Sad news – Hay St Mary’s have confirmed they are to withdraw from the Spar Mid Wales League, first division.
The Forest Road club has said it has taken the decision with regret but cites players leaving for other clubs and the travelling distances involved as being among the main reasons.
They have applied to join the second division but could be forced to play in the Mid Wales League (South) should the FAW determine they should have to face a two-division relegation.
It is to be hoped common sense prevails here and Hay are not hammered because of their difficult but completely laudable decision to make that call prior to the season rather than during it.
Hay have presumably also run into the same issues that we and a host of other clubs face – players often now work on Saturday mornings and so are unwilling or unable to make long trips half the length of Wales for a 2.30pm kick off.
If we needed any further evidence of the issues causing problems for clubs, Four Crosses have taken a voluntary relegation into the Montgomery Amateur League for the same reason.
Newcastle Emlyn have similarly not taken up the promotion place into the Spar Mid Wales League to which they were entitled due to the geography.
Borth United have indicated they are willing to take up Hay’s spot in division one – that would make sense as Borth finished third in division two last season. So, the obvious thing would be for Hay and Borth to effectively swap places for next season.
Perhaps the time has come for a rethink over the structure of the Spar Mid Wales League in order to try to help out those clubs who are finding it tough to field sides?
Some of our own committee have also been making such noises – we pulled out of a scheduled Central Wales Cup trip to Dolgellau last season for the same reason.
Maybe the time has come for greater regionalisation of the divisions – for us, derby games against Builth Wells, Llandrindod Wells, Knighton Town, Radnor Valley, Hay St Mary’s etc are likely to have far greater appeal to both players and supporters than trips to Dolgellau, Tywyn Bryncrug or Machynlleth. Similarly, those clubs can’t relish the prospect of trips to Presteigne, Hay, Talgarth and Brecon Northcote.
If the leagues were regionalised, there could easily be a play-off system to enable ambitious clubs to progress while there are still the cup competitions in which clubs have a chance of meeting less familiar opponents.
Players and clubs expect to make the odd lengthy trip in a cup competition – especially the further a club progresses in a cup – but the geography of the league is such that these long-distance expeditions are increasingly becoming the norm and the evidence is a growing proportion of players clearly don’t want them.
There is no point in having a league for the sake of it. If the clubs involved either don’t believe in it or don’t believe it to be sustainable, then the inevitable conclusion is that they will continue to vote with their feet.
You can’t blame players – if you have the chance to make £50.00 on a Saturday morning rather than spending around the same in petrol and a drink or two on a long football trip, well, for many the household economics make this a no brainer.
It would probably be better if the league were to take the lead on this one because, if they don’t, then there is every chance more clubs will leave.