National league.

[acko]

Interesting that they have voted to have 6 teams contesting the play-offs next season.assuming the champions automatically gain promotion that means the top 7 have something to play for now.how this will work i dont know but is this a nudge to the. league management they want to be brought in par with the league and have 3 teams auto matically promoted and 1 thro the play-offs

[RedJ]

They've been trying to get three up three down for a while now. No chance of four up, but three up is fair, especially when in recent years we've had ridiculously high points totals being runners up.

[RoversAlias]

Agreed RedJ, they should have 3 up / 3 down but I believe it'd have to involve the league clubs voting for it and that brings about the old turkeys voting for christmas analogy.

I'm not big on the new format of 6-team play offs but it adds more intrigue for teams, there aren't any 'extra' games as part of the schedule and opportunity can only be a good thing. Personally I think they should go halfway towards 3 up/3 down and borrow from the Scottish model and have League Two's 22nd placed side play off for survival against the National League play off sides.

[roversdude]

Didn't they have a similar play off scenario when reducing the number of teams in our top league
I've not seen the National League proposal so can't comment - there does however need to be a better route from National League to League 2

[RedJ]

Agreed RedJ, they should have 3 up / 3 down but I believe it'd have to involve the league clubs voting for it and that brings about the old turkeys voting for christmas analogy.

I'm not big on the new format of 6-team play offs but it adds more intrigue for teams, there aren't any 'extra' games as part of the schedule and opportunity can only be a good thing. Personally I think they should go halfway towards 3 up/3 down and borrow from the Scottish model and have League Two's 22nd placed side play off for survival against the National League play off sides.

Agree with that. And yes, League Two have to vote for it (well the FL, but obviously including L2) which is unlikely to happen. Would like to see a playout for a third spot.

Funny how Tranmere's boss came out and kicked off about it after losing at Wembley though...

[IDM]

With the amount of ex-league teams now in the conference (and below!) and relatively recent ex-conference teams in the FL, it may be about time to have 3 up 3 down.

Apart from belonging to the particular league organisation, the conference is almost a FL 5th division now anyway...

[Bristol Red Rover]

...Apart from belonging to the particular league organisation, the conference is almost a FL 5th division now anyway...

In what way isn't it FL 5th?

Leagues throughout the whole pyramid are reasonably fluid with promotion relegation apart from this precious portal.

There is the parachute payment which I think is a move towards opening up the FL, of softening the blow for a relegated club, so making it more likely to get the votes for 3 up/down. Last season it was 100% of L2 payments for the relegated clubs for 1 year, and 50% in the 2nd year. That's more than generous as both a cushion to help prevent relegated clubs going under, and as an insurance of some kind for the promoted clubs to make some investment in their higher status.

3 up/down is overdue, but I think the sensible next step is to stop fannying around and go for 4 up/down and maybe trial that fourth spot as eg. a play off between the winner of a "semi play off" of 4-7th in the National League and the 21st side in L2.