An interesting piece on their forum from a Bath City fan (who's clearly got too much time on his hands ) regarding next season.  I do have his permission to post it on here. 


That time has come when we start to look above and below us to see which new teams we might be playing in the league next season. Clearly we're going to make the play-offs and be travelling up-and-down the M5 for those glamour ties with Fylde and Gateshead - but on the vague off-chance that our promotion push falls at the last hurdle, here's quick overview of who might be filling those vacant slots in the National South next term.

The Vanarama National throws up a whole bundle of interesting possibilities - none least that it's looking increasingly likely that we'll be meeting our previous manager's charges in the league next year. Torquay United have been struggling in the bottom few for much of the season, and despite rallying a little of late, still sit nine points clear of safety with 31 points. Stranger things have happened at this time of year, but it's looking pretty bleak for the Devon side.

Interestingly, the rest of the relegation places are currently filled by clubs who are very distinctly Northern, in Guiseley (26), Chester (31) and Solihull Moors (40). The two slots above the dropzone are also looking pretty northy too, with Barrow (40) and Hartlepool (42) looking nervously behind them. However above them Woking (44) are in something of a freefall and could be dragged into trouble at the business end of the season, while Maidstone United (46), Eastleigh (46) and even Leyton Orient (47) from the South aren't completely out of the mire. Should all of them manage to avoid the drop, though, the 3-to-1 North-to-South ratio could throw up some interesting maths a little further down the line.

Onto the Isthmian League, and if you'd asked anyone even a month ago they'd have told you that it was a done deal for moneybags Billericay Town. But all of a sudden the wheels seem to have fallen off Glenn Tamplin's belligerent bandwagon as they've gone an unexpected losing streak, which if it continues could see them failing to get even a play-off place. After all their early season bluster they're now down to third on 70 points and struggling badly, while needing to play at least two games a week for the rest of the season. But of course we'd all feel terribly sorry for them if they failed, now, wouldn't we...

Current table toppers, the troubled Dulwich Hamlet (78), have got over their usual mid-season lull and have hit a terrific run of form just at the right time, and lead the second place side Folkestone Invicta (73), themselves at the back end of a fine run, by five points. Level on points with Billericay in fourth are Margate, who also saw a post-Christmas dash up the table, and filling up the final play-off berth are our FA Trophy vanquishers Hendon on 68. But it's all bunching up behind them with Leiston (68) and Staines Town (66) snapping on their heels. Leatherheadcome next on 60 points, but look perhaps a bit too far off the pace to creep into the play-off zone. I don't know about you, but I'll be keeping a very close eye in Billericay's results over the next few weeks, as this could get funny.

Looking to the Southern League, Hereford United are have regained their form after a wobbly few weeks, and lead the table by four points on 89 with a game in hand. In any of the last ten years they'd have automatically gone to National North, but if the National Premier retains its Northern flavour at the bottom they could very well be coming South on their quest to get back into the glorious 92 as soon as they can.

Our old pals Kings Lynn sit steadfastly in second on 85, and despite their apparently Northerly position, sit right on the cusp of the North/Southbuffer zone, so we could very easily be seeing them again should they either catch Hereford or get through the play-offs. In the other play-off places, that trusty old yo-yo club Weymouth sit third (81), with another familiar face in Kettering Town (79) in fourth. This quartet seem almost certain to progress to the next stage at least, as the final side in the slots, Slough Town, sit eight points behind on 71. However, with two or three games in hand on anyone who could danger them from below, only a miracle could propel Tiverton Town (63), Chesham United (62), Banbury United (61) or Royston Town (61) into a play-off place.

But that's not all. Things could get troublesome for Strudwick's Fag Packet should a team like Kettering or Leiston go up, which would mean that the North/South balance of the upwardly and downwardly mobile sides is completely off kilter. Last year that saw us get Gloucester back, so who might be in line for the switch should things get wonky? Looking at the map, Brackley Town would be first on the list to make the shift, although they're still in with a good shout of making their play-offs. Should that happen, Leamington are the next nearest, with Kidderminster Harriers not far beyond them, both of which would make a nice change with the away trips.

So who among that lot would you like to play next season (if, of course, we don't go up)? There's some pretty interesting potentials among them! 

Last edited by Insideleft (26/3/2018 4:57 PM)