Cinderford Town refuses promotion to Southern League Prem for £££ reasons

Interesting one - manager, chairman and several players resign over the decision

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/36399150

Whilst I agree with the sentiment behind their action, I fear this sends out a terrible message about Cinderford.

Why play for or support a club that works hard to earn the right to progress only to then refuse the opportunity ? Why would you go back again next season ?

Because it's fun to watch your local team with your mates?

I don't think it's 'sentiment' behind their action, it's the desperate financial logic of lower league clubs. The terrible message being sent is about the state of football, not Cinderford.

But yes, it's a bad thing when a non-league club has to resort to such desperate measures to secure long-term existence!

There is nothing there suggesting that they will never accept promotion just that they aren't in the position to accept it now. It's a terrible decision to have to make but I can understand why some of them felt they had to do it. I can also understand why others felt they couldn't carry on in the circumstances.

I think that there is a case of "There but for the Grace..." for a lot of clubs but, with the progress that we are making off-field, hopefully not us.

Out of interest, what sort of cash incentive is up for grabs for promotion form Southern League prem?

But why wait until they had won the league when they would have done their sums well in advance? So screwing up 16 17 plans that now sees Evesham heading to the Northern Prem League.

Tiverton used to do that on a regular basis, until they sorted themselves out.

OliverH wrote:Because it's fun to watch your local team with your mates?

True. But there are lots of activities you can do that are fun. Football tends to pitch itself as being a bit different from the likes of the cinema etc.

Also - it's not as much fun to watch a team that's losing or you fear isn't trying. We know that well from the peaks and troughs in our own gates. I would fear that a team which has made it clear that it doesn't want to progress through the ranks for the foreseeable future has a greatly reduced win motive. And if you remove the fundamental meaning behind competitive fixtures, do they essentially become glorified friendlies ?

If Cinderford's move was likely to lead to a change in football then I'd be all for it. But I fear it's a cry in the dark which undermines their offering to fans and players. Just a personal thought.

this is what said for ages we perhaps should have done (knowing we'd lose £100k per season in the conf premier) and maybe should again. If I was MD of Bath City I couldnt look anyone in the eye if I knew I was plannig to lose £100k for one season in the conf premier.
Of course If I wouldnt want to be in that position - ideally getting things in place in advance - but if that doesnt happen why not stay in the same division? Thats what used to happen before automatic promotion to the football league and ut wasnt a problem for most teams; only a few were ever up to promotion.

If a club has no ambition or aspiration how do you attract players? Any non league restructuring is challenging when you start to get movement of clubs on promotion or relegation. Agreed sideways moves or funding like Stortford got when in the North helps, but if there was a simple solution then it would be in place now. Cinderford were the 9th best supported team in the division with an average of 169 which in itself was 29% up.

But then Kings Langley won the other feeder division with the 3rd WORST supported team in their division and an average of 84..and that was over 50% up !

Cinderford have been told they must accept promotion. They are now deciding whether to accept this decision or resign from the Southern League completely.

Good. Finally they are getting their just deserts for knocking us out of the FA Cup in 1995.

just read this "Cinderford have been told they must accept promotion. They are now deciding whether to accept this decision or resign from the Southern League completely."
disgraceful and probably illegal - forcing a club to make a decision that by the sounds of it their board had decided they cannot afford and could bankrupt them.

They have accepted promotion now.

I think once put into this position the real story came out. Having initially claimed they couldn't afford promotion because of the increased traveling costs, ground improvement, etc, they suddenly come up with the £50K back tax payment they needed to make. So, instead of paying their bills they used that money to fund a team that won the league. Seemingly mistaking the HMRC with Wonga.

If being (correctly) made to take promotion forces them into bankruptcy they've nobody to blame but themselves.

Well that's one way of enforcing Financial Fair Play !