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Post by Hawkeye on May 22, 2022 12:27:01 GMT
WTF? Are you suggesting the standard in NLN is higher than NLS? If so, how would you know? I have never seen a match in the latter but seen plenty in the former. I suspect the main reason NLN is such a difficult league from which to escape is that it is largely comprised of teams typ8calkyfeaturing lumbering big blokes that bully any team that lacks the guile to outsmart and outplay them. It occurs to me that Gateshead and York invested in contracting and/or borrowing/poaching players that offered the required skill-mix and consequently secured the necessary win ratio. Losing 17 games in a season is never likely to achieve elevation to the next level. I watched some of those live streamed playoff games they showed a while back and the Southern ones were far better games from what I recall. Make of that what you will. I do suspect that it might be a league which better suits our style requirements. That said, the bottom 7 or 8 teams in National League were all Southern based again this season so there seems to be an a challenge for them in the division above. I have no doubt that you are correct when suggesting the NLS may be a league that better suits our style requirements. Therein lies the problem. HFC is confined to playing in NLN, a league that, with few exceptions, is comprised of teams generally from 'oop north' and which play a physical, destructive, flair-destroying brand of football. Gateshead and York managed to overcome the challenges of the rigours of the league. Since managing to get into the 6th tier, HFC have yet to do that. When football was being strangled by Covid, before the curtailed season before last, we had in our squad the likes of Grimes, John-Lewis, and Coke, experienced, physical players who were (and remain) perfectly capable of performing well in such a robust environment. They moved on and haven't been effectively replaced. Probably because they are too expensive for the business model favoured by those running the Club. If that situation continues, to me it seems likely the Club has got as far as it is ever going to get. Even with what was the third highest average gate in the league last season. I still haven't decided whether or not to renew my ST and am unsure as to what might persuade me to renew. |
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Post by Incognito on May 22, 2022 13:19:50 GMT
It would be interesting, and settle a few arguments, if promotion to the National was decided by play-offs between the top two from each of Norf and Saff?
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Post by Peroni on May 22, 2022 13:41:26 GMT
Cripes. The play off session will end up being more matches than the actual league season.
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Post by Peroni on May 22, 2022 13:43:58 GMT
I watched some of those live streamed playoff games they showed a while back and the Southern ones were far better games from what I recall. Make of that what you will. I do suspect that it might be a league which better suits our style requirements. That said, the bottom 7 or 8 teams in National League were all Southern based again this season so there seems to be an a challenge for them in the division above. I have no doubt that you are correct when suggesting the NLS may be a league that better suits our style requirements. Therein lies the problem. HFC is confined to playing in NLN, a league that, with few exceptions, is comprised of teams generally from 'oop north' and which play a physical, destructive, flair-destroying brand of football. Gateshead and York managed to overcome the challenges of the rigours of the league. Since managing to get into the 6th tier, HFC have yet to do that. When football was being strangled by Covid, before the curtailed season before last, we had in our squad the likes of Grimes, John-Lewis, and Coke, experienced, physical players who were (and remain) perfectly capable of performing well in such a robust environment. They moved on and haven't been effectively replaced. Probably because they are too expensive for the business model favoured by those running the Club. If that situation continues, to me it seems likely the Club has got as far as it is ever going to get. Even with what was the third highest average gate in the league last season. I still haven't decided whether or not to renew my ST and am unsure as to what might persuade me to renew. The thread title should be all the persuasion you require. If that is still insufficient, then go on go on go on go on, you know you want to. |
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Post by Hawkeye on May 23, 2022 22:34:01 GMT
I have no doubt that you are correct when suggesting the NLS may be a league that better suits our style requirements. Therein lies the problem. HFC is confined to playing in NLN, a league that, with few exceptions, is comprised of teams generally from 'oop north' and which play a physical, destructive, flair-destroying brand of football. Gateshead and York managed to overcome the challenges of the rigours of the league. Since managing to get into the 6th tier, HFC have yet to do that. When football was being strangled by Covid, before the curtailed season before last, we had in our squad the likes of Grimes, John-Lewis, and Coke, experienced, physical players who were (and remain) perfectly capable of performing well in such a robust environment. They moved on and haven't been effectively replaced. Probably because they are too expensive for the business model favoured by those running the Club. If that situation continues, to me it seems likely the Club has got as far as it is ever going to get. Even with what was the third highest average gate in the league last season. I still haven't decided whether or not to renew my ST and am unsure as to what might persuade me to renew. The thread title should be all the persuasion you require. If that is still insufficient, then go on go on go on go on, you know you want to. Thankyou, Mrs Doyle.* *I knew it was in there somewhere.... 😉 |
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