No promotion for Bodmin Town

[Dave Deacon]

Well at least Bodmin have saved us all the wondering and speculation about whether they would consider applying for promotion into the Western League - it's an official big loud NO from the club today as announced on the back of the Cornish Guardian.

Edited December 30, 2015 by Dave Deacon

[Sijames]

From what I have seen the club has the foundations to go up at least one league, BUT, there is a huge cost implication of doing this and this is probably the reason why the club have decided not to proceed.  Les be honest the players are at the club for the money but are they of the calibre needed up a league or two? Probably not! So then you start looking elsewhere to bring in these players, more travelling expenses, wages, hotels, plus the added costs to away trips for transport, hotels, and officials to name a few!

unless a club in Cornwall has a serious backer, I'd advise all clubs to go no further than SWPL.  

[Dave Deacon]

The players are definitely good enough to hold their own in the Western Premier, however only 30% were prepared to try it!

[leedsunited]

Are St.Austell going to take Promotion? Or Godolphin??

[Dave Deacon]

Why ask Leeds United - no one so far on this thread is criticising Bodmin for not going up!

[leedsunited]

Just curious as to why the focus is on Bodmin, when last years Champions St.Austell applied for promotion but only missed out on ground grading (which we are led to believe the neccesary work has been carried out) so with that now in place will they be applying again? 

[Dave Deacon]

The focus is on Bodmin because today their announcement is on the back of the Cornish Guardian in big bold print!  No need to be so defensive of your club Leeds United!

No doubt other clubs turns will come, but if you're a gambling man, I wouldn't put any money on any other club taking promotion either!

Let's be honest, why should any Cornish club really bother even considering applying? The club officers are unsure, the players don't want to, and the majority of the supporters aren't fussed. Stagnation was an accusation thrown at the old South Western League - but really? There's no other sensible, financially viable option to enable a club to climb the present FA pyramid system.

[Dave Deacon]

Cast your vote on :

Have Bodmin Town made the correct decision in not applying for promotion into the Western League?

 

[leedsunited]

Im sure you will get a very honest opinion in the vote Dave! People want Bodmin gone as we are the best team. Any updates from Poltair if they have applied? Someone must know...

[Dave Deacon]

Im sure you will get a very honest opinion in the vote Dave! People want Bodmin gone as we are the best team. Any updates from Poltair if they have applied? Someone must know...

It's only a bit of fun Leeds United!

I for one wouldn't want Bodmin to go. The players would still be around playing for someone else anyway  

[Dave Deacon]

You can sleep easy Leeds United - AFC St Austell haven't applied this year either! 

[Tribute]

The reason why Bodmin get more stick then most for not taking promotion is simply because they have been there or there abouts for years ( slight blip a few yrs ago ) . Whereas the likes of St Austell ( for eg ) have only been in the promotion position last year . Financially for any mid / west Cornwall side = waste of time ! 

[Tommy Matthews]

Bodmin have got two or three teachers in their squad and they would find it just about impossible to make long midweek fixtures as you just can't take a few hours off work as you've got kids to teach. I recall that Bideford had a similar problem recently when they couldn't fulfil their fixtures as their teachers couldn't get time off and let's face it their travelling is easier than Bodmin's although they're higher up the pyramid. 

Is it worth busting the club when you don't have to?

It's not necessarily a lack of ambition sometimes it's just a reality check. 

[Bruegel the Elder]

How near to the top of the league do you have to be to apply for promotion? Could St Blazey apply if all those above them decline? Looking at the standard in the Western League they could undoubtedly challenge for honours there!

[THE BALD ONE]

 If there were no step higher to go , then fair enough. But think the league winners should get promoted and if they get relegated the next season , then so be it.

You should not be able to pick and choose what league you play in. 

Edited December 30, 2015 by THE BALD ONE
poor spelling

[hoppit]

The FA will downgrade the league eventually, no use to them or the pyramid system there will be no vase and  no FA cup  and cornish teams will only have themselves to blame. Might as well have a  Cornish senior league like if used to be.  Less travelling for the little dears and another tenner in their pocket to win yet another non-descript league as far as the rest of the country is concerned.

[tango602]

The FA will downgrade the league eventually, no use to them or the pyramid system there will be no vase and  no FA cup  and cornish teams will only have themselves to blame. Might as well have a  Cornish senior league like if used to be.  Less travelling for the little dears and another tenner in their pocket to win yet another non-descript league as far as the rest of the country is concerned.

Only way this could be avoided unless some of the current leading teams go up is for one or two Devon based sides to make the step up, if the South West Peninsula League gets downgraded to say Step 7 it means the only side from the county in anything but the FA Vase would be Truro City and for at least part of next season they won't be playing within the County anyway.

Someone needs to take a risk sooner or later.

[pastyman]

I read in the press recently, how much each win in the Premiership has cost Manchester United, in relation to the amount spent in players under Van Gaal, it amount to around £10 million.

Bringing things more local, how much has each win cost each club in the Carlsberg South Western League this season?  I am sure the figures would be "eye watering" for the top two in the league presently! Relate this to the prize money on offer, it means clubs are simply "buying" the title.

[quiksilver]

If the league winner does not accept promotion (whoever it is) then the FA should take the step to stop them competing in FA vase and FA cup for the next season

[BIG AL]

If the league winner does not accept promotion (whoever it is) then the FA should take the step to stop them competing in FA vase and FA cup for the next season

That's the best idea yet!

[Bruegel the Elder]

I read in the press recently, how much each win in the Premiership has cost Manchester United, in relation to the amount spent in players under Van Gaal, it amount to around £10 million.

Bringing things more local, how much has each win cost each club in the Carlsberg South Western League this season?  I am sure the figures would be "eye watering" for the top two in the league presently! Relate this to the prize money on offer, it means clubs are simply "buying" the title.

Pastyman, you may well be right, however just look at the very bottom of the league. The amount spent per win at Blaise Park would make Bodmin and St. Austells spend look like peanuts. Enough to make a grown fan weep!

[Dave Deacon]

Im sure you will get a very honest opinion in the vote Dave! People want Bodmin gone as we are the best team. Any updates from Poltair if they have applied? Someone must know...

How the poll via Twitter finished after 24 hours:-

Edited December 31, 2015 by Dave Deacon

[TheolderIgetthebetterIwas]

Lack of ambition normally ends in decline. And it will happen there as well.

I understand why they don't take it though. Its all about the costs for sure.

[THE BALD ONE]

Just putting this out there , so dont bite my head off.

As teams dont take promotion , for very valid reasons ,  is this premier league much different than the Plymouth Sunday league ?

Most of the good players play in that league !

If you compare the top few teams in each league , they are of similar ability.

[100%cornish]

I see Bodmins  Kevin Miller is the new goalkeeping coach at Torquay Utd i can see Kevin bein Torquays 1st team goalie because there goalie Landacombe is joining Wigan if Kevin does join Torquay full time Bodmin would struggle he just cannot be replaced hes so good take Miller and Rocky Neale out of the team they would be mortal like the other teams in the Carlsberg Premier league 

[panda]

The only difference is they do not get paid for playing. They do it for the love of the game !!!!!

[Ian Pethick]

Since I moved to East London , I have started watching Clapton FC in the Essex Senior League ( Step 5 in the pyramid). Speaking to people at matches, they express disbelief at the alleged "expenses" being paid out in the SWPL, teams that steamroller opposition regularly yet refuse to even consider promotion and the traffic of the same old players between clubs.

I know it's London, and the talent pool is considerably deeper with many more players available, but the difference between the standards of football and the ambition of clubs is striking. Clapton FC ( who attract crowds of around 200 ) have made it a declared aim to be in the Conference within 5 years, and there is a genuine sense of buzz and tension around the league with clubs very much wanting to be in the end of season promotion/play off shake up. This is something that is badly missing from the Peninsula League, and is having a genuinely detrimental effect on the competition. When I last followed Parkway regularly last season, a lot of the fixtures seemed meaningless with many of the results a foregone conclusion before the match begun.

Coming back to the conversations I have had regarding SWPL football at the Old Spotted Dog (what a brilliant name for a ground !) i would give an explanation of how step 6 non-league football works in Devon & Cornwall, and would be met with the response "why, and what's the point then?" I struggled for an answer...

[hoppit]

Since I moved to East London , I have started watching Clapton FC in the Essex Senior League ( Step 5 in the pyramid). Speaking to people at matches, they express disbelief at the alleged "expenses" being paid out in the SWPL, teams that steamroller opposition regularly yet refuse to even consider promotion and the traffic of the same old players between clubs.

I know it's London, and the talent pool is considerably deeper with many more players available, but the difference between the standards of football and the ambition of clubs is striking. Clapton FC ( who attract crowds of around 200 ) have made it a declared aim to be in the Conference within 5 years, and there is a genuine sense of buzz and tension around the league with clubs very much wanting to be in the end of season promotion/play off shake up. This is something that is badly missing from the Peninsula League, and is having a genuinely detrimental effect on the competition. When I last followed Parkway regularly last season, a lot of the fixtures seemed meaningless with many of the results a foregone conclusion before the match begun.

Coming back to the conversations I have had regarding SWPL football at the Old Spotted Dog (what a brilliant name for a ground !) i would give an explanation of how step 6 non-league football works in Devon & Cornwall, and would be met with the response "why, and what's the point then?" I struggled for an answer...

This is by far the best post that has been put on this forum, teams that pay substantial expenses to win the same league should either be made to take promotion or be relegated. Mr Chapman from Bodmin afc wrote in the Guardian newspaper that it was not viable for Bodmin to take promotion, that's fine but when will it be ever viable. You won't know if it,s viable until you have a go. Better to try and regret than regret not trying, he says they have lots of ambition, but to do what exactly,Win the same league year after year?  that's a contradiction that makes no sense.    In fairness it's not just Bodmin that are guilty it's any team that have been or will be in the position to take promotion and refuse.

hat are guilty 

[Richard Rundle]

I know it's London, and the talent pool is considerably deeper with many more players available, but the difference between the standards of football and the ambition of clubs is striking. Clapton FC ( who attract crowds of around 200 ) have made it a declared aim to be in the Conference within 5 years, and there is a genuine sense of buzz and tension around the league with clubs very much wanting to be in the end of season promotion/play off shake up.

That would mean a hell of a lot of work at the Old Spotted Dog!

I saw Clapton @ Sawbridgeworth earlier in the season and their away support was superb.

You can't really compare London with Cornwall though. If Clapton go up, to the Isthmian League Division One North (Step 4), they will have dozen sides within about 25 miles of them. If Bodmin go up (to Step 5) they will have none with a much larger distance.

 

[quiksilver]

It is well known a swpl team who won the league a few years ago spent out £36,000 on 'expenses' to players for a season and total prize money for that season was £8000. They then said 'promotion was not a viable option', you really have to ask what is the point just to have your name on a few trophies if it costs you £28,000 a year. Could buy a coach or couple of minibuses for that to make travelling 'more viable'

[Mike Odgers]

Easily the most successful club in the SW Peninsula era (8 seasons)

SWPL Champions 4 runners Up 3

SWPL Cup Winners 4  from 5 finals

C.Senior Cup Winners 4 from 5 Finals

F A Vase -Last 16 once-Last 32, 3 times

This season on course for their 5th.title and still involved in all cup competitions'.

Perhaps their quest for the "Holy Grail" F A Vase is hindered by not competing at a higher level week by week?

 

Edited January 2, 2016 by Mike Odgers

[hoppit]

I know it's London, and the talent pool is considerably deeper with many more players available, but the difference between the standards of football and the ambition of clubs is striking. Clapton FC ( who attract crowds of around 200 ) have made it a declared aim to be in the Conference within 5 years, and there is a genuine sense of buzz and tension around the league with clubs very much wanting to be in the end of season promotion/play off shake up.

That would mean a hell of a lot of work at the Old Spotted Dog!

I saw Clapton @ Sawbridgeworth earlier in the season and their away support was superb.

You can't really compare London with Cornwall though. If Clapton go up, to the Isthmian League Division One North (Step 4), they will have dozen sides within about 25 miles of them. If Bodmin go up (to Step 5) they will have none with a much larger distance.

 

I know it's London, and the talent pool is considerably deeper with many more players available, but the difference between the standards of football and the ambition of clubs is striking. Clapton FC ( who attract crowds of around 200 ) have made it a declared aim to be in the Conference within 5 years, and there is a genuine sense of buzz and tension around the league with clubs very much wanting to be in the end of season promotion/play off shake up.

That would mean a hell of a lot of work at the Old Spotted Dog!

I saw Clapton @ Sawbridgeworth earlier in the season and their away support was superb.

You can't really compare London with Cornwall though. If Clapton go up, to the Isthmian League Division One North (Step 4), they will have dozen sides within about 25 miles of them. If Bodmin go up (to Step 5) they will have none with a much larger distance.

 

Fair point Richard of course the travelling is a problem that's the price you pay for living in God's county, but you are not travelling in a pony and trap along dusty roads, when I was reffing my local teams were Bideford Barnstaple  and Tiverton and I live on Bodmin moor , I travelled to Paulton, Yeovil etc for evening games, bit of a pain admittedly but I was ambitious. Leave Cornwall around 4.30 and you can make it virtually anywhere in thro west country for a 19.45 kick off. The more Cornish teams that take promotion the less travelling becomes a problem as the years are go by

[Smiler]

Surely if they decide not to take promotion the club should use the money to develop the club ie: buy their own pitch,bring in more local lad's and have a club house that could be opened on a day to day basis

[Mike Odgers]

On this non football Saturday I had a look back at the SWPL handbooks 2007-2015 (8 Seasons)

Total (SWPL) prize money for Bodmin  £21,325 added on to this wopuld be the CCFA and FA prize

In comparison I did the same for Falmouth which added up to #2,873

[Bruegel the Elder]

On this non football Saturday I had a look back at the SWPL handbooks 2007-2015 (8 Seasons)

Total (SWPL) prize money for Bodmin  £21,325 added on to this wopuld be the CCFA and FA prize

In comparison I did the same for Falmouth which added up to #2,873

Gosh, £21,325, that's nearly enough to put the Bodmin team on the pitch for almost a month!

[derek martyn]

Imo Bodmin do appear to lack the ambition to push on to the next level given the fact that they have been consistently dominant in the SWP League for a number of years now, they have had plenty of time to get their act together.

On the other hand, the FA need to be doing more to encourage teams to take promotion. A subsidy towards away match traveling expenses should be on the table so maybe the CCFA should be more proactive  in this respect. This is what happens in Rugby where the assosiation recognises the logistacal problems which Cornish teams are presented with and therefore contributes a certain amount of money per mile. If assistance was offered, then I feel that the FA would be in their rights to the implement a ban in FA Cup/Vase the following season for a team who refuses promotion.

[BIG AL]

Imo Bodmin do appear to lack the ambition to push on to the next level given the fact that they have been consistently dominant in the SWP League for a number of years now, they have had plenty of time to get their act together.

On the other hand, the FA need to be doing more to encourage teams to take promotion. A subsidy towards away match traveling expenses should be on the table so maybe the CCFA should be more proactive  in this respect. This is what happens in Rugby where the assosiation recognises the logistacal problems which Cornish teams are presented with and therefore contributes a certain amount of money per mile. If assistance was offered, then I feel that the FA would be in their rights to the implement a ban in FA Cup/Vase the following season for a team who refuses promotion.

Cornwall fa being proactive -THAT WILL NEVER HAPPEN!

[leedsunited]

You want us gone to make it easier for your own clubs, try & be better than us, reach our standards, instead of trying to egg us on out of the league!! Its not going to happen, we laugh at you guys on weekends & your comments. We are top, cant catch us on the pitch so try & slate us off it! 

Us being top hurts you more than us not going to the Western League!

[FlippoH]

You want us gone to make it easier for your own clubs, try & be better than us, reach our standards, instead of trying to egg us on out of the league!! Its not going to happen, we laugh at you guys on weekends & your comments. We are top, cant catch us on the pitch so try & slate us off it! 

Us being top hurts you more than us not going to the Western League!

ZzzZzzzZzzz

[hoppit]

You want us gone to make it easier for your own clubs, try & be better than us, reach our standards, instead of trying to egg us on out of the league!! Its not going to happen, we laugh at you guys on weekends & your comments. We are top, cant catch us on the pitch so try & slate us off it! 

Us being top hurts you more than us not going to the Western League!

ZzzZzzzZzzz

Stop being so silly it's got nothing to do with Bodmin as a club it's to do with the structure of the league,sooner or later the FA will downgrade the league do to the fact that no team from Cornwall taking promotion. No vase and no FA cup. Then maybe the finger will be pointed. How can anyone compete with the teams that chuck stupid money at players from outside the county just to win a league a few steps above the duchy league makes no sense to me. But  if the powers that be are happy then so be it.

[leedsunited]

Some clubs chucking money at players from outside the County or Inside the County & winning nothing!! Infact some of those clubs are struggling in the bottom 7/8!! Should be more concern there surely!! 

[hoppit]

Some clubs chucking money at players from outside the County or Inside the County & winning nothing!! Infact some of those clubs are struggling in the bottom 7/8!! Should be more concern there surely!! 

Dont think anyone's that bothered to be honest, just stale league with no sign of changing until the FA step in then it might be more fun.All I want is for the best  Cornish teams to get to the highest feasible standard whoever they may be. Why some people don't is baffling.

[THE BALD ONE]

Some clubs chucking money at players from outside the County or Inside the County & winning nothing!! Infact some of those clubs are struggling in the bottom 7/8!! Should be more concern there surely!! 

What clubs would that be then Leeds.

[quiksilver]

Think the falling attendances at most clubs is a sign of how stale the league is becoming 

[TheolderIgetthebetterIwas]

You want us gone to make it easier for your own clubs, try & be better than us, reach our standards, instead of trying to egg us on out of the league!! Its not going to happen, we laugh at you guys on weekends & your comments. We are top, cant catch us on the pitch so try & slate us off it! 

Us being top hurts you more than us not going to the Western League!

Its a long way down from that pedestal you see yourself on.

It will happen, it will be painful.....all goes in cycles....enjoy it.

[100%cornish]

Like i said before if Kevin Miller retires this year Bodmin will not be the same team he saves them so many points through the season and i cannot see Rocky Neale being at Bodmin next season hes too good for this league surprising Truro havnt signed him up hes that good head and shoulders above any other striker out there not in height i like to add 

[hoppit]

Since I moved to East London , I have started watching Clapton FC in the Essex Senior League ( Step 5 in the pyramid). Speaking to people at matches, they express disbelief at the alleged "expenses" being paid out in the SWPL, teams that steamroller opposition regularly yet refuse to even consider promotion and the traffic of the same old players between clubs.

I know it's London, and the talent pool is considerably deeper with many more players available, but the difference between the standards of football and the ambition of clubs is striking. Clapton FC ( who attract crowds of around 200 ) have made it a declared aim to be in the Conference within 5 years, and there is a genuine sense of buzz and tension around the league with clubs very much wanting to be in the end of season promotion/play off shake up. This is something that is badly missing from the Peninsula League, and is having a genuinely detrimental effect on the competition. When I last followed Parkway regularly last season, a lot of the fixtures seemed meaningless with many of the results a foregone conclusion before the match begun.

Coming back to the conversations I have had regarding SWPL football at the Old Spotted Dog (what a brilliant name for a ground !) i would give an explanation of how step 6 non-league football works in Devon & Cornwall, and would be met with the response "why, and what's the point then?" I struggled for an answer...

This is a good post. However - to my mind no fixture should ever be meaningless. Any true lover of football, whether player, ex player (probably most of us) or spectator, should view a fixture as a challenge to be taken on with gusto. If that is not, or perhaps is no longer the case, then yes I would agree, what is the point (?)

I don't see a problem with a team purely gaining satisfaction from simply beating the opposition, taking a pride in their performance and winning the league at the end of the season. If Bodmin (or whoever) are satisfied with that then good for them. Surely primarily we all play, or used to play, for love of the game and beating the opposition - winning the league is the icing on the cake ! 

If, when having done their maths, any team decide that they can't for financial reasons afford to go up a league, or don't want promotion for any other reason that's that club's decision and no business of ours. 

 

Ok fine but it means the end of the pyramid system and surely that's every football lovers business. Maybe I'm nieve but l just don't understand what the problem with taking promotion is travelling maybe, but every other sport in cornwall seem to manage so why do men's football  find if so difficult. Could someone explain to me in simple terms please? I'm not that clever. I thought the pyramid was put in place to make promotion easier for clubs how wrong was I. Wonder what will happen if it becomes compulsary. Would we see all the top clubs slash their budget  so as not to win the league? Probably.

[Father Ted]

You want us gone to make it easier for your own clubs, try & be better than us, reach our standards, instead of trying to egg us on out of the league!! Its not going to happen, we laugh at you guys on weekends & your comments. We are top, cant catch us on the pitch so try & slate us off it! 

Us being top hurts you more than us not going to the Western

Bodmin have got two or three teachers in their squad and they would find it just about impossible to make long midweek fixtures as you just can't take a few hours off work as you've got kids to teach. I recall that Bideford had a similar problem recently when they couldn't fulfil their fixtures as their teachers couldn't get time off and let's face it their travelling is easier than Bodmin's although they're higher up the pyramid. 

Is it worth busting the club when you don't have to?

It's not necessarily a lack of ambition sometimes it's just a reality check. 

[hoppit]

You want us gone to make it easier for your own clubs, try & be better than us, reach our standards, instead of trying to egg us on out of the league!! Its not going to happen, we laugh at you guys on weekends & your comments. We are top, cant catch us on the pitch so try & slate us off it! 

Us being top hurts you more than us not going to the Western

Bodmin have got two or three teachers in their squad and they would find it just about impossible to make long midweek fixtures as you just can't take a few hours off work as you've got kids to teach. I recall that Bideford had a similar problem recently when they couldn't fulfil their fixtures as their teachers couldn't get time off and let's face it their travelling is easier than Bodmin's although they're higher up the pyramid. 

Is it worth busting the club when you don't have to?

It's not necessarily a lack of ambition sometimes it's just a reality check. 

 

:Cant see why it would bust any club  bit more travelling that's about it, as for this teacher thing ,l reffed with teachers for years and they never had a problem. get away by 4.30 make 7.45 kick off in Somerset easily. The thing that make clubs go bust usually is the players budget if you can afford that you should be ok with the rest.

[BIG AL]

You want us gone to make it easier for your own clubs, try & be better than us, reach our standards, instead of trying to egg us on out of the league!! Its not going to happen, we laugh at you guys on weekends & your comments. We are top, cant catch us on the pitch so try & slate us off it! 

Us being top hurts you more than us not going to the Western

Bodmin have got two or three teachers in their squad and they would find it just about impossible to make long midweek fixtures as you just can't take a few hours off work as you've got kids to teach. I recall that Bideford had a similar problem recently when they couldn't fulfil their fixtures as their teachers couldn't get time off and let's face it their travelling is easier than Bodmin's although they're higher up the pyramid. 

Is it worth busting the club when you don't have to?

It's not necessarily a lack of ambition sometimes it's just a reality check. 

 

:Cant see why it would bust any club  bit more travelling that's about it, as for this teacher thing ,l reffed with teachers for years and they never had a problem. get away by 4.30 make 7.45 kick off in Somerset easily. The thing that make clubs go bust usually is the players budget if you can afford that you should be ok with the rest.

Schools finish at 3pm!