The demise of Romford

[cup of tea]

Think we're covering old ground here - merger will never happen.

Ground share, well I don't know the situation but I would think it's highly unlikely as this was rejected before.

 

Sometimes clubs just disappear, it's unfortunate but it's hard out there at the moment. When you hear about clubs like Lowestoft and Dulwich then you know it's difficult. Feel sorry for the volunteers at Romford who have kept the club going in difficult circumstances.

[Dagger03]

There are already ground shares at -

 

Thurrock and Romford

Aveley and Grays Athletic

Barkng and West Essex (Essex Senior League)

Ilford and Barkingside (both Essex Senior League)

Cheshunt and FC Romania (Essex Senior League)

Redbridge and Newbury Forest (Essex Senior League / Essex Olympian League)

Harlow Town and Enfield (Essex Senior League)

Canvey Island and Benfleet (Essex Olympian League)

Clapton and Hackney Wick (both Essex Senior League)

Bromley and Cray Wanderers

Dartford and Thamesmead Town

Welling Utd and Erith & Belvedere (Kent League)

Waltham Forest  and Wadham Lodge (both Essex Senior League)

Hendon and Edgware Town

Barking RU and May & Baker (Essex Olympian League)

Broxbourne Borough and Woodford

Tower Hamlets and Sporting Bengal (both Essex Senior League)

Ilford Wanderers RU and Sungate (Essex Olympian League)

West Ham Youth Alliance and Canning Town (Essex Olympian League)

 

So options are limited - at the moment there are no ground shares at -

East Thurrock

Dagenham & Redbridge

Hornchurch

Tilbury

Brentwood

Billericay

And possibly Clapton next season, as Hackney Wick are moving to the Olympic park at Stratford (the ground is just off Hackney Marshes, a short distance away from where West Ham play).

 

To save anyone asking - the Romford Stadium (the dog track) is too narrow for football, and is due to be closed for several months for renovation.

 

And - if Thurrock do fold (hopefully this will not happen) then could the bottom club in the league get a reprieve?

[andydick]

Good stuff Tony ...

 

On your last point, "And - if Thurrock do fold (hopefully this will not happen) then could the bottom club in the league get a reprieve?"  I did read somewhere (though I can't find it) that assuming Thurrock don't finish bottom then the bottom team will still go down and there would be an extra promotion place.  It'll likely be based on highest points per game across all divisions at our level - meaning there will be 2 PPG promotion spots available.

[cup of tea]

So the two closest non-shared grounds to Romford are (sigh) us and Brentwood (I was never good at Geography though). See what happens with Thurrock.

Edited March 12, 2018 by cup of tea

[Dagger03]

Andy - I think you are correct, as I also seem to remember that 'there will be no reprieves this season'. In a 'normal' season, the relegated team with the best playing record would get a reprieve, but this does not seem to be the case this time.

 

I doubt very much that they will drop into the Olympian League, especially as there is supposed to be another league being formed for next season, in between the Olympian and the Essex Senior League.

 

With a number of clubs quoting financial difficulty, I think there could be a rethink in the close season, though, with gates of less than one hundred, is there any point in them trying to stay in the Isthmian set-up?

[obis]

If Romford do groundshare would we still get the bar profits?

[Burdy]

As we share the stadium with the athletics would it be awkward for us to ground share with another team

[blackballed]

Its not just that our Under 23's and Academy side also share the pitch.