of curiosity just how many contributors to this thread are active supporters of clubs outside of SL?

I may not be active as in going Johnny, but I am really interested in the welfare of clubs below SL, but I often wonder how many of the SL clubs fans who write on these pages are active fans.

[Damien]

I don't see how a West and East split reduces travel that much for many and the big trips are still there. I don't think Lancashire clubs traveling to Yorkshire and vice versa causes many issues really.