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Rejecting the reprieve
Views: 817
So the club want to reject the reprieve. Considering appealing to the FA. Doubt the FA will stop us from staying in Step 3. Probably means Yate Town will stay up if North Leigh have failed ground grading.
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Re: Rejecting the reprieve
Views: 701
A look at the division that Yate have been put into..
If they do a straight swap there would still be a lot of long trips down the M3 and M4.
Hendon got told, tough luck when they asked for a move to the Isthmian.
I doubt that we would get any preferential treatment as it would mean moving several teams to accommodate us in the Isthmian.
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Re: Rejecting the reprieve
Views: 671
Yes I can’t see how they rejig the leagues and keep everyone happy. We must also realise it says the club are considering an appeal. I also presume this means that the FA can reject our appeal and keep us at step 3, but I don’t see why they would do that?
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Re: Rejecting the reprieve
Views: 748
Disappointing to read.
Hopefully there are a few involved in the decision that will see the reprieve as an opportunity.
Would JB not be hoping to get us back up to step 3 next season?
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Re: Rejecting the reprieve
Views: 704
If we have a team that can earn promotion , then we would have a team that would be competitive going back into step 3. At the moment we are not in that position.
I would be delighted if we were.
We were already behind Hayes, Hanwell & Hendon in signing players in this area. They have just had a month to target players so we would be even further behind them now.
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Re: Rejecting the reprieve
Views: 702
You’d like to think so. This probably goes in JBs favour as his job doesn’t change now from when he was appointed. Hoping the club see it as a season or two, to recover a bit more money and then go again at step 3 (if we manage promotion, which will be harder than we think).
It also brings in to discussion whether the club would have asked for a voluntary relegation had we stayed up? Is it also the reason there was not a push to stay up with a change of manager etc towards the end of last season?
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Re: Rejecting the reprieve
Views: 661
A lot of us have speculated that theory since the new year.
However, we did sign several new players near the deadline (not including the 23s)
So,if JB puts together a good side at S4 and we look like being promoted - can you turn down promotion?
Everyone knows the rules at the start of the season.
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Re: Rejecting the reprieve
Views: 656
Not sure what to make of this. It would be helpful if the club explained its reasoning, I can guess, but it would be nice to know for certain.
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Re: Rejecting the reprieve
Views: 713
Purely financial. Can’t afford to stay or at least compete at step 3.
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Re: Rejecting the reprieve
Views: 686
Its a shame because of financial reasons we can't except the reprieve and stay at step 3 in the southern league but understandable. A lot of non-league clubs are struggling not only Harrow.
But if it was me I'd take it accept the reprieve and take our chances. If we can't do it now I personally don't think we will ever be able to do it. (I do accept I could be totally wrong there ! )
Otherwise what's the point ? , fold the club now ? or drag it along for a few more years ? With a death of a thousand cuts ?
Edited by Earlsmead part-timer at 10:59:07 on 17th May 2023
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Re: Rejecting the reprieve
Views: 572
Nail on the head.
What's the worst that can happen? We get relegated again.
JB put together from scratch a team that finished third and second at Egham.
A squad full of players who are hungry and commited could surprise a few people.
No more loans from league clubs.
Team spirit plays a big part at non league level.
North Leigh looked dead and buried before Christmas and nearly pulled it off.
If as I've been told that the club WOULDN'T have asked for voluntary relegation if they'd finished out of the bottom four. Let's just pivot and give it a bloody good go.
Unleash the underdog spirit and come out fighting.
Don't look back in a couple of seasons time wondering 'what if we'd taken the reorieve'
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Re: Rejecting the reprieve
Views: 609
I'm not surprised by this. The long silence from the club had me thinking this was on the cards.
When you occupy the final relegation spot (in non league), you should always be prepared for a reprieve. Especially with the rumours about Met Police a few weeks ago. We of all clubs know all too well about reprieves.
If the club can afford to compete at step 4 then I'd expect them to be able to afford to compete at step 3 even in the Southern Prem as travel costs will reduce significantly next season. The only real long distance teams off the top of my head are Plymouth, Tiverton and Merthyr. I suppose you could throw in Poole and Dorchester too. Apologies if I've missed a team out. Also, if we have to reduce our playing budget then so be it. At least give it a go at step 3.
Very very poor from the club.
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Re: Rejecting the reprieve
Views: 621
I think it partly comes down to the plans put in place since relegation with regards to budget, manager, players. The club had no idea this was happening until it was announced. The likes of Hendon, Hanwell and Hayes have had a while to start preparing. The thinking is we are further behind than ever.
Personally I’d like us to take the reprieve. Let’s see what the club do as they are only considering at the moment.
There’s also an interesting reply to the clubs tweet. It’s about when/how you can appeal from someone called @RabidRobo.
It suggests you can only appeal if;
-A club has been allocated a new division due to relegation or promotion.
-Where a club is subject to lateral movement.
-Where a club has not received lateral movement and had applied for it.
It also says the following is not appealable;
-Relegation from your league whether as a result of a reprieve or otherwise of another club.
-Where your club has not been promoted from your current league.
-where a club was not laterally moved and did not apply for it.
The post suggests that we may not even be able to appeal a reprieve.
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Re: Rejecting the reprieve
Views: 647
We're in the middle of May. The season only ended a couple of weeks ago and the new season starts nearly 12 weeks away.
The other 3 local clubs have had a 2 week headstart in preparing for next season, but it's very early.
If we were 2 weeks from the start of the season I could understand the hand wringing.
I've never seen Boro announce any summer signings until well into June at the earliest.
If we genuinely can't appeal... Time to get behind JB and the players he brings in.
There might be a learning curve for the side but as someone who has regularly watched us ship 5, 6 and 7 on our trips down the M4 in recent years - as long as you give 100% the supporters genuinely appreciate it.
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Re: Rejecting the reprieve
Views: 630
Yep that idea about being behind Hayes, Hendon and Hanwell in terms of signing players is just a poor excuse that I don't accept. The 22/23 season hasn't even finished yet! The FA Trophy final hasn't even been played yet. There's plenty of time to get a team together for step 3, even if the budget needs to be reduced due to financial restraints.
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Re: Rejecting the reprieve
Views: 644
https://twitter.com/SteveBa99880334/status/1658784370184843264?t=oJeofKeevAPhFGFxRwZO0A&s=19
SB has posted this on twitter.
I can understand that JB has already got players committed to playing at step 4. However, even if we get relegated, playing against higher opposition should in theory improve the players.
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Re: Rejecting the reprieve
Views: 603
Although I'm no great fan of Met Police, I don't understand the point of that club as their players are no longer Met Police officers and haven't been for many years, I'm not going to criticize them in this situation. From our perspective, who cares if they should be relegated to step 4 or 5. Thanks to them, they've kept us at step 3 and that's all we should be focusing on.
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Re: Rejecting the reprieve
Views: 679
Is the Club statement about rejecting a reprieve?
Maybe the Club simply felt it needed to release a statement, in the face of speculation - and criticism & bitching - on social media.
Possible problem is the manager.
As I've said on the previous thread, keeping Borough at level #3 might be a good achievement. It might be recognised as a significant achievement by experienced football people in Isthmian and London circles. It's not as widely recognised by fans. It's very unlikely to be recognised by a sugar daddy who's just bought Commuter Belt FC and who isn't an experienced local football luminary. When looking for a new manager, the sugar daddy is far more likely to be impressed by one who's won a division on the biggest budget than by one who's kept the club with the smallest budget in the same division in a comfortable 16th place.
Jordan Berry may have felt confident that he had Egham players who'd accompany him to step #4 and make a good first of a promotion campaign. He may well have had ideas of what other step #5 or step #4 players he wanted to sign.
Now he's faced with a step #3 campaign. He's 29 years of age. He's a newish manager. He won't have the contacts of an Owsy or Dave Anderson at this level. He doesn't have a Tony Choules / Andy Leese / Gary McCann black book, much less a Gordon Bartlett sized one.
He might fear he'll make a galah of himself at step #3, especially on a step #4 budget. That won't do his CV much good.
As for players rising to the challenge and improving themselves when facing superior opponents, any number of studies, in any number of fields, by any number of sports psychologists, confirm that this is often the case - but only if the gap in ability is reasonably small. An average Isthmian League player would not improve if he played against Citeh every week. He may improve with regular games against National League South opposition.
A 24-handicap golfer won't improve by losing 10&8 to Rory McIlroy. A 40-average pub dart player won't improve by having a close-up view of Michael van Gerwen's back, as the Uncle Fester lookalike reels-off 12-dart & 11-dart legs in a best-of-three game.
Most of the old gits on here will have known a few players who remain at the same level because they don't like travelling. This was a huge selling point for Isthmian managers to dangle in front of players in the "M25 League" days, when the Southern Premier stretched from Margate to Merthyr Tydfil and might include Grantham, Weymouth and Stafford Rangers!
I can also think of a few players who've tried moving up a level but who realise they're not up to the higher standard and voluntarily drop down again.
If the manager is OK with step #3, then it would be extremely odd for the Club not to want to compete at step #3.
It's only mid May. Only clubs paying over the odds or recruiting mates of managers or current players will be signing players now, so Borough aren't missing out.
There's plenty of time to sort things out. Gretna's demise after Brooks Mileson got sick occurred much later than mid-May. Several teams in the Scottish League switched division at short notice when Gretna croaked, having initially accepted relegation from the top flight to whatever division 4 was called.
The Club has to get on with its life at step #3... and if that means another manager, so be it.
Edited by Not A Mong at 14:20:23 on 17th May 2023
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1 person
Re: Rejecting the reprieve
Views: 698
Yes I agree Cappers , step 3 is what we should be focusing on.
I know I'm only a fan who knows nothing about the running of the club from the outside looking in but if they refuse the reprieve what sort of message does that send out to fans, potential fans or investors ?
A really bad one imo.
Edited by Earlsmead part-timer at 14:00:17 on 17th May 2023
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Re: Rejecting the reprieve
Views: 668
I agree with everything said - I want us to stay at step 3. Just trying to reason why the club is making its statement known. Again the club are only considering an appeal and the appeal could get rejected. I hope that happens really.
The only thing that could convince me step 4 is better than 3, is if the club really couldn’t afford step 3 and had to cease Operations because of it.
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Re: Rejecting the reprieve
Views: 691
https://twitter.com/NorthwoodFC/status/1658518341495947277?t=Wt6q3MK6hofec2N1Sg5KBw&s=19
Meanwhile, Northwood are selling adult season tickets for £59.
How can they afford to do this?
Do they have a sugar daddy?
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Re: Rejecting the reprieve
Views: 647
From what I hear the club had no idea this was happening untill the allocations were released.
Obviously having given a contract to a manager who has only managed at step 5, the plan was to rebuild in step 4. Also allowing us to play at a level our budget is more suited .
I would rather watch step 3 is possible, but only if we can be competitive.
For whatever reason the FA have given Met Police a month to decide they want to choose their own division to play in, but not bothered to contact the clubs that will be affected by the decision
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Re: Rejecting the reprieve
Views: 726
It is pretty crazy that the club have not been informed until the release! FA have made it hard for themselves that way. Why not inform us and check we are happy. Then they can save further headaches and rejigs.
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Re: Rejecting the reprieve
Views: 633
That smells of secret handshakes of the masonic variety..
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Re: Rejecting the reprieve
Views: 722
Big time .. a team that resigns from a league should drop two steps.
So the Metcl should be going to step 5.
Why did they wait a month to announce it.
Edited by Middx Wanderer at 20:50:56 on 16th May 2023
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Re: Rejecting the reprieve
Views: 700
https://www.pitchero.com/clubs/metropolitanpolicefc/news/club-statement-2780098.html
The statement from the Met is very vague. Mentions step 5 and sworn to secrecy.
Who'd have thought that the police would be capable of fitting up a whole league... 🤔
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Re: Rejecting the reprieve
Views: 660
That's really disappointing,
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Re: Rejecting the reprieve
Views: 623
Nearly 40 years ago the club rejected promotion to the what is now the National League. Obviously this was due in the main to finances. We are now considering rejecting a reprieve. Again no doubt in the main due to finances. Must be a difficult decision for the club to make but I hope they are in a position not to throw the life line away.
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Previous thread: Boro receive relegation reprieve and stay in Southern league Premier by The Majors Hat15/5/2023 12:05Mon May 15 12:05:39 2023view thread