As things stand, the Spar Mid Wales League, second division will run with only 11 clubs, theoretically leaving Presteigne St Andrews and other member clubs with only 10 home league matches next season.
There is still time for clubs to apply to join the second division for next season and it’s to be hoped some do, otherwise we could be left with a mish-mash of a league for the coming campaign.
Most people would agree that 20 games is nowhere near enough in a season that stretches from August until the end of April, so presumably the Spar Mid Wales League will have a number of options open to it.
First of all, there is the appeal for more clubs to join from the feeder leagues, even if they didn’t achieve the top-two finish they generally need to qualify for promotion.
The early signs are that league secretary Phil Woosnam has not exactly been in danger of serious injury from the stampede of would-be applicants which must tell him and the league something.
That ‘something’ is that clubs don’t want the long travel distances involved in playing Mid Wales League football – they would rather play recreational football locally with their mates than flog the full width of Wales on a trip that takes up most of the day.
In the current economic climate a key factor – and one that has affected Presteigne as well other clubs – is that more lads are working on Saturday morning so can’t afford the time off to travel long distances for football.
Llanfyllin Town and Aberdyfi have dropped out of the league from last season, while Tregaron Turfs and Meifod opted out after the previous campaign.
Borth United – who won the Emrys Morgan Cup – were eligible to step up from the Cambrian Tyres Aberystwyth League, but have decided against taking up their place.
I don’t know the reasons behind these five clubs’ decisions not to take part in the Spar League next season, but I do know from a chat with a Llanfyllin committee member that travelling distances and the subsequent commitment from players were factors in their decision.
So, what else can the league do to ensure we have a reasonable number of league matches?
Yes, the teams could play each other three times in a season, that would leave us with 30 matches but it is hardly the best format for any league.
Any side that ends up having to play two away games against, say, the three top sides in the league is going to feel hard done by. The response: ‘It’s the luck of the draw’ doesn’t wash – that is fine for a cup competition, but not a league.
The fear is that we will end up with a couple of irrelevant cup competitions in order to make up the numbers in terms of matches – again, this is far from ideal.
Then, some department somewhere has determined that clubs such as Newcastle and Bucknell have to go back to Shropshire when they have played Mid Wales League (South) football for years. Newcastle won the Mid Wales League (South) two seasons ago but were denied promotion.
If you are going to have a hard and fast rule, then fine – but that would surely mean TNS would have to transfer to England too as they play in Oswestry? You can’t have one rule when it suits governing bodies and another when it doesn’t.
I appreciate there is no easy answer to the problem, but the league and the governing bodies are going to have to accept that many players at many clubs don’t want to spend their entire day on the road for a game of football when they can play much more locally at a level that is not vastly inferior.
Times change and there is a growing perception there isn’t the commitment of years gone by as there are plenty of other attractions on a Saturday other than football. It should all make for an interesting AGM of the Spar Mid Wales League.
Any thoughts on this, please let me know by clicking here and I will stick up comments on the website in the coming days.