Almost three years to the day, The Football Association formed the National Game Division, with the remit to 'lead the development of, and investment in, English football', from the parks, right through to the Nationwide Conference.......

Today in Torquay at the Annual FA Council meeting, the restructuring of the National League System was finally ratified for the start of season 2004/05.

 

Director of The FA National Game Division Steve Parkin said:

"After three years of very hard work by a great number of individuals, I am delighted that The FA Council have ratified the plans for restructuring; a truly historic moment for football below the Football League.

"Work on the National League System restructuring has been incredibly difficult, with the challenge to develop the system for the benefit of clubs, players and spectators, whilst balancing this against the desires of leagues.

"The FA believes the proposed changes will raise standards, create more excitement through play offs, and deliver more consistent rules, regulations and ground grading requirements.

"Even more importantly, it will ensure that the National League System will be now be fair and equitable for clubs irrespective of their geographic position in the country."

One of the earliest projects undertaken by Steve Parkin, Greg Fee - former National Leagues Manager, - Mike Appleby - Leagues Manager - and two key FA committees, was to examine the need for change of the existing National League System structure.

Uppermost in the minds of The FA was that change should not take place for changes sake, but only if it would bring long-term benefits for the game.

 

In summary, The FA believed that across the country: - the format of leagues was inconsistent - rules and regulations were not totally consistent - quality standards varied at the same level, and - ground gradings varied.

As early as May 2000, the Football Conference, Northern Premier League and Southern League called for a review of the National League System, and in March 2001, at the request of the FA National League System Committee (chaired by Alan Burbidge), the three leagues, along with the Isthmian League presented their own proposals.

In July 2001, The FA National League System Committee presented an additional proposal to leagues at their National Conference, proposing two new leagues between the Football Conference and three feeders, elevating clubs which demonstrated ambition and quality, would introduce play-offs and more promotion opportunities, provide consistency in rules and regulations and incorporate more realistic ground grading requirements.

This proposal, and a symmetrical realignment (1-2-4-8) was met by some initial opposition, and after discussion with leagues at all levels, The FA, involving football at all levels, instigated a comprehensive 12-month consultation process.

An independent market research company was commissioned to consult NLS clubs via a survey, where five options were presented. From 220 clubs, 186 responded (85%), and 171 clubs supported change of the existing NLS - an overwhelming 92% in favour.

However, clubs raised a number of issues relating to players wages, facilities, raising revenue and rising costs, and votes were split as to the exact composition of a restructured NLS. The FA National Leagues System Committee therefore decided to undertake a second survey offering only two options, however there was still insufficient support to form 2 'semi national' leagues.

 

Taking into account the views of the clubs and the results of the second survey, in June 2002, the National League System Committee recommended to FA Council that Option D should be implemented and that the Isthmian and Southern leagues should work together to re-align their boundaries.

This decision was also relayed to all leagues within the NLS at the National Leagues Conference in Birmingham in July 2002. During the ensuing 6 months, the two leagues were unable to come to an agreement on the implementation of Option D, but The FA were successful in enabling a second promotion place into the Football League to be agreed at the Football League's AGM in July 2002.

This was a keystone in the overall development of the NLS. The result has been increased money into the Football Conference clubs, a 20% increase in attendances at matches and a successful televised play-off competition. This 2up/2down was a major step forward for the National Game.

In December 2002, the Football Conference applied to The Football Association to increase their membership from 22 to 66 and provided evidence that 63 out of 69 Premier Division clubs from the three Feeder Leagues had indicated a wish to join an expanded competition.

In April 2003, a new 'Alliance' was formed between the Football Conference, Isthmian, Northern Premier and Southern Leagues, which was formed to explore further options for restructure. A series of meeting were held at which The Football Association was represented and the process of seeking a structure that was acceptable to all leagues resumed.

At a meeting of the 'Alliance' held in May 2003, the 'Alliance', having considered in detail the various options available, agreed to recommend to the National League System Committee the structure shown above:

 

This structure would deliver the following:

- 22 clubs per league
- Play offs at each step down to step 4
- Better linkages throughout the league structure
- A semi national step between the FC and step 2
- Removes league within a league
- Delivers more consistent rules, regulations, ground grading and promotion/relegation through play offs

At an earlier meeting of Level 3 leagues, it was agreed to support this structure provided that there were no more than 220 clubs involved down to 'step 4'. This would involve the elevation of 15 clubs currently playing at Level 3 (including the Isthmian League 2nd Division).

These leagues also saw the benefit in having 12 leagues at this level of the game in the near future from amalgamation of some smaller leagues; a structure supported by 16 of the 18 leagues at the current Levels 1-3.

This structure was considered by the National League System Committee at their meeting on 9th May 2003 when it was agreed to recommend to The FA Council that the structure be implemented with effect from season 2004/05.

Alex Stone

The Committee welcomed the idea of having 12 leagues at the new 'step 5' and recommended that this should be pursued. All clubs will have one full season to prepare for the change, and will be informed of criteria and changes before season 2003/04 commences.