Should Alliance semis be played on a neutral ground?

What are the pros and cons of playing Alliance semifinals on neutral Alliance grounds rather than the ground of the first named club?

Your constructive feedback would be welcome.


Note: Neutral grounds used by other leagues is a non-starter because of the complete lack of availability and the potential cost.

Monsell Wasps from the Leicester Sunday league have just had 2 semi-finals in 4 weeks..

1 at Barrow Town and 1 at Highfield Rangers.

Our grounds need to be looked at. Sparta and Stat both travelled to Queni... Wheres the sense in that?

The other week Pukka and Royalists travelled to Blaby from Queni and Harborough.. Again, Sense needs to prevail!!

Neutral grounds is a great idea, although I think that it should be senior league pitches and up as our home ground is a better ground than we played on in the semi final (Although I know it's only the Stokes Cup)

9 teams out of 10 would not complain if they had to travel to play in a semi final in my opinion. It is a prestigious day out for your club, and most players / teams at Sunday level wouldn't get near a semi final unless they had very, very good players.

Also, as someone who witnessed a mass brawl and pitch invasion recently for a County Cup semi final (it was played on a public park 'hosted' by the 'home' team), neutral grounds are still the best option. Unfortunately, we don't have numerous choices of where these can be played and if some of them did cost £100 to host, that would mean each club paying £87 which is of course ridiculous.

I have run a team for nearly 15 years and have been lucky enough to get to 5 semis in that time. It is such a great occasion and proud day out for the club that for my players, the costs associated are barely a consideration - they are just happy to get that far and play in such an event.

In the Charnwoods league there were a couple of grounds that were always marked for semi finals (Long Whatton & Loughborough FC's pitch) these are not senior league level grounds but just decent pitches. I dont know enough of the pitches in the alliance league but there must be some nice pitches that we can use.

With a number of Senior League level teams in the City perhaps the league can try and negotiate special rates for semi finals with some of these clubs (Saffron, Friar Lane, St Andrews, Kirby, Blaby etc ...)

To be honest it doesn't matter where you play to be honest clubs should make the most of the occasion and not whine about costs/venue as there would be many other teams that would love to be in their position.

I find it hard to understand how people can complain when the league has secured all the cup finals to be played at Holmes Park.

Well said that man!

They have to be neutral, being in 2 semi finals we were lucky enough to play on the senior league pitch at Judgemeadow on a Saturday but the week after in the Sunday semi we played at Mountsorrel when it wasn't marked and surprised it got passed to play. The linesman kept asking people to move back.

There are plenty of Saturday clubs that don't have Sunday teams playing their games on them, for 1 or 2 fixtures a season, surely it's negotiable?

My only grievance was that if you are having to pay for a pitch, it should be worth paying for.

The pitch in our semi final against Athletic Blaby was the biggest sloped pitch I've seen in a long time and the pitch was in a very poor condition.

I know that couldn't be helped but for a semi final, the last thing we expected was a poor surface.

SAFC_Pothunter wrote:

In the Charnwoods league there were a couple of grounds that were always marked for semi finals (Long Whatton & Loughborough FC's pitch) these are not senior league level grounds but just decent pitches. I dont know enough of the pitches in the alliance league but there must be some nice pitches that we can use.

With a number of Senior League level teams in the City perhaps the league can try and negotiate special rates for semi finals with some of these clubs (Saffron, Friar Lane, St Andrews, Kirby, Blaby etc ...)

To be honest it doesn't matter where you play to be honest clubs should make the most of the occasion and not whine about costs/venue as there would be many other teams that would love to be in their position.

I find it hard to understand how people can complain when the league has secured all the cup finals to be played at Holmes Park.

Didn't realise you weren't allowed to air your views without it being 'whining' - I thought that was the whole point of the forum.

And I don't buy the argument that 'many other teams would love to be in that position' - that is irrelevant to the point being made. Just because a team is successful does not mean they should have to keep their views quiet or change their opinions because others clubs haven't reached their position.

As I have said numerous times, getting to a semi final is a massive achievement and something that should be rewarded. It is an honour of course but it is one that is achieved through hard work.

Is there a minimum criteria required to host a semi final in terms of facilities at the ground?
Surely something like this, along with guidelines to hosting (stating what is required on the day, such as refreshment and pitch marking) would suffice if adhered to? Think people will pay the extra, and it is worth it if its done properly

spartamoshdock wrote:

SAFC_Pothunter wrote:

In the Charnwoods league there were a couple of grounds that were always marked for semi finals (Long Whatton & Loughborough FC's pitch) these are not senior league level grounds but just decent pitches. I dont know enough of the pitches in the alliance league but there must be some nice pitches that we can use.

With a number of Senior League level teams in the City perhaps the league can try and negotiate special rates for semi finals with some of these clubs (Saffron, Friar Lane, St Andrews, Kirby, Blaby etc ...)

To be honest it doesn't matter where you play to be honest clubs should make the most of the occasion and not whine about costs/venue as there would be many other teams that would love to be in their position.

I find it hard to understand how people can complain when the league has secured all the cup finals to be played at Holmes Park.

Didn't realise you weren't allowed to air your views without it being 'whining' - I thought that was the whole point of the forum.

And I don't buy the argument that 'many other teams would love to be in that position' - that is irrelevant to the point being made. Just because a team is successful does not mean they should have to keep their views quiet or change their opinions because others clubs haven't reached their position.

As I have said numerous times, getting to a semi final is a massive achievement and something that should be rewarded. It is an honour of course but it is one that is achieved through hard work.

To be honest I don't think you would be moaning if you won on Sunday, the league has it's budgets and it stretches them where possible. At the end of the day its a Sunday league semi final. Perhaps an exception could be made for the Billy Walton for a better venue for the Semi Finals but in the other cups you are lucky the final is being played at Holmes Park.

Clubs should budget sufficiently throughout the season to be able to have a little extra toward the end of a season if a semi final comes along. The thought that teams should be rewarded for reaching a semi final is comical. IMO not much difference between getting to a Qtr final and a Semi final but a massive difference getting to a final.

Hahaha...the fact we lost is not an issue at all as I made the same comments last year when we won our semi-final in the Billy Walton. Thanks for assuming I'm that bitter!

I'm glad you find it comical...especially as your next argument falls down immediately as obviously the league see a difference between a quarter and a semi final by the fact they use these neutral grounds.

Any why shouldn't a team be rewarded for reaching a semi final? Even if you don't want to use the word rewarded, they certainly shouldn't have to pay over the odds for the "privilege" of being there.

spartamoshdock wrote:

Hahaha...the fact we lost is not an issue at all as I made the same comments last year when we won our semi-final in the Billy Walton. Thanks for assuming I'm that bitter!

I'm glad you find it comical...especially as your next argument falls down immediately as obviously the league see a difference between a quarter and a semi final by the fact they use these neutral grounds.

Any why shouldn't a team be rewarded for reaching a semi final? Even if you don't want to use the word rewarded, they certainly shouldn't have to pay over the odds for the "privilege" of being there.

I said it was my own opinion regarding the difference between a quarter and a semi.

A pitch and 3 officials for £67 isn't over the odds really is it? the main increase in costs is having 3 officials rather than one. I can see peoples gripes about the quality of some of the semi final venues but not the cost. I'm sure the league could revert to having no linesmen which would halve the cost?

I guess we won't agree on this and we seem to be going round in circles.

You don't have to agree, but we feel that the cost is too high and I know several other parties including teams and referees who agree.

SAFC_Pothunter wrote:

With a number of Senior League level teams in the City perhaps the league can try and negotiate special rates for semi finals with some of these clubs (Saffron, Friar Lane, St Andrews, Kirby, Blaby etc ...)

In my lengthy experience, getting a Senior League ground for a Sunday game is virtually impossible. In any event the cost would be £100+. This the main reason for the County using home grounds - in the past, the big stick had to be waived .

Before we led the way in Sunday football by using Holmes Park for finals, it was extremely difficult to get a Senior League ground for a final.

When it comes to rewarding a club for reaching a semi, the enormous budget for a final at HP would probably be cut back.

Aussie Owl wrote:

SAFC_Pothunter wrote:

With a number of Senior League level teams in the City perhaps the league can try and negotiate special rates for semi finals with some of these clubs (Saffron, Friar Lane, St Andrews, Kirby, Blaby etc ...)

In my lengthy experience, getting a Senior League ground for a Sunday game is virtually impossible. In any event the cost would be £100+. This the main reason for the County using home grounds - in the past, the big stick had to be waived .

Before we led the way in Sunday football by using Holmes Park for finals, it was extremely difficult to get a Senior League ground for a final.

When it comes to rewarding a club for reaching a semi, the enormous budget for a final at HP would probably be cut back.

Pretty much exactly what I said, all the finals at Holmes Park is a great thing for the league, Semi finals are nowhere near as big occasion as a final. How anyone can complain at £67 for 3 officials and a pitch is beyond me.

Obviously people want to play at a nice ground with 3 officials for free, the league isn't made of money. 1 game away from a game at holmes park is the reward for getting to a semi final.

Impossible to keep everyone happy. Personally I think the league does a great job and we couldn't be happier with our decision as a club to move over to the alliance.

Totally agree that the league do a great job - so don't try and make it sound like I'm slating everything they do.

It is just this one thing we think could be looked at and addressed. You obviously disagree and that's fine, that's the whole point of a discussion on a forum. Doesn't mean I'm going to agree with you.

spartamoshdock wrote:

Totally agree that the league do a great job - so don't try and make it sound like I'm slating everything they do.

It is just this one thing we think could be looked at and addressed. You obviously disagree and that's fine, that's the whole point of a discussion on a forum. Doesn't mean I'm going to agree with you.

Completely agree, I'm just giving my view on the matter, all the best for the season!

I think the cost is a very good point and you are not the first person to suggest the league could/should fund or part-fund the pitch.

I will bring it to the table at the next meeting.

My views are that neutral grounds are a must, finding them of the appropriate standard and cost is another matter.

SAFC_Pothunter wrote:

spartamoshdock wrote:

Totally agree that the league do a great job - so don't try and make it sound like I'm slating everything they do.

It is just this one thing we think could be looked at and addressed. You obviously disagree and that's fine, that's the whole point of a discussion on a forum. Doesn't mean I'm going to agree with you.

Completely agree, I'm just giving my view on the matter, all the best for the season!

Always healthy to discuss these things.

Good luck for the rest of the season as well.

As i under stand it if leicester sunday league can arrange senior pitches for semis at the start of the
year then surely its worth asking the question for the alliance to do the same next year.
Surely with the revenue from the bar receipts for the semis would allow us to negotiate a fair price.
We played a semi last year at leicester foxes which as most sides who have played there know
should never stage a semi the pitch and facilities are poor to say the least.
Lets ask the question.
Playing a semi at highfield rangers or oadby town etc etc has got to be the way forward.