The Criteria for Application to Membership of The Football Conference Limited - Conference North / South for season 2004/2005 is listed in full on the Official UniBond League website at the following address:

http://www.unibondleague.com/alliance.htm

At least the First Division sides have some sort of carrot to do well this year, although even after winning the league they will have to beat three Premier Division sides to take their place in the new Conference North. I think it likely that whoever wins the division will go on to win the playoffs as well. Otherwise it looks like the top 13 or so clubs will form a new Premier Division with the remainder in a retained First Division, bolstered by large contingents from the NCEL and NWCL.

Since the reorganisation has callously and cruelly ignored the needs of the Northern League by unreasonably inviting teams from south and west of York to compete, we can expect no clubs to join from that league, rather than the five or six who could, if they showed any ambition whatsoever, all join at the same time and change the regional make-up of the Unibond League at a stroke. But why do that when you can whinge about all the Unibond clubs being in the North-West and Midlands instead?

Right so its sorted out all the teams for the conference north and south, but how many teams from unibond 1st get promoted to the unibond prem, cause its says they will have 22 teams. Also for the nwcfl and necfl how many teams get ptomoted to unibond 1st. Plus say u finish top on nwcfl if your ground is good anoth will you get promoted to unibond prem, cause its a bit unfair if u finish top and the other 5 teams who finish below u end up going in the same division as u, say the unibond 1st. But half of its sorted now, just the other half now

Right this is what i think will happen.

1, top 12 teams from unibond 1st will go into the unibond prem

2, bottom 2 teams of unibond 1st will still be relegated

3, top 6 teams out of nwcfl and necfl will get promoted to unibond division 1, cause dont think any one has the set up from the northen league. plus there will be no playoffs which i think is good for that level

4, two get relegated from nwcfl and necfl.



SO DO PEOPLE AGREE WITH ME OR THEY KNOW ANYTHING DIFFERNT

5, 8 teams must get promoted from nwcfl division 2 and necfl. going to be hard for us referes this season, every bodys playing for everything. should be a very interesting season

I THINK THEY MIGHT HAVE TO GET RID OF NWCFL DIV 2 AND NECFL DIV 2 CAUSE THERE NOT GOING TO BE ANOTH TEAMS

No mention of where the border between Conference North and South will fall.

They cannot draw the line, till they know which teams from the Dr Martens/Ryman have been successfull, then the most northerly 6 or 7 will go into the Northern Conference...?? - no point drawing a line, then no one from north of the line qualifying.....

Sootymarky, Northern Counties only have two Divisions, Premier and Division 1 (Division 2 is the reserve division).

They currently have a Premier Division of 20 and Division 1 with 18 (Hatfield and Louth having resigned). After the re-organisation if they lose 6, they will have 32 teams and be looking for 8 to get back to strength.

I don't know where they will find these, do the CML have 8 teams with the required grading - presumably Teversal and Shirebrook will be OK.

Are we all certain that no teams in the Northern League will look to take this once in a lifetime opportunity? The regs do look to promote 8 Champions from 8 leagues at the NCEFL feeder level which must include the NL.

Next summer will be interesting.

Apologies to Shirebrook who are already in NCEFL Div 1!!

Don't be so sure that the top 12 First Division clubs will automatically get into the Premier.

The three leagues (UniBond/Dr Martens/Ryman) are going to be 36 clubs short, BUT, between them they have five feeder leagues (1 UniBond, 2 Ryman & 2 Dr Martens). So really only seven clubs from each division will be guaranteed to move into the respective Premier Divisions, positions 2-8. What could happen is a number of current Midlands based DML teams will be shuffled into the UniBond.

If the top twelve UniBond One went up, and only the top six in all the other feeders, then I'm sure the Dr Martens and the Ryman clubs would be far from happy.

Just a thought, but I can't see any other way it can be done without causing massive discontent in the south.

One notes that it is not also about league position but about finances.Clubs have to pass that criteria as well as far as I can see.So it could mean the top 13 in the Prem league might not all get invited if their finances are not secure etc.Just a point

I was wondering the same thing, (though not for that reason before you all start!), what happens if one of the clubs on the top 13 have financila problems, didn;t apply, or don't meet the ground criteria. Is it one less play-off game for the winners of div1 or does an extra team who was out of the 13, and meet the criteria, get promoted.

Good point, but as they have to end up with 44 clubs I would think they would go down all the contributary leagues until they run out of volunteers!

Our Chairman went white when I told him it was £3,000 plus VAT to take up the invitation!

Two grand of that is an annual subscription fee, and on top of that there is the £500 "application and ground grading fee" payable by February for 1st Division clubs in with a chance of winning the league. How much does it cost to be in the Unibond per season?

£3K !!

That'll knock Whitby Town out of the reckoning then....

Not about volunteers dave but about those who fit the finanical criteria.Considering many clubs, I think it may be not as easy to find them as you suggest. And if they lowered the criteria to get the 44 clubs then the clubs already accepted would object!The criteria is there for a reason. If they cannot get 44 clubs then so be it.

I think there would be too much face lost if they did not find 44 clubs. They will adjust the criteria accordingly - I wonder where they can find a good spin doctor who might be looking for employment?

Then they would lose face too if they had to lower the criteria and would not the FA have something to say?
Anyway Dave, do not forget if you have a spare staurday or Tuesday to slip down and see us At Alfreton
this season. You would be most welcome.

Actually the financial criteria are as below:-

A club must provide the two previous years audited accounts as approved by shareholders or management board at an annual general or duly constituted meeting of the club by 1st April 2004.

A club must by 1st April 2004 provide a Budget and Cash Flow Plan for season 2004/2005 based on membership of Conference North and Conference South.

An applicant club at the end of the playing season or after noon on 16th August 2003 which a) have a manager, receiver, or administrative receiver appointed in respect of that club or any part of its undertaking or assets b) have an administration order made in respect of that club; (c) have a winding-up order made in respect of that club will not be eligible for inclusion in the Constitution for Membership of the Football Conference.

How they judge the information provided will be up to them. Ground grading will not be an issue (except possibly for the First Div champions) as all Premier Div sides will have an A grade next season or have been relegated (won't they?) and all successful clubs will have until 1st April 2005 to achieve the conference B grade.

Thanks for the invitation - I hope I'll be able to get down to North Street some time next season - I envy you preparing for visits to what will be pastures new for a lot of your newer fans. All the best.

Makes you wonder what would have happened if the same criteria were applied to Halifax, Bradford, York, Barnsley and Wimbledon to name just few League clubs and how many of these would still be in business?

Once again Non-League leads the way!

The thing I find amazing about all of this is that the League and the FA have not properleyt explained what will be happening after this season below the Conference North. I think it's probably just best to wait for next season's fixture list before popping any champagne corks and finding you've been promoted!