Division 3

[Guest]

Well it seems like Div 3 all of a sudden is not such a formality for Croydon????

Aveley,Croydon,Hornchurch (who are the form team in all four ryman divisions with 8 wins on the trot) and Bracknell all look certainties for promotion but which of the four will win the title???

Croydon have to play Bracknell twice and Aveley once.

Aveley play Hornchurch twice,Croydon and Bracknell.

Hornchurch play Bracknell at home and Aveley twice.

Bracknell play Croydon twice and are away to Hornchurch and Aveley.

Anybody got an opinion on this one???

[Guest]

My money would still be on Croydon Athletic, especially now they are out the Vase, and their manager admitted 5-0 didn't flatter Sudbury, and to use that old phrase, they can now concentrate on the league, although they are 7 points behind Aveley they have 3 games in hand and I see both Hornchurch and Bracknell lost yesterday to lower opposition. Is it correct that the top 6 go up into the new Ryman Div 1 north/south, if so will they play in the Trophy next year instead of the Vase and what happens to the other Div 3 teams?

[Guest]

John,<p> Yes the top 6 go up this year and then it is the Trophy for these sides next year, The remaining clubs in div 3 will form a new division 2 and will play in the F.A Vase, my money is on Croydon not winning the league.

[Weysider]

The teams who I think will have (or be very close to) the necessary grade at this moment in time would be<p>Aveley, Hertford, Hornchurch, Bracknell, Wingate and Witham.<p>Croydon I'm not too sure. I was at Croydon a few weeks ago and they appear to be putting up a new roof behind one of the goals so this might give them the required grading.<p>For the chasing pack teams like Epsom, Ware, Egham, Leighton and Wokingham (ie Windsor) would have no problems.<p>Teams who I think would need to spend a bit of money on some extra terracing would include my team Dorking, Chalfont and Corinthian Casuals.<p>This is only guess work on my part from what I've seen in the last couple of years.

[Colin, Germany]

This means, of course, that the top six win a double promotion this year, from the ninth level of the pyramid to the seventh.<p>The remaining teams all get promoted to Division Two, unless, of course, they get relegated to make way for the champions of the three feeder leagues. Although this would not really be relegation, as Division Two will be the eighth level of the pyramid next season, and because the champions of the three feeder leagues can apply for promotion (election) to the new regional Division Ones, they will also be the eighth level of the pyramid, albeit not quite on a level with Division Two, because the top two in Division Two will automatically get promotion to a regional Division One provided their facilities etc. are good enough, whereas the top two of the three feeder leagues must go through a selection (election?) procedure.<p>So, to sum up, everyone is going to be a bit nearer the Premiership next season!<p>See also the pyramid page of Come On You ETs.

[Arlowman2]

Have all of the clubs in the hunt got a B-Graded ground or is the League allowing a little extra time?

[Guest]

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Weysider:

<strong>The teams who I think will have (or be very close to) the necessary grade at this moment in time would be Aveley, Hertford, Hornchurch, Bracknell, Wingate and Witham.

<hr></blockquote><p>We at Bracknell definitely have a B grade, as do Aveley and Hornchurch. The others all have C grades, but Wingate and Witham will have no problems.<p> <blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr>[QB]Croydon I'm not too sure. I was at Croydon a few weeks ago and they appear to be putting up a new roof behind one of the goals so this might give them the required grading.</strong><hr></blockquote><p>They're also a C, but they should be all right.<p><strong>For the chasing pack teams like Epsom, Ware, Egham, Leighton and Wokingham (ie Windsor) would have no problems.</strong>

<p>True - Egham and Ware have A grades.<p> <blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr><strong>Teams who I think would need to spend a bit of money on some extra terracing would include my team Dorking, Chalfont and Corinthian Casuals.</strong><hr></blockquote><p>Chalfont have admitted they can't afford to do the work, and I have heard that Dorking intend to spend the next few years building the club back up in Div 3/2 after the traumas of the last few years. Any truth in this?<p>As for champions, I would say we need to be more consistent, but tonight's game (definitely ON after an inspection, 7.45pm KO) with Croydon could really get the thing going!<p>My top six:

BRACKNELL TOWN

Hornchurch

Croydon Athletic

Aveley

Wingate & Finchley

Witham Town

[EFM The Firm, The Voice]

Any idea who will come up from the various feeders?????<p>Divison 3 (the new 2) will be the place to be next year with St. Albans City more or likley relegaed into it or reformed and Enfeild Town as well, you little teams would never of had it so good!<p>Derby games City v London colney or enfield???

[carjam]

One things for certain. The club you like had better win it quick. Next season those non-league sleeping giants Romford will win it before Christmas.<p>Carjam

[Weysider]

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr>Chalfont have admitted they can't afford to do the work, and I have heard that Dorking intend to spend the next few years building the club back up in Div 3/2 after the traumas of the last few years. Any truth in this? <hr></blockquote><p>Dorking have turned the corner after being in freefall for the last few years. At the very least we expect to finish no lower than a respectable mid table position this season. Our problems lie in doing the work on the ground that will allow us to climb back up the divisions. If we can put in some extra terracing behind the goals we will be fine for a division one grading.<p>As I understand it, next season sees division 2 with 16 teams, with 2 promotion places potentially up for grabs. We will be challenging for them so long as we keep this side together and maybe add a couple more experienced players.

Will Enfield Town be allowed to come up to the Ryman while they're playing at Brimsdown? What sort of grading does that ground have, anyone know?

[Guest]

Good to heat that the Chicks are on the way back.<p>As I understand it, plans have gone in to get Brimsdown up to Ryman standard, but are yet to get planning permission.

[Colin, Germany]

I understand that Brimsdown Rovers are planning work to get the ground up to Ryman standards, but still have to apply for planning permission, which could take two months or so after the application.<p>I also understand that at the end of next season, two clubs will be promoted from Ryman Two into the regional Ryman Ones, if their facilities are good enough, and that up to a further two clubs could be elected into the regional Division Ones directly from the three feeder leagues.<p>I think Enfield Town is not quite going to make the timetable for improvements to get into the Ryman Two next season, and, in any case, there is still the matter of winning the Foresters Essex Senior League, which is a long way from a forgone conclusion.

[Guest]

Seems odd a division one north/south and just one division two made up of 16 teams, wouldn't it be better for them to go into the feeder leagues? It seems the standards in these leagues is often higher than the current Ryman 3 evidenced by how well many teams have done since promotion as well as Vase results.

[Colin, Germany]

I've drawn a picture of this oddity on the Pyramid pages of my Come On You ETs site. With all the new developments, I shall try to expand these pages within the next week or two.

[Guest]

Looks like I was right to keep faith in Croydon Athletic, they can also look forward to a derby with their near neighbours next season.

[Guest]

Indeed you were, as it looks almost inevitable that Croydon have sewn up the title.<p>However, it is still "almost" and I must say that I am a little suprised to hear that a Ryman League presentation party will be gathering at Mayfields on Saturday to present the trophy. <p>I will be the first to admit that it would be a tall order for the Urchins to overturn such a goal difference however, should Croydon lose on Saturday and Hornchurch win will the presentation go ahead? If so, is this correct when the title hasn't officially been decided?

[Guest]

Not all of you may be aware that Romford have resigned from the Ryman so will not be in Div three next season or will it be called Div 2.

Or will this division exist at all with 16 or so teams? <p>This decision means two different things-<p>1. That there may well be seven promotional places available from the current Div 3 into the new regionalised Div 1 subject to a Ryman management decision which they don't seem to have made clear yet.<p>2. Romford, as far as I am aware, have not yet clarified which league they will be playing in next season although the ESL appears to be one of the favourites with others in the background. Nor is it yet clear on which ground they will be playing.<p>Keep loggin on to www.romfordfc.co.uk for the latest on this exciting long running saga about our sleeping non-league football giant.<p>Up the Boro!<p> <img src="graemlins/images/icons/rolleyes.gif" border="0" alt="[rolleyes]" /> <img src="graemlins/images/icons/rolleyes.gif" border="0" alt="[rolleyes]" /> <img src="graemlins/images/icons/rolleyes.gif" border="0" alt="[rolleyes]" />

[mattd]

it is not quite as simple as only losing Romford.

Hungerford will be relegated for not getting a 'B' grade and Cheshunt and Ashford Town do not have a 'B' grade at present and may also be relegated..

[Guest]

Well I think Croydon Ath's goal difference is about 50 better than Hornchurch so the odds of that being overturned in the few games left must be millions to one, there would be some red faces if it did happen though!!

[Colin, Germany]

The historical era of Rymans Division 3 is over. No longer will football fans all over the Home Counties stream into the grounds to see the exciting contests offered by this division.

 

By the way, do any of the historians among you know when Rymans Division 3 began, and whether any teams played in every year of its existence?