Peter Smurthwaite agrees with second NCEL Premier Division promotion spot call

Bridlington Town chairman Peter Smurthwaite agrees with Tadcaster boss Paul Marshall about a second promotion spot being created in the Toolstation NCEL Premier Division

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Peter Smurthwaite agrees with Paul Marshall’s view that a second promotion spot should be introduced in the Toolstation NCEL Premier Division – but doesn’t envisage it ever happening.
Tadcaster Albion chief Marshall spoke with passion last week about his desire to see another club promoted out of the NCEL and into the Evo Stik Division One North or South.
Bridlington Town chairman Mr Smurthwaite is in agreement with Marshall, one of his former managers at Bridlington, and believes the Evo Stik League should create more relegation spots.
Mr Smurthwaite told Non League Yorkshire: “I think I would go along with Paul on that there should be two places at this level of football.
“I don’t think there are many leagues where two teams don’t get promoted.
“I think part of it is that the Evo Stik League look after their current members. The number of times that Ossett Albion have finished bottom, second bottom and have been reprieved because of teams dropping out.
“I think if you finish in the bottom two or three and you should still get automatically relegated to create a chance for an ambitious club that wants to come forward.
“To do it, it is just a case of relegating another club. It happens throughout football, four down, two up from each of the NCEL and North West Counties.
“I don’t know how it is structured, but obviously there is a leagues committee where all the leagues get together and the Northern Premier League has always been very powerful when protecting their existing clubs.
“Another promotion spot in the NCEL won’t happen, nothing much changes at this level of football.”
Mr Smurthwaite has also criticised the FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round draw which has paired Bridlington with Northern League and FA Vase giants Whitley Bay.
It is the fifth time in seven seasons that Brid have been given a Northern League club in the opening round and also the second time in three seasons that Brid have got Whitley Bay.
Mr Smurthwaite, who has previously spoke about changing the Northern League to a step four League, said: “How we don’t get drawn against our equivalent in the West, I don’t know?
“I feel sorry for Thackley because they’re right on the border of Lancashire, but they get put in the draw for the Northern Section (and get drawn against Northern League teams in the FA Cup and Vase).
“Because of the number of times we have been drawn against Whitley Bay in these cup competitions (FA Cup and Vase), I rather suspect it is not done in the old way where you take a number out of the hat.
“I think there must be some computer software that throws it up.
“The message to the FA is put us in a slightly different region in the draw.
“Straightaway we’re going to be picking up a bill (to play Whitley Bay). We have got to pay their expenses and for Whitley Bay to come with a coach, its about £850.
“I am most likely going to make a loss on the day on expenses. If we lose the game as well, I’ve lost the prize money as well. Its like a double hit.
“It just would be nice to draw a team in Lancashire.”
The clash with Whitley Bay is likely to be their third game of a season that will be slightly different to previous years.
Bridlington have retained a small core of experienced bodies, but the majority of their side will be young players.
Mr Smurthwaite fully supports manager Gary Allanson’s decision to go with youth and he said: “We looked at the teams in the league last year and the majority were having a bigger influx of young players.
“We found that some of these teams were really fit and fired up and were chasing us off the park.
“It may take a couple of years for it to come to fruition. We’re starting an under 21 team that we’re entering it into the West Riding County FA midweek league.
“The whole emphasis is going to be on bringing through younger players.
“We need to have patience and I hope the fans get behind us.”