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Post by Dodger on May 5, 2017 18:08:55 GMT
Sure Gloucester will have something to say being shifted South again ! Personally I'm hoping the board do the brave thing and apply for the Midland league , less travelling , no need for coaches for away games , plenty of derbys and hopefully the chance of a successful team. My concern if we drop to the SLP is we will drop struggle due to the wage bill and the downward spiral will continue. Better to totally rebase lower down in my mind .......... the team that we have had this season lost 14 matches by 1 goal, with a decent striker the team could have finished mid table............. Our fate (and luck) were probably sealed at match 1 against Harrogate when Colby Bishop missed a 'straightforward' one-on-one with their keeper. Had he scored we would have gone 3-1 up and probably could have held out. As it happened Harrogate seemed inspired by that miss and duly equalised - late on. There are so many stories of a similar nature, Dodger.
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dcx
Squad Member
Posts: 289
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Post by dcx on May 8, 2017 18:14:10 GMT
The City Twitter feed is heavily pushing opportunities and youth trials that are coming up in the next few weeks. Could be reading too much into it but is this our player recruitment for the Midland Prem?!
IMO to drop that far would be a mistake. No disrespect to clubs at that level but it's barely above Sunday League. Indeed I've played against players who turn out regularly for MPL sides and they don't stand out against lads who are just there for a kick around. Having said that I've also played against a few of the youth players Snapper brought through and they were also underwhelming. I can't see many people paying money to go and watch that level of football every week. Its just too depressing.
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Post by Croc on May 8, 2017 18:55:06 GMT
The City Twitter feed is heavily pushing opportunities and youth trials that are coming up in the next few weeks. Could be reading too much into it but is this our player recruitment for the Midland Prem?! IMO to drop that far would be a mistake. No disrespect to clubs at that level but it's barely above Sunday League. Indeed I've played against players who turn out regularly for MPL sides and they don't stand out against lads who are just there for a kick around. Having said that I've also played against a few of the youth players Snapper brought through and they were also underwhelming. I can't see many people paying money to go and watch that level of football every week. Its just too depressing. Just to give those not au fait with that division - these are the teams who were playing this season: Alvechurch Coleshill Town Sporting Khalsa Lye Town Westfields Heanor Town Highgate United Coventry United St Andrews Coventry Sphinx Quorn Boldmere St Michaels Stourport Swifts Long Eaton United Shepshed Dynamo Rocester AFC Wulfrunians Loughborough University Shawbury United Walsall Wood Brocton Tividale
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bj
Squad Member
Posts: 182
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Post by bj on May 8, 2017 19:30:22 GMT
And there are no PlayOffs in this league. Only the top team get promotion - Alvechurch this season, and Hereford last season. This would be an insane move. I cannot imagine Hughsey wanting to play at this level.
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Post by zeke on May 8, 2017 19:44:44 GMT
At least one of them will not be a meaty game
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Post by The Verner on May 8, 2017 19:52:39 GMT
Add Bromsgrove Sporting to that list for next season.
And dont forget its upto the FA not the club...whether its a mistake or not....ball's in FA's court !
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Post by Brooksiders Return!! on May 8, 2017 20:12:48 GMT
....But City haven't resigned from any league, so the only choice for the FA to make is to decide which league in the league pool under National North we play in surely?
We are only dropping one level, we've only been relegated!!
Or have I missed some catastrophic announcement by the Board??
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Post by adycrean on May 8, 2017 21:28:01 GMT
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Post by Noboddy aka Lord Ealing on May 9, 2017 8:13:34 GMT
The board obviously doesn't give a sh!t about the supporters.
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Post by auldreekie on May 9, 2017 8:52:33 GMT
I am still trying to understand the timing of all this. My interpretation is: If a club: 1) resigns its membership with immediate effect during the playing season its playing record is expunged and the league continues with one less club. This is what happened to Farsley Celtic FC and Ilkeston Town FC in the 2009/10 and 2010/11 Conference North seasons respectively. 2) notifies its intention to resign at the end of the season then to avoid a fine it must do so by 31 March and at which point it is given one of the relegation places. This is what happened to Canvey Island FC in the 2005/06 Conference National season and Vauxhall Motors FC in the 2013/14 Conference North season. Both of these circumstances requires public statements as the decisions have an immediate effect on other clubs. However, perhaps an immediate public statement is not required if a club notifies its intention to resign immediately AFTER the end of the playing season and BEFORE the AGM AND is already in a relegation position, i.e. there is no immediate impact on another club. Clubs will mostly know their league for next season now and clubs who are in potential “reprieve” positions know that they have to wait for the AGM in June. Grays Athletic FC were relegated from the Conference National in the 2009/10 season but then applied for voluntary relegation. As I understand it, their resignation letter from the league was interpreted as a resignation from all football. This only became apparent when the league complements were announced in June. This led to appeals to the FA and eventual membership of Division One North in the Isthmian League for the next season. If the club resigning wants to remain within the National League System then it must make an initial application by 1 March or within 21 days of resignation. A full application must be made by 31 March or within 21 days of resignation. This includes contact with the league they are hoping to join. So a National League club not involved in the play-offs intimating its resignation after the end of the season (30 April 2017) will have until 21 May 2017 to apply to join another league and aim to have that ratified at the June AGM. However, does the resignation after 31 March means that the National League levies a fine or is that waived as the club would have been leaving the league anyway?
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Post by alwaysnextyear on May 9, 2017 9:27:05 GMT
Thanks auldreekie - very well interpreted .
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Post by Croc on May 9, 2017 11:22:30 GMT
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Post by jupu on May 11, 2017 20:06:06 GMT
I think the FA will release details of the league allocations tomorrow. No idea what time.
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Post by adycrean on May 12, 2017 10:38:21 GMT
I fear the worst
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Post by Brooksiders Return!! on May 12, 2017 12:08:40 GMT
Its Official - Midland Football League
Worcester City FC to compete in the Midland Football League Premier Division
The Football Club wishes to advise Supporters and Shareholders that due to the excessive costs attached to retaining National League North (Step 2) status, and despite a battle to the end of the season, a decision was made to resign from the National League. This decision was made collectively by the Board of Directors, with input from the management team, to ensure the future survival of the Football Club.
This season in particular has seen significant playing budgets being available to many other clubs at Step 2, making it an elite tier of non-league football with over-inflated player wages, and impossible for the Club to remain competitive whilst operating within its means.
The identification of a ground that is affordable and deliverable in the City of Worcester has been of the highest priority for the Directors of the Club over the past 3 years and a number of sites reviewed through the Council Working Party. With the continuing delays of the Perdiswell Project, both for Planning, but more importantly confirmation of a Land Transfer from the Council, the Board of Directors concluded that there was no alternative but to resign from the National League in order to give the Club the best possible chance of survival for forthcoming seasons.
The reason for the Club having sought to hold onto its Step 2 status had been to ensure that maximum available grants were available to support the building of a new ground in Worcester. However with the doubtful nature surrounding any Council land transfer at Perdiswell and the need to safeguard remaining funds towards a new ground, the Directors had no option other than to advise the FA and the League in accordance with the rules at the beginning of March of our intention to play at a lower level of football with a more sustainable playing budget. At this point immediate savings were made by moving on a number of the playing squad.
The Club made an application to the FA to cease being a member of the National League and be placed in a lower league for next season. The FA League Management Committee (LMC) has absolute discretion in terms of the Step at which it places a Club. Despite speculation, the Club were required to remain silent until the outcome was known. The LMC has now confirmed it has decided to place the Club at Step 5 of the National League System for season 2017/18, which is the Midland Football League Premier Division.
Playing at a lower level of football will enable the Club to operate a reduced playing budget to ensure that the Club’s remaining funds are protected to help support its return to Worcester at the earliest opportunity. It will also provide locally developed players with more chance of progressing and representing Worcester City Football Club. Regardless of the Step at which we were to be placed the new Management Team was set a playing budget for next season and it is intended to announce player news shortly.
We have sympathy with supporters who will be disappointed with this news, however this action is aimed at being a pragmatic and sensible approach to ensure the Club is given the best possible chance of survival until the goal of bringing the Football Club back to a new home in Worcester has been achieved.
The Board of Directors, Worcester City Football Club
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Post by Croc on May 12, 2017 12:16:47 GMT
I'm getting impressions from that statement that they are trying to blame the Council squarely for the mess the club are in - rather than some self reflection...
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Post by alwaysnextyear on May 12, 2017 12:23:54 GMT
Sadly my source was correct. A chairman and Board that always wanted relegation, and one that has run the club into the dirt ! Hampson has followed Boddy as a disgraceful Chairman since his appointment in November 2008. Eight years later, and he still talks the talk. For posterity, here are his words on his appointment www.kidderminstershuttle.co.uk/news/3936270.Hampson_wants_a_united_City/All that's left now is news of the 200k plus loss for this year, and details of what money is left
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Post by Croc on May 12, 2017 12:29:01 GMT
The stench of illegal activity is emanating from this bloated corpse of a once great institution...
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Post by alwaysnextyear on May 12, 2017 12:35:54 GMT
The untrustworthy retention of power under any circumstances, to the orchestrated exclusion of others, whilst captaining the sinking ship, began with Boddy and has continued with the useless Hampson and Layland. The lack of AGM's and Final Accounts are always the giveaway of something smelly. Never mind, SMD got to build on Nunnery Way and we gave them 500 k plus VAT for the privilege.
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Post by Croc on May 12, 2017 12:39:47 GMT
The untrustworthy retention of power under any circumstances, to the orchestrated exclusion of others, whilst captaining the sinking ship, began with Boddy and has continued with the useless Hampson and Layland. The lack of AGM's and Final Accounts are always the giveaway of something smelly. Never mind, SMD got to build on Nunnery Way and we gave them 500 k plus VAT for the privilege. Don't forget Hallmark's cut out of this - why else would he have wanted to be on the board?
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Post by Brooksiders Return!! on May 12, 2017 12:45:55 GMT
Its more the stench of complete incompetence, and a refusal to wake up and realise that the plan continues to fail. This has nothing to do with the City Council , or the Supporters Trust, remember, without the FA Cup runs, we would have been in this situation 2 years ago. The Board of Directors have probably overseen losses of £300,000 in the last two years, and instead of considering change, they've carried on regardless. Hampson stands up at meetings and states that he is doing this to protect the interests of shareholders. Well let me point out that, as Directors, his first responsibility is NOT to shareholders, but to the company. He has failed catastrophically, and will continue to do so. Ensuring the clubs remaining funds are protected? What funds?
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Post by Woodenose on May 12, 2017 14:13:48 GMT
Quote in part..... However with the doubtful nature surrounding any Council land transfer at Perdiswell. This tells me that the board have given up on Perdiswell. I believe that the planning application will be passed, but not the land transfer
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oxford
First Teamer
Posts: 406
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Post by oxford on May 12, 2017 14:29:28 GMT
Thanks for the memories City. Perhaps one day things will turn round but not whilst this lot are running it. I hope I might see you all at the occasional away fixture.
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niels
City Legend
Posts: 1,741
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Post by niels on May 12, 2017 17:16:39 GMT
Here is my conspiratory theory regarding the relegation and move to the Midland Football League Prem.
It has nothing to do with Hampson, Colin, Baz or Joe Murphy, they are just the pawns. It has all been engineered by Marc Wilcox to try and get City to a level where his failing youth set up has a chance of providing one or two players to Worcester City. His much lauded youth section has singularly failed to provide any players (except when he forced it at the end of the season), unlike the much critisised and shunned Mark Owen set up which provided several who could have done well given the chance. So in order to try and make his big promises look like anything other than the hot air they obviously were, he has brought City down towards his level. Not far enough if what I have seen is the best of his bunch, but any lower would have been a bit too suspicious.
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Post by richwidd on May 12, 2017 17:29:20 GMT
Here is my conspiratory theory regarding the relegation and move to the Midland Football League Prem. It has nothing to do with Hampson, Colin, Baz or Joe Murphy, they are just the pawns. It has all been engineered by Marc Wilcox to try and get City to a level where his failing youth set up has a chance of providing one or two players to Worcester City. His much lauded youth section has singularly failed to provide any players (except when he forced it at the end of the season), unlike the much critisised and shunned Mark Owen set up which provided several who could have done well given the chance. So in order to try and make his big promises look like anything other than the hot air they obviously were, he has brought City down towards his level. Not far enough if what I have seen is the best of his bunch, but any lower would have been a bit too suspicious. That theory is 100% correct. He proudly told me that his failed youth system has produced two players and nine more currently forced training with the first team. Yes that's two in 6 years, a great return. This is the same person who doesn't like you asking questions about where the money has gone. Where has the money gone Mark Wilcox?
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Post by Brooksiders Return!! on May 12, 2017 17:41:55 GMT
Nice theory, but there are five of them around that boardroom table, and they are all jointly responsible for the downfall. There is no-one else to blame other than the Boardroom, and they've all been there plenty long enough to have a voice around the table. Mine and Creaner's time around that table was short for a reason.
How could anyone associate in a corporate environment with a man who has in the last couple of weeks proudly stated " We are where we want to be" and "You are stuck with me" whilst presiding over the clubs demise to the lowest level in its history?
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niels
City Legend
Posts: 1,741
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Post by niels on May 12, 2017 18:30:58 GMT
I'm not talking about the downfall, just the relegation.
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Post by Brooksiders Return!! on May 12, 2017 18:50:18 GMT
Ah but they wanted Step 4, which they were never going to get, why would the FA bend the rules for WCFC? I wonder how much the FA appeal cost the club? Was it really worth the 3 hours at Wembley for two of them? How the hell would it take three hours to try and appeal the decision?
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Post by zeke on May 12, 2017 18:53:30 GMT
So the rumours were right. The season was over, the day Carl left. The relegation battle and the last 2 months were pointless!
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Post by Woodenose on May 12, 2017 19:13:46 GMT
So the rumours were right. The season was over, the day Carl left. The relegation battle and the last 2 months were pointless! Yes I think Carl knew what was going to happen
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