Shortage of players?

[English]

We are now into the cup competition and worryingly we’ve got some clubs still struggling to field two teams. Constantly seeing advertisements for players.

Are we seeing players drop off due to Covid? Is it due to the league allowing more clubs in, are we seeing the playing pool spread too thin or is there another reason?

[God is an Englishman]

Especially concerning when it's a club coming back to SAASL when they pulled out a few years ago due to a lack of players.

I say concerning, i meant hysterical.

[nathanburns15]

I know of one or two instances where clubs have dropped from First Team/Ressies to a single team and the other half of the squad has formed a new single team club.

[God is an Englishman]

I'm hearing MA Hawks likely to be dropping to a single team club. I think that means Gleeson would be promoted.

[edenhazard]

huge if true, a div 1 club! wat happend?

[English]

So we’ve got rumours swirling around about MA Hawks, from what I’ve been told from their own players One Tree Hill is now down to one team. This leaves both Sat Div 1 (potentially) and Sat Div 2 with a 9 team competition.

Divs 3 & 4 start this week, with 8 and 6. If those two clubs have gone down to one team, is it really that hard to postpone games in Div 3 & 4 this week, move one up from 2 and 3 to make;

Div 1 - 10
Div 2 - 10
Div 3 - 12

Div 3 then moves from 21 week season to 22, but only playing everyone twice instead of the ridiculous 3 times.

Then if teams drop out of Div 3 throughout the season it’s not affecting relegation. Then the league can finally work out how they plan to tackle this moving forward, ideally letting us all in on the plan because this is a shambles.

Even if MA Hawks don’t pull out, they are struggling to fill a reserves team in pre season and I can’t see that getting any better.

You can’t tell me the league don’t have an idea this is happening, they’d be able to pull registration numbers from Play Football to gauge where clubs are at as well.

[God is an Englishman]

A theory. A theory with no sources or back up.

MA Hawks will not field a reserves side this season but will not tell the league until the last possible moment in the hope that the league will decide it's too late and let them play as a one team side still in Div 1.

[redfred]

Surely there should be a cut off date where you need to be able to prove you can field a reserve side in trial games or the league makes the decision for you to be flicked to the lower leagues.

[English]

One Tree Hill down to one team, Division 2 has a bye for As and Bs.

[N5 1BH]

Compulsory reserves in amateur footie, what’s the point? Get rid of reserves, clubs can have one or more teams as they are able. 1st, 2nd 3rd etc. only rule is a team can’t be promoted to same division as another of their club. Keeps the league depth & pyramid system relevant and gives clubs room to grow.

[God is an Englishman]

Compulsory reserves in amateur footie, what’s the point? Get rid of reserves, clubs can have one or more teams as they are able. 1st, 2nd 3rd etc. only rule is a team can’t be promoted to same division as another of their club. Keeps the league depth & pyramid system relevant and gives clubs room to grow.

That's how it is in England and it works well.

[N5 1BH]

Compulsory reserves in amateur footie, what’s the point? Get rid of reserves, clubs can have one or more teams as they are able. 1st, 2nd 3rd etc. only rule is a team can’t be promoted to same division as another of their club. Keeps the league depth & pyramid system relevant and gives clubs room to grow.

That's how it is in England and it works well.

Its how it’s always been, if it ain’t broke don’t fix it it. Even Essex Senior League, which ( in my opinion) is a much better standard than State League 1, you only need a first team. Something a bit different, I watched my nephew play in Harlow where they had 4 or 5 firsts divisions to one reserves division for those clubs that had them.

[God is an Englishman]

Compulsory reserves in amateur footie, what’s the point? Get rid of reserves, clubs can have one or more teams as they are able. 1st, 2nd 3rd etc. only rule is a team can’t be promoted to same division as another of their club. Keeps the league depth & pyramid system relevant and gives clubs room to grow.

That's how it is in England and it works well.

Its how it’s always been, if it ain’t broke don’t fix it it. Even Essex Senior League, which ( in my opinion) is a much better standard than State League 1, you only need a first team. Something a bit different, I watched my nephew play in Harlow where they had 4 or 5 firsts divisions to one reserves division for those clubs that had them.

Essex Senior is far superior to SL1.