[QUOTE=Ronaldoknow] Leave them there and put Cashmere, Waimak and FC2011 in the Premier League next year along with Richmond. 12 team league home and away (22 regular games) makes much more sense than 8 team 3 round League. Alternatively if Woolston and Cashmere merge, also Western/Nomads, that gives us a 10 team League.
And do away with promotion/relegation? Or handle on basis of some sort of "club criteria" that justifies top level football?
I would go with a criteria based 10 team league if possible. Criteria would be based on abilty to develop the game in club's area. They would have to show a committment to men's and women's, juniors to seniors, and cater for players of all ability levels from social to elite. They would need to have a referee programme, need to have Club Mark Gold certification and employ a full time football development officer. They woud have to implement the whole of football plan. They would need to have a strategic plan that they could be held accountable to and be financially sound with a commitment to not paying players.
A top placed team from the league below could apply to join based on the criteria. With out the fear of relegation clubs could invest in player development throughout the league and we wouldn't get the club jumping that goes on at the moment. It's ridiculous to see clubs staying alive in the league by "buying" players in an amateur competition. Dropping the league to 8 teams has done nothing to improve the standard of football and forced some clubs to pay players in order to remain competitive. Wouldn't that money be better spent on developing young players?
Part of the problem with player development programmes is that young players shoot off to another club as soon as their premier side strikes trouble. A criteria based league should help them retain players.
Premier League would be played on Sunday afternoons to attract bigger crowds. No Sunday League games to start after 12:00 p.m. Reserve League to mirror Premier League and play before hand on same ground.