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Post by Tony Foot on Mar 14, 2004 20:35:56 GMT
With the DPL possibly losing four clubs to Wessex 2, I am really concerned that the Management Committee could allow further reserve teams into the league next season to bolster the numbers.
In my view this would be a totally retrograde step for League to take if it wants to maintain credibility going forward. Cranborne and Swanage deserve to return to the fold and the league should provide opportunities for other clubs to apply regardless of their current status, based on a one-year period to bring their facilities up to standard. This is similar to the formation of the Hampshire Premier a few seasons ago.
However if it means playing next season with 15 clubs then so be it, better that than to be viewed as a Mickey Mouse competition.
Also I would suggest that no clubs planning to leave the DPL should have a say in the way the league is constructed going forwards.
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Post by Faustino Asprilla on Mar 15, 2004 11:06:40 GMT
I agree but then again I don't.
Yes teams like Cranbourne and Swanage should get promoted if they finish in a promotion place, should their ground be upto scratch. But why should they be promoted when they cant are bothered to meet the criteria. Everyone now knows what it takes to play in the combination why can't they meet the criteria. Allendale for example moan about not being able to play in the combination and how they have a combination standard team. But if they were really serious then they would do something about it.
I think that as the county's first division the least all the teams who participate in it should do is not expect players and supporters to turn up every week at some local rec.
Regarding reserve teams if someone for example like Wimbourne are promoted on the basis of their ground I think it would be good. If that's what is necessary to keep at least 18 teams so be it.
Obviously long term something would need to be done if like half the teams are reserve teams but right now I think its ok. I don't think that at this point the DPL should decrease the number of teams just to spare the feelings of lazy clubs just for the sake of it. To maintain local interest and competition it should be kept at 18 teams no matter what. Lets face how many players are going to want to play in a 6-month football season.
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Post by The Spectator on Mar 15, 2004 18:44:34 GMT
As an avid Non League fan I can not agree with reserve teams in a senior league Look what happened to Hamworthy Utd this season against Dorchester Town when the latter fielded six or seven first team players with both teams lying first and second in the league this could have had a direct bearing on the destiny of the championship As it happened Hamworthy were good enough to win so may be justice was done But if it gone the other way how would Hamworthy have felt How would any other team have felt if that had happened to them If the DPL wants to make the numbers up with reserve sides then surely they could bring in a rule restricting those sides to playing upto three first teamers A first teamer being defined as a player who has participated in nine or more games including substitute What do you think?
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Post by Tony Foot on Mar 15, 2004 23:39:43 GMT
A quick look around the Tony Kempster site shows only one other league division in England down to Level 10 (Eastern Counties Division One) with a single reserve side. Dorset therefore appears to be almost alone in allowing reserve sides to play in their Senior leagues.
I am not saying allow in sides who are unable to meet the grading criteria, but I can think of Dorset League clubs who given the opportunity could meet the requirements within 12 months.
I am aware of Dorset League titles being lost because a 'reserve' side turned up to play a top side with their first IX to give their players a good run out. This must not happen in the DPL.
If clubs are expected to bring their facilities up to a standard in line with other competitions, then the league should realise how out of step they are with regards to reserve sides and definitely not allow this situation to be extended any further.
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Post by Faustino on Mar 16, 2004 11:08:14 GMT
Yes I agree but what do you expect when it mostly only the teams well run enough to have a reserve team that can be bothered to meet the ground criteria. You use Dorchester Reserves as an example but in fairness to them they only played those first teamers in that game because the first team didnt have a game, and in the week the first team lost to wimbourne. I think 3 of them were not match fit anyway.
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Post by Faustino on Mar 16, 2004 11:23:23 GMT
Yes I agree but what do you expect when it mostly only the teams well run enough to have a reserve team that can be bothered to meet the ground criteria. You use Dorchester Reserves as an example but in fairness to them they only played those first teamers in that game because the first team didn't have a game, and in the week the first team lost to wimbourne. I think 3 of them were not match fit anyway. I think the reserves where playing was a coincidence. I cant see Mark Morris going out of his way just help out the reserves when his on job is on the line.
To the point of only allowing first team players play a certain number of games for the first team and then banning them for the reserves, come on think about then what point is there having a reserve team. It's that solution is unworkable for so many reasons. In the lower Dorset divisions I think if the first team are a combination team the reserves can only play 3 first team players.
So in an ideal world no we wouldn't have reserve teams in the county's top division. But like I said if these clubs a trying to be progressive when the rest of the county are happy to be just like pub teams what can you do?
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Post by solvaman on Mar 16, 2004 15:52:09 GMT
I agree with Asprilla If they improve the standard on and off the pitch why not?
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Post by Tony Foot on Mar 21, 2004 11:19:18 GMT
So last Tuesday Sherborne, who I am sure are still keen to challenge for a top 6 finish find themselves against a virtual first team at Dorchester Town, go down 6-0 and are now thinking of joining the Western League.
In the end having too many reserve sides in the League is bound to skew the results. Why not change the name back to the Combination and have all reserve sides? The competition may be Mickey Mouse, but at least anyone left who is at all interested will visit some nice grounds!
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Post by solvaman on Mar 22, 2004 11:38:57 GMT
Come on, so you what do you want to do with all the the DPL teams that arent reseves teams. Are you saying but out all the reserve teams and put them in the senior league. In fairness Sherboure where unlucky and its only dorch that have a first team good enough to turnover anyone in the DPL anyway.
I also think Gillingham and Sherbourne have already decided on applying for the western league due to the travelling. I think that game had no bearing on the decision
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Post by The Spectator on Mar 22, 2004 16:18:13 GMT
You boys are obviously not DPL managers or players.Ask Alex Pike how he felt before he played Dorchester with half their first team playing or Martin Staryns when he faced the entire Dorchester first team.it could have ruined both their seasons.If you chat with Holts chairman Terry Bradford he still recounts the time they lost the championship in 1982 because Dorchester fielded their first team against them.Dorc beat them and won the championship Holt finished secound.Now is that fair or has Terry s memory distorted over the years
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Post by Faustino on Mar 23, 2004 11:55:38 GMT
Ask him how he felt after match after beating them!!
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Post by Faustino on Mar 23, 2004 12:07:09 GMT
Whats wrong with progression! why must the DPL remain like a pub league. No other counties first division is as poor as ours
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Post by Tony Foot on Mar 23, 2004 20:38:58 GMT
I am all for progression, but the league will always struggle for recognition while it has to attract Reserve sides to make up the numbers.
The league are at a point where they either progress with Senior clubs or sink under the weight of sides looking to give their kids a run out. We already have the incessant sound of Mr Simpkins whinging every time one of his players receives a strong tackle - multiply that 4 times and that is what to expect!
Let's face it Reserve teams and Senior sides have different priorities and requirements and if the DPL is going to mean anything going forward these clubs shouldn't mix at this level. Surely it would be better for all to follow Weymouth's suggestion of a local reserve competition for Southern League Wessex & top DPL sides.
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Post by Faustino on Mar 24, 2004 10:37:55 GMT
I agree whole heartedly. I just wish that some of the senior clubs will pull the finger out. If you have teams in Dorset One like Corfe Mullen Utd who have managed to find there own ground and club house why cant allendale and cranbourne. If some one said to corfe mullen right you can be in the DPL next season just put bars round your and make a small standing area, they would do it within a month! But we have teams like the afor mentioned who just prefer to whinge about having to be progressive.
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Post by Cranes Boss on Mar 24, 2004 18:32:10 GMT
I am involved with Cranborne and I don't recall anyone here "Whingeing" as you put it about putting up a fence etc. How can you call us 'not progressive'? We were runner up in Div 3, won Division 2 and 1 in consecutive seasons and we are now on the verge of winning the Senior League at the first attempt. You can only take it one season at a time I'm afraid. Our plans to meet DPL standards have been ongoing for a while now and we expect to have everything place for next season.
Please do not lump us under the banner of teams lacking in ambition. We are a well run club with plenty of ambition.
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Post by Faustino on Mar 25, 2004 8:56:55 GMT
Many apologies Mr Haggerty. When I said whinging I meant specifically Allendale. I 'm glad you should meet the criteria next season Have you heard anything from the DPL as yet regarding promotion and relegation? ??
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Post by Cranes Boss on Mar 25, 2004 22:11:48 GMT
Not a word from the DPL yet. You seem to know me, who are you as a matter of interest? Cheers
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Local Fan of Football
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Post by Local Fan of Football on Mar 27, 2004 21:43:44 GMT
In answer to Asprilla, It is not that easy to find a ground and erect a club house. Oh how we would all wish it was!! There are many factors ie planning permission. I guess Allendale are in the same postion as other ie playing on a recreation ground?, and Ham Rec who surely deserve to be in a higher league, but alas they cannot have lights.
So please do not say clubs have no ambition where alot of times they have been thwarted by council etc red tape
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Post by Tony Foot on Mar 28, 2004 19:53:06 GMT
Let's be clear, the requirements for DPL do not include a clubhouse. Just a rigid barrier and some kind of cover (which a lot of clubs have qualified for by using an overhang from their pavillion - e.g. Blandford, Stourpaine, Poole Borough). Coming back to my point, it would be better to bring teams into the DPL who are able to meet that criteria over the next 12 months than allow more reserve sides in. This is not dropping the grading standards as unless things have changed in the last few months Wareham still do not have cover. There is also the possibility that the English FA could remove the DPL from the pyramid if the league continues to allow reserve teams to compete. If clubs like Corfe Mullen, Okeford (who have some cover), Weymouth Spartans (who play at Weymouth Sports old ground) are able to step up they should be encouraged. Otherwise in a couple of seasons we may see the following in the DPL: Wimborne Reserves, Portland Reserves, Hamworthy United Reserves, Shaftesbury Reserves, Gillingham Reserves, Bournemmouth Poppies Reserves, Weymouth Reserves, Poole Town Reserves Not an encouraging thought!!
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Post by Faustino on Mar 29, 2004 12:30:39 GMT
I agree totally Mr Foot. I would prefer progressive clubs to play rather than reserve teams but is that going to happen? And I would love Allendale back where they belong. They play football the right way have a great sporting attitude something that is lacking from the DPL. And their manager Mr Boon is a top, top man. But you cant tell me they cant find anywhere in the area to have a pitch with rigid barriers. Poole borough dont own turlin moor do they. As for covered area. Look at Cobham they infamous Stade de Cob. I mean it looks like they got the players to build it before a match. But it does the job.
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