Promotion issue needs looking at

IT’S fair to say that Cinderford Town’s decision to decline promotion to the Evo-Stik League Southern Premier Division has upset plenty of people. The manager John Brough has departed, the team has broken up, the fans are no doubt shell-shocked. And that’s just the reaction at Cinderford.

But as we all know, one decision in Non-League can set off an avalanche of consequences. This time around, Evesham United appear to be the fall guys.

Cinderford’s call to sit back in the South & West has seen the Robins shunted to the Evo-Stik Northern Premier League Division One South, where they will incur much greater travelling costs as well as miss out on a lucrative home match against Hereford.

Yes, we can understand Cinderford have to look after themselves and fears of increased travel costs played a big part in their decision to stay at Step 4.

Yet the one thing that has caused so much heartache – and fury – has been the timing of their decision. It has come so late in the day.

They knew much earlier they were heading into the Southern Premier, so it seems disappointing that they didn’t make a decision earlier.

If that had been their choice even a few weeks ago, it would have at least given everyone affected more time to work with, to make plans for the future.

The whole matter is highly unsatisfactory and needs to be looked at. Perhaps one idea for the future is for there to be a date, much like with ground grading, when you have to say whether you would accept promotion if you achieved it.

This would make everything a lot clearer for everyone – and avoid the last-minute shenanigans that cause untold damage in the Non-League game.