Lewes play in the Ryman Premier league and currently sit in sixth place having played 11 league games and remaining unbeaten. The Ryman Premier league is step seven of the whole football league pyramid which means that to be playing Premier league football, Lewes would have to be promoted six times without relegation. The highest division Lewes have been in is the Conference Premier, the fifth step and the very top of 'non league' football.
 |
| Lewes FC Draw Away To Maidstone |
In moving to Bournemouth I was very aware of one team in the town, 'The Cherries' or AFC Bournemouth, but due to my love of non league football I did some research as to any other teams close by. As luck would have it there is a team known as Bournemouth FC, nicknamed 'The Poppies' who play a five minute walk from my house in the student village.
Oh how different they are to my beloved Rooks, however. Bournemouth FC play in the Wessex league which is step 9 of the league pyramid meaning the would have to be promoted twice to be in the same step as Lewes, however looking at results and the league table, things do not look too promising.
Upon looking at the Wessex league table, it became apparent that they were going through a complete opposite to what Lewes are acheiving, Bournemouth FC have failed to pick up a single point in their first eight games, let alone a win. They have only scored five goals, conceding 24 meaning they are rooted to the bottom of the table.
Relegation and promotion for the Wessex league is a complicated process. To be promoted the club actually has to apply to do so, and then finish in the top two places to be allowed promotion, as long as they also meet the ground requirements for the step above. Relegation also has to be agreed with the step below, however if Bournemouth continue to lose and finish bottom it is likely they will be relegated.
Bournemouth came close to picking up a point at least in their last game against Fareham Town, however they suffered a 3-2 loss in the end. On Saturday Bournemouth play away to Downton where the will want to pick up some much needed points. Their next home game is on Tuesday night when the play against Fawley AFC.
So why is Bournemouth's season going so wrong? On Tuesday I am heading down to Victoria Park, where their average attendance is less than 40, over ten times less than the average attendance of The Rooks who play at The Dripping Pan, regularly in front of crowds topping 500 at least. It will be a very different experience, but one that I am looking forward to getting involved with as I would like to use Bournemouth FC for my work while at Bournemouth FC, to start with I will be bringing live twitter updates from the match on Tuesday night from 7.45pm where Bournemouth will be looking to pick up their first points of the season. (Unless they manage to do so first on Saturday). My Twitter account is @JoeBettts .
Any Suggestions for what you would like to see in this blog, either about Bournemouth FC (interviews, pictures etc. you name it)or any other articles or interactions, would be gratfully received, thank you.
| POS | P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | PTS | ||
| 1 | Newport (IOW) | 9 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 31 | 10 | 21 | 23 | |
| 2 | Sholing | 8 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 24 | 5 | 19 | 22 | |
| 3 | Alresford Town | 10 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 26 | 19 | 7 | 22 | |
| 4 | Winchester City | 10 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 27 | 10 | 17 | 21 | |
| 5 | Bemerton Heath Harlequins | 12 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 36 | 23 | 13 | 17 | |
| 6 | AFC Portchester | 8 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 24 | 12 | 12 | 17 | |
| 7 | Blackfield & Langley | 10 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 22 | 14 | 8 | 17 | |
| 8 | Lymington Town | 9 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 19 | 18 | 1 | 15 | |
| 9 | Fareham Town | 8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 16 | 17 | -1 | 14 | |
| 10 | Hamworthy United | 9 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 15 | 17 | -2 | 14 | |
| 11 | Whitchurch United | 10 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 16 | 17 | -1 | 13 | |
| 12 | Moneyfields | 9 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 11 | 9 | 2 | 12 | |
| 13 | Folland Sports | 9 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 16 | 15 | 1 | 12 | |
| 14 | Brockenhurst | 9 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 13 | 17 | -4 | 11 | |
| 15 | Horndean | 7 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 16 | 16 | 0 | 10 | |
| 16 | Christchurch | 10 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 15 | 20 | -5 | 10 | |
| 17 | Fawley | 8 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 12 | 23 | -11 | 10 | |
| 18 | Verwood Town | 10 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 11 | 17 | -6 | 9 | |
| 19 | Totton & Eling | 9 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 10 | 24 | -14 | 6 | |
| 20 | Downton | 10 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 8 | 27 | -19 | 6 | |
| 21 | Romsey Town | 10 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 10 | 29 | -19 | 4 | |
| 22 | Bournemouth | 8 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 5 | 24 | -19 | 0 |
