NEPL 2021 Season
- Thread starter Old Timer
- Start date
So the premier league play 24 games and division 1 only play 20 games. I can't see how that can be done. Also assume means 3 teams go down next season which again isn't fair.
Only 1 team should go up and it has to be Newcastle with the details we are aware of. If there is an issue with Willington then that changes it for me and Castle Eden go up as Willington will get automatic loss for the game
Do Gateshead Fell get a retrospective automatic loss too? Are you going to review the circumstances of all the other Covid voids earlier in the season?
safccfas
Winger
isnt that irrelevant though? Teams had to isolate then, at this time only individuals did. Sounds like Willington ‘isolated’ their whole team which wasn’t supposed to happen.
If it’s clear from the start of the season 3 go down then it’s absolutely fair.
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Relegating over 23% of teams would be ridiculous.
Circumstances weren't great but nonetheless, Newcastle narrowly beat Castle Eden to the last promotion spot and I'm yet to see an argument that changes this. Prior to the final game of the season, the league accepted Willington first teams request to COVID off their game. Unless their reasoning for accepting this can be proven to be wrong, I don't see any change happening.
We’re in the world of supposition unfortunately. To me, all teams knew what they needed to do going in to the last round of games, Castle Eden came up just short.
Looking at other fixtures and the rights and the wrongs of the Covid rules is too problematic.
IF there is evidence that Willington "knew" the week before that they were struggling to put out 2 teams. And, there is evidence that Willington players were "at a festival" then, surely the NEPL have to investigate that ?
Whether this has any bearing on the Promotion argument, I am not sure.
Whether this has any bearing on the Promotion argument, I am not sure.
Eggman
Winger
Do they have a sunday, third team, academy or junior teams ?
No need as isolation rules changes middle of August which minimised close contacts isolating etc. Prior to this change more players would have had to isolate if a player was in close contact with their team mates
I think Castle Eden need to just accept it to be honest but my opinion is if they have a solicitor involved, their angle can only be to prove that that game shouldn't have been allowed to be off for Covid reasons. The rules element will be hard to overturn as communication to all clubs has been made around this and any challenges should have been raised in a timely manner
Let's hope rules are made clear before the 2022 season commences and that lessons are learnt form this. I do feel sorry for league officials across the various leagues as Covid has been a real challenge and they are there to support clubs.
^This.
A few years ago I played in a second team game along with four other players from our mid-week eleven - all well over the age of 50 - with the other seven all under 18 - some as young as 12/13.
The reason was that most of the normal second team lads, and a lot of the first team, had all gone away on holiday together for a stag do.
The combined age that day of the wicket-keeper, two slips and gully came to around 220!
Different circumstances, and pre-Covid, I know, but the point is that all fixtures were fulfilled, even though the first team was severely weakened.
A club should never turn out a second team when on the same day they've cancelled the first team fixture, for whatever reason. It's just wrong.
Eggman
Winger
To say "It's just not cricket" covers it nicely !
I believe one team were given dispensation from the league to field a 2nd team game, and COVID off a 1st team game, as it would be unsafe for the juniors in the 2nd team to play at first team level and could put junior cricketers off the game for life if something was to happen. I don't think this was linked to the final game of the season but this has definitely been agreed at some point this season. I think in this situation, it is entirely acceptable to play a 2nd team fixture on the same day a 1st team fixture is off.
Eggman
Winger
That's creating a precedence that will be open to misuse
In a normal season I’d agree, this season has been anything but normal. League has been pragmatic in getting as many games played to the best standard possible in extremely challenging circumstances for clubs.
kidderminster
Goalkeeper
EGG
Central Defender
2nd X1 will be playing TCC next season
kidderminster
Goalkeeper
EGG
Central Defender
2nd X1 got promoted
