The unofficial AFC Rushden & Diamonds messageboard

Trek wrote:

Harry wrote:Flippin' heck that's a bit wordy!

'may be replaced by a club in the next qualifying position'

So this means if K*ttering finish 5th and are not allowed to compete, rather than Stevenage getting a bye to the final, 6th place would enter the playoffs I guess?

The word is may not will.

Plenty of leeway for the Conference to do as they please. That's the way they like it! :evil:

Nope, because they also include the rules of the Football League, which would prevent them going up even if they won the playoffs. As we have seen with Chester, the Football League is more than happy ignore the Conference and judging by both sets of rules, these are the agreed conditions for promotion. The Conference try to change them, I can see the Football League taking away a promotion spot and I don't see any reason for them to let in K*ttering if they fail the requirements, so they are not going up.

Mad Dog wrote:

Trek wrote:

Harry wrote:Flippin' heck that's a bit wordy!

'may be replaced by a club in the next qualifying position'

So this means if K*ttering finish 5th and are not allowed to compete, rather than Stevenage getting a bye to the final, 6th place would enter the playoffs I guess?

The word is may not will.

Plenty of leeway for the Conference to do as they please. That's the way they like it! :evil:

Nope, because they also include the rules of the Football League, which would prevent them going up even if they won the playoffs. As we have seen with Chester, the Football League is more than happy ignore the Conference and judging by both sets of rules, these are the agreed conditions for promotion. The Conference try to change them, I can see the Football League taking away a promotion spot and I don't see any reason for them to let in K*ttering if they fail the requirements, so they are not going up.

I think the point he was making is that the Conference don't necessarily have to allow the 6th placed team into the play offs if the scum finish in the top 5, not that they would then allow the scum to compete in the play offs.

davealbon wrote:
I think the point he was making is that the Conference don't necessarily have to allow the 6th placed team into the play offs if the scum finish in the top 5, not that they would then allow the scum to compete in the play offs.

Fair enough. I assumed he was talking about the Conference bending the rules and K*ttering being allowed to compete and get promoted. After today's unofficial confirmation it was mooted that they will just allow whoever would have played them a bye to the final, although their own rules are clear on the matter. Unless the situation actually happens, we won't know, the only thing that we know is that we can be almost certain that they will not be allowed to take part.

Mad Dog wrote:

davealbon wrote:
I think the point he was making is that the Conference don't necessarily have to allow the 6th placed team into the play offs if the scum finish in the top 5, not that they would then allow the scum to compete in the play offs.

Fair enough. I assumed he was talking about the Conference bending the rules and K*ttering being allowed to compete and get promoted.

I didn't mention anything about the Conference bending the rules. I was just pointing out that the rules say may not will. Dave understood the point I was making. ;)

Actually the FL entry rules include the possibility of the team finishing in second place of the Conference being promoted automatically. The Conference could have that option if it got ugly.

Two of Diamonds wrote:Actually the FL entry rules include the possibility of the team finishing in second place of the Conference being promoted automatically. The Conference could have that option if it got ugly.

If the Conference exercised that option then that would be a real kick in the teeth to the other two sides that made the playoffs finishing in 5th place or above. :evil: