With our league season reaching completion it’s interesting now to look at the full promotion/relegation/play-off picture affecting our league (National 2 North).

The re-introduction of play-offs this season has certainly added interest to Tynedale’s league campaign and it’s possible that we will be going into the final match of the season with the runners-up spot (and play-off place) still to be decided.

The last time the final match of the season held such interest was at the end of the 2015-2016 when on the final day of the season Tynedale were one of a group of 5 teams who could be relegated. Tynedale had to travel to Leicester Lions needing a win to be sure of avoiding relegation – Tynedale won that match.

MOVEMENT BETWEEN NATIONAL 1 AND NATIONAL 2 NORTH.

LEAGUE PLACINGS/RECORDS (as at 12th April)
Note: All National Leagues play 26 matches

FOR ILLUSTRATIVE PURPOSES based on the above league records the following movements would take place:-
Sheffield RUFC are already promoted into National 1.
Leicester Lions are already relegated, Sedgley Park and Clifton would be relegated into National 2. (Likely that Sedgley Park would be relegated into National 2 North.)

The play-offs would be:-
Tie 1 - Birmingham Moseley v Oundle (Peterborough area)
Tie 2 - Tynedale v Luctonians
Final - Winners of Tie 1 v Winners of Tie 2 (the winners of Tie 1 will be the home side in the final)
The winners of the final will play in National 1. (the others in National 2)

Note: National League Play-Offs scheduled for May 9th and May 16th

REMAINING FIXTURES IN RACE FOR RUNNERS-UP SPOT
APRIL 18th
Billingham v Tynedale
Macclesfield v Otley
Preston Grasshoppers v Hull Ionians
APRIL 25th
Wharfedale v Tynedale
Sheffield Tigers v Macclesfield
Hull Ionians v Fylde

MOVEMENTS BETWEEN NATIONAL 2 NORTH AND REGIONAL LEAGUES

LEAGUE PLACINGS/RECORDS (as at 12th April)

Note: Regional Leagues are now completed

FOR ILLUSTRATIVE PURPOSES based on the above league records the following movements would take place:-
Scunthorpe and Hull would be relegated into Regional Leagues.

Heath (from Halifax) and Huddersfield have finished as champions of their Regional Leagues and will be promoted into National 2.

REGIONAL PLAY-OFFS
Tie 1 - Alnwick v Harrogate (25th April)
Tie 2 - Anselmians v Stockport (25th April)
The winners of the Tie 1 and Tie 2 will play each other in the Regional Play-Off Final (2nd May) - the venue will be at the Club with the best league record.

The winner of this Regional Play-Off Final (above) will then play the team that finishes third bottom of National 2 League. (On May 9th at venue of National League club )
As things currently stand Rossendale would play the winners of the Regional Play-Off final (venue Rossendale) - the winners of this match will play in National 2 North next season, the loser in Regional Leagues.

REMAINING FIXTURES IN BATTLE TO AVOID RELEGATION
APRIL 18th
Macclesfield v Otley
Fylde v Rossendale
Scunthorpe v Wharfedale
Hull v Sheffield Tigers
APRIL 25th
Otley v Sheffield
Rossendale v Hull
Darlington MP v Scunthorpe
MAY 2nd
Sheffield v Scunthorpe

THE DREADED LEVEL TRANSFERS
When the play-offs are finished and we think the dust has settled there is still the cloud of "Level Transfers" hovering over several clubs who are deemed to reside close to regional boundaries. These transfers are necessary to ensure the number of teams in each league remains constant.

Example: Prior to the start of this season Lymm and Chester were transferred from National 2 North to National 2 West while Macclesfield were switched from National 2 West to National 2 North.
Its possible, for example, that if Macclesfield are not promoted they will be switched back to National 2 West while after serving their one season in National 2 West, Chester and Lymm may be moved back to National 2 North!

Why Dreaded? - This season Macclesfield’s longest away journey was to Tynedale (174 miles). Last season, in National 2 West, Macclesfield had journeys to Camborne (322 miles), Redruth (319 miles), Plymouth (267 miles), Exeter (224 miles) and Taunton (195 miles)!!! BUT, who knows, perhaps several long journeys into the balmy climes of the south-west is preferable to a shorter trek up to the wind-swept, frozen, saturated north-east!

Thankfully Tynedale, in the far north of England , are very unlikely to be a candidate for a level transfer, unless, of course the English and Scottish National Leagues merge!!

LEAGUE POSITIONING RULES
For the benefit of anybody who wasn’t sure (everybody?!?) :-

If two or more clubs are equal on league points, their position is decided by the following criteria, applied in order:
1. Highest number of wins: A club with a higher number of wins in the league is placed higher.
2. Highest number of draws: A club with a higher number of draws is placed higher.
3. Match points difference: The greater difference between match points "for" and match points "against".
4. Points "for": The club with the higher total number of match points "for".
5. Aggregate score: Aggregate points scored in matches between the tied teams.
6. Subsequent wins: Number of matches won excluding the first match, then the second, and so on until the tie is settled.