Woodlands

[Paul]

From tonight's ET .........

Fletton's future is thrown into doubt

The future of leading Peterborough League Premier Division side Fletton has been thrown into doubt after they were given notice to quit their Woodlands base. The club received a text message yesterday from the sports ground in Castor to say they were to be evicted with immediate effect, although that changed last night to a three-month notice period.

Fletton, who were formally known as Hotpoint, will then only be able to book the ground on a monthly basis. The move is believed to be connected to Peterborough United’s bid to purchase a complex which they currently use as a training ground.

A Fletton spokesperson said: “We finally made contact with Woodlands last night and reached an agreement which, while far from ideal, is better than nothing.

“It is very unsettling for the senior team though and we are endeavouring to make contact with Peterborough United to find out what’s happening.”

Premier Division rules require matches to be played at high-standard venues. There are few alternatives left in the area.

Other Saturday and Sunday football teams at senior and junior level would be affected if the venue was to become for the exclusive use of Peterborough United.

Local amateur cricket is also played at Woodlands.

[carefree]

what holds a team back then mark? is it the distance of changing rooms to the pitch? what is the max distance by the way?

as i noticed last night that deeping rangers pitch is some distance from the changing rooms. with the dugouts on the far side of it. has this rule been relaxed?

crowland had to start playing at the local school because of this rule but their changing rooms at snowden were closer then deepings?

fletton will be ok they will find a new pitch, they could go bushfields or ringwood even bretton woods have a pitch fairly close to the changing rooms.

[Chris Judge]

Al I am sure you should have realised that there is one rule for some teams and a rule for others
There is a limited distance between pitch and changing rooms but what the the hell if certain people on committee like your club

[spec]

I think the main criteria should be a decent team to compete in the Prem, It wouldn't bother me if you have to walk a few extra hundred yards to the pitch if you were going to get a decent test once you got there.
The likes of Woodlands (now Hampton) certainly graced the Prem and having watched a very impressive Deeping side Tuesday night show they are more than capable of mounting a challenge shows the right quality of sides are being allowed in and with good facilities to match.
However who can forget that diabolical decision to allow Ryhall into the Prem 3 years ago, terrible pitch, terrible changing facilities and a team to match as well, but I suppose you can't get it right everytime.
We all want to see sides promoted up every year but they have to be of a decent standard to compete and not just make the numbers up, Judgey you need to get that commitee cynicism out of your system it's getting old hat now.

[Big S]

I know this may sound old hat too Spec but the situation at the Jubilee is certainly one that comes to mind. After being told that they couldn't go into the prem because they played on a council pitch (surely the same for PSL and Hotpoint at Bushfield) to then be told that wasn't the reason. It was the distance from pitch to changing rooms (further at Wimblington on the far pitch they play on at times). To then be told it was actually because they had to walk over a public path and insurance didn't cover it !!!! A serious case of one rule for one. I agree with Spec. I think surely the main criteria has to be the standard of side you are able to put out.

[spec]

It's only old hat because they didn't have the guts to tell Jubilee the real reason why they weren't allowed in the Prem and that's because they were named after a pub, they had to tell them eventually because they had ran out of bloody excuses :lol: They could have told them 5 years ago and given them the option then of changing the name

[carefree]

so what are the standards for level 7 then? i take it they are set by the FA and not the league.

are the standards made so that clubs can keep moving up the levels ladder?

most will always stay at level 7 and are happy with that, even harder now that as from nx season all level 6 clubs must have floodlites.

so the gap will get now bigger between level 7 to 6.

any club will need approx £20,000 for floodlites and up grade changing rooms walk way round the pitch, covered seating for 150 closed in ground and much more costing more then £50,000 at a guess.

so maybe level 7 should be relaxed as long as the pitch is fine and you have hot water ha ha.

Psl is will shortly no longer be a council pitch as the club ect has been bought by a wealthy members club and there are big plans to pull the old club and changing rooms ect down and build a much bigger place, hopefully they will also make decent plans to improve the pitch ect.? :soo:

[Big S]

Thats so very true Spec. Sheer snobbery by the Peterborough League. Although other teams aren't named after pubs they are certainly nearly all based at them !!!!

[spec]

Well you won't hear me complaining about that one!

[rabbit]

The guidelines for ground facilities for entry to the prem aset out in consultation with other step 7 leagues and the FA. They have been adopted by the Peterborough League in order to try and aid teams progressing to a higher level. They are at the management committees discression.

Carefree, your right in what you say, once you step out of the Peterborough League the facilities restrictions become more and more stringent. By attempting to impose certain standards at the prem level, the step to the next level should be easier to make.

In the case of Deeping, they were allowed entry into the league because they had set out a detailed plan to build new changing rooms and facilities on the current small car park, alongside the two pitches, within the next two years. This would bring them in line with the distance rule, while also improving their already impressive facilities. With this in mind the committe made the decision to allow them into the league so long as they hold their promise to build the new facilities.

In terms of the Jubs refused entry, I can't comment as I wasn't on the committee at the time.

With current members of the Prem and their facilities, it would be very hard for the league to withdraw these teams due to their facilities, all the comittee can do is try t oencourgage their improvement. However, we do have the ability to ensure new clubs have suitbale facitilites, resulting in the overal standard of the leagues facilities improving over time.

Remember the distance rule is only one part of the guidelines. There's also the size of the dugouts, the pitch being roped off, seperate referee facilities etc etc.

Hope this helps the debate.

[Raph]

We (Castor) play at Woodlands too? Oh dear!

[The Game]

don't you mean PLAYED !!! :lol:

[jb]

deeping also failed to gain promotion not so long ago due to their designated pitch at outgang rd being too far away from the changing rooms.