THE INTERNET LIED TO ME!!!!!

he's 17 now, but he would be 19 when he joined the club under the supposed arrangement

Playoffs make spots 4-6 appealing when they other wise would be no different then spots down to 21. That helps make more games have "something on the line" so I like them in general. I think 2 legged relegation playoffs between 17th and 18th would be cool too.

I have the same bet with some people, just not the "It helps Liverpool" hedge you do. I didnt remember the bet though up until a few weeks ago, and couldnt figure out why the Arsenal fan (the guy I have the bet with) was so happy when I was taking joy in Citeh's losses to Liverpool, Everton etc...

Not that I want them but if you were going to do relegation playoffs, I think the best way is to mix them in with the promotion playoffs. Have 3 teams from the division below and one from the division above or just have the team from the division above play the playoff winner.

Would add an interesting dynamic with one team playing for promotion while the other is fighting to avoid relegation.

in germany bottom 2 go straight down, 3rd worst from the bundesliga is playing playoffs vs 3rd best from 2. Bundesliga

any good soccer books? ranging from a strong interesting history, to soccernomics type stuff (thats basically the only soccer book i've read)

Futebol, Brilliant Orange, Inverting the Pyramid, Miracle of Castel Di Sangro many more.

1 direct relegation/promotion here, and worst 2 v best 2 have playoffs. And I think that's fine, just like your method.

Although maybe there's more playoffs before there's a best 2 from our 2nd league, dunno and dont care really.. our Jupiler League is nothing compared to 2. Bundesliga or the Championship. And not just footballwise (obv), the atmosphere isn't special either. But maybe that'll change a bit now that teams can relegate from the Jupiler League into the newly created league below that; there's finally endless promotion/relegation now without the strict line between professional(Eredivisie+Eerste divisie or Jupiler League) and amateur football.

England has the same, endless, system right? And Germany?

Yes. Even most amateur leagues are on the pyramid and enough consecutive promotions would see them in the Premier League (mind you it goes down like 20+ levels)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English..._league_system

23 levels on the pyramid here!

I know there are players such as DJ Campbell who started at the 7th level earlier in their careers.

Can any of you Brits spot your league on that chart?

i had no idea until now, but it appears modric won't play, or is at least unlikely to. that should take our odds of victory to a whopping 10%, and that is only because of the fact that city like to bottle it against us.

upon further review we look thorougly ****ed. three positions where i have no idea what to do.

CM- Sandro and ??? could be pienaar if fit, rose, vdv in deeper role, kaboul
LM- pienaar, rose kranjcar (not likely, fu harry)?
LB - rose bassong, corluka if fit

any thoughts on what you would do, assuming all the mentioned players are fit?

think i'd play corluka LB, pienaar CM, niko LM

wouldn't play niko in CM with VDV playin the 2nd striker role, pienaar in CM for me.

Yay for Newcastle having a good season in their first year back after relegation.

Central midfield - Hundredstone? Also, Parker is about to become available, and Redknapp will probably sign him, irrespective of whether you need him.

I've played in various leagues from level 9 to I think level 14. Nearly everyone who has played 11-a-side senior football will find their league on there.

thanks raz! any others i'd be glad to hear

Super Jermaine Jenas!

I would recommend Inverting the Pyramid to everyone, the rest depends on what you are interested in. Morbo (Spanish football), Tor! (German), Calcio (Italian), Italian Job (differences between Italian/English), Brilliant Orange (Dutch), Behind The Curtain (Eastern European), Myths and Facts about Football (academic studies on football), and Futebol (Brazil) are all worth reading.

wouldn't even consider that an option tbh
hundredstone is out it appears. can't wait for a past it, english, probably too high a wage signing from admiral redknapp
lol i just completely neglected him. he would be my choice most likely.

These are meant to be good - I have them but am yet to read them:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Trautmann-Bi.../dp/1859834914

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Anatomy-Engl...5043999&sr=1-3

My personal favourite, but probably less of what you are looking for:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Beautiful-Ga...5044042&sr=1-1

think most of my library has already been covered

nope, our local plays in a league outside the pyramid, quite a lot of sunday leagues do the same

i always find it interesting that it goes that deep. at uni i started watching leamington occasionally when they reformed in tier 12, they just missed out on promotion to 6 in the playoffs this year.

The current football writer's POTY is past it? The things I learn on here. I know he is the wrong side of 30 and that 37 consecutive hours in front of Championship Manager makes signing a foetus with some good stats seems like the right thing to do, but you're taking this a little far.

Funnily enough the league I have played on isn't in the structure (for specific reason) however due to playing friendlies, in national cup competitions etc you can match up the standard in play and I would estimate it to be about 12th or 13th tier in standard. Generally the standard here is very poor but you get several good teams and good players playing well below what they are capable of as you would expect. There are even ex pro's and people who played semi pro the year before etc playing.

Most pub leagues and Sunday Leagues won't be on the structure as well as niche league structures (like the one I played in).

Those are all senior leagues, there are junior leagues as well, this does not refer to age.