Maltby Main manager Louis Axcell agrees that the lack of multiple promotion places in the Toolstation NCEL Premier Division is bad news for the league.
Despite the FA’s long-planned restructuring, Step 5 leagues only have one automatic promotion spot available and all 16 runners-up will face a hit and hope play-off game against a team from Step 4.
The changes to the system were supposedly meant to increase the movement between the Steps and create new opportunities for clubs.
Instead the NCEL and other Step 5 leagues have been thrown back in time by the FA to the bad old days when promotion was extremely difficult from Step 5.
“It is disappointing,” Axcell told Non League Yorkshire.
“The three places were there to create the extra Step 4 Division, but in my opinion failure in a season is kind of being rewarded by being given the opportunity to stay up.
“Success from below is having barriers put in its way.
“One thing I’d like to see is more play-off places because they keep the season alive for more clubs towards the end of the season.
“If it is four play off places and it is a close race mid-table teams still have a chance in March and April.
“I think it (the system) is massively weighted for teams in a higher Division and there could be a fairer balance such as three from each Step 4 league going down. That happens at most levels.
“There may be a reason why they (the FA) can’t do that and maybe they should come out and explain why.
“(Only one automatic promotion spot at Step 5) 100% it is a backward step. I would have expected with a whole new league at Step 4 that it would have encouraged more promotion opportunities from the league’s below.
“The NCEL Premier has needed more promotion places for years.
“It is going harder for everyone. I would like to see two go up and the following four teams compete in a play-offs.
“I probably speak for a lot of people, especially supporters; when I say that the play-offs are a good spectacle for spectators and the league and they are good for clubs as a lot of people come through the gate.”
Axcell is hoping to take charge of a full season at Muglet Lane for the first time.
The former Handsworth Reserves boss became Maltby boss in October 2019, but the pandemic has disrupted his reign.
Maltby were riding high during the aborted 2020/21 campaign and although he had a decent squad, Axcell admits he has been busy on the recruitment front.
“We didn’t have a big squad and often because of the way the season was going – hence why we were all predicting it wasn’t going to finish – there were times when I had two subs and a goalkeeper on the bench,” he said.
“Although I did feel we were quite strong, there was always going to some recruitment to be done.
“It is exactly like it always is. There’s plenty of interest in players as you’d expect there to be.
“There’s a couple of players who have gone already.
“We are hopefully going to make a couple of positive signings so we’re not in a bad place.
“We still need a couple more.
“You’ll see some structure to the squad once as we get the players signed.
“I try and stay reserved until then as you can get your fingers burned sometimes.”
Pre-season training continues tonight (Monday night) for Maltby who only returned to the ‘grass’ last week as Axcell resisted the temptation of starting again in April.
“We have our second session tonight,” he said.
“Some clubs have had their tournaments (since the end of the third lockdown), but we didn’t have a session until starting back last week.
“The lads are going to need a bit of time to get back in shape, but it is all positive at the moment.
“Sunday football could linked (to why we didn’t train in April) as there was quite a bit of Sunday football still going off.
“But everyone was available for different days and I was worried about training and playing all the way through and then it going stale.
“It was a decision we made (to not train or play).
“We didn’t know who was staying and who was going either and I wasn’t overly keen on asking lads to travel all over in the off-season to play midweek games as they have other things on.
“We’ve started earlier than we normally would and we’ve booked in more friendlies than usual so we’ll have a more intense pre-season than normal.”
Axcell also expressed his gratitude to outgoing assistant Dean Bamforth who has been succeeded by former Frickley Athletic and Maltby number John Stancliffe.
“Thanks to Dean Bamforth who has made the decision not to continue this year,” he said.
“It is fine and he’s a good mate of mine and he was a big help last year and he’ll be a loss.
“Bringing in John Stancliffe to replace him is a good move.
“He’s had an influence since he came in and we’re looking forward to the next few weeks.”
Maltby’s first friendly is scheduled to be on the 3rd July at Brigg Town.