Will we see a new wave of mergers in the aftermath of this?

[Rogin the Armchair fan]

It was quite the thing for a while in the 80s and 90s, wasn't it, for financially strapped clubs to admit defeat (or for ambitious chairmen to push the idea) and merge, some to briefly reach heights they'd never have dreamt of. Rushden and Diamonds, Dagenham and Redbridge. The idea even briefly gained traction in the higher echelons of the league (Thames Valley Royals, anyone, or Fulham Park Rangers?).

If the gloomier predictions of many non-league clubs not pulling through this prove true, will we see another wave of mergers creating new non-league superclubs to rise up the leagues?

[Arturo]

Lest we forget the Hearts and Hibs proposal from 1990 and the Oldham-Bury-Rochdale menage a trois that never got off the ground.

[That Night In Barcelona]

Recent experience suggests a raft of new phoenix clubs is more likely. How would the folks on here feel about supporting a merger club? Similar feelings to MK Dons or is the context different enough?

[Duncan Gardner]

Irish League

CruiseVille
GlenField
ColeMena
PortAvon
LimaDerry

[Ray de Galles]

Recent experience suggests a raft of new phoenix clubs is more likely. How would the folks on here feel about supporting a merger club? Similar feelings to MK Dons or is the context different enough?

I think there'll be a rash of mergers at non-league level, at least.

If a club has a level of interest to support a phoenix club it will probably have enough to sustain the original club, surely? There are going to be debts to cover but that is more likely to be handled by administration than going out of business in most cases - and a lot of non-sports businesses are going to be in the same boat.

[Satchmo Distel]

I think the mergers would be countered by the formation of phoenix clubs carrying forward the old identities, in the manner of Wimbledon v Franchise, albeit under different circumstances. The merged clubs would be treated as franchise clubs on here, I assume?

[Rogin the Armchair fan]

There must be a difference where two clubs and importantly their fans genuinely agree to become one. MK Dons didn't merge with anyone iirc, they literally just moved Wimbledon lock stock and barrel to the National Hockey stadium and realised they ought to change the name for legal reasons.

[ursus arctos]

Such situations are extremely rare, though

Supporters understandably have strong connections to their club that generally overwhelm economic "realities"

[Third rate Leszno]

The two clubs in Ossett merged last year, didn't they?

I'm probably talking rubbish, but wouldn't it be the bigger non league clubs that are most at risk, rather than clubs at Step 4 down? Purely on the basis that the further down you go, the fewer players that are actually under contract and the less the reliance on matchday receipts.

Bar/social club closures are a far bigger concern to the non league clubs around here than anything football related.

[Aitch]

In what regard are The New Saints of Oswestry Town & Llansantffraid Football Club held?

[Furtho]

I'm probably talking rubbish, but wouldn't it be the bigger non league clubs that are most at risk, rather than clubs at Step 4 down? Purely on the basis that the further down you go, the fewer players that are actually under contract and the less the reliance on matchday receipts. Bar/social club closures are a far bigger concern to the non league clubs around here than anything football related.

My understanding is that it's at Step 4 that player contracts become a thing (so the organisational and financial jump from Step 5 to Step 4 can be very tough), so your point about bar & social club closures applies more at Step 5 down. But a lot of clubs at Steps 5, 6 and 7 are run on such shoestring budgets that anything impacting on their cashflow places them at risk. Hence this sort of input from the sponsor of a league at Steps 5 and 6 will be very welcome - although one has to wonder what the FA might look to do to assist its own member clubs.

[URL]https://twitter.com/Ollie_Bayliss/status/1250681133613961216[/URL]

[Patrick Thistle]

In what regard are The New Saints of Oswestry Town & Llansantffraid Football Club held?

Well we chant "You're not even Welsh!" at them.

[Rogin the Armchair fan]

Well we chant "You're not even Welsh!" at them.

Is that meant to upset them?

[Patrick Thistle]

Is that meant to upset them?

When they claim to be champions of Wales, yes.

[Rogin the Armchair fan]

When they claim to be champions of Wales, yes.

I can imagine Edward Longshanks reacting with a very wry sneer.

[Patrick Thistle]

Oswestry will get annexed eventually.

[Third rate Leszno]

Furtho Thanks. The NW Counties have also put measures in place to help their clubs. One thing I've seen mentioned in club social media feeds is the fact that the league and results have been annulled, but the FA keep all the fines incurred during those games - which does seem somewhat harsh.

[via vicaria]

Wasn't there a Hayes & Yeading supporting OTF-er? Be interesting to hear their perspective on supporting a recently merged club.

[Third rate Leszno]

Was it JVL? We also had an occasional poster who was a Dagenham fan I seem to remember.

[Sporting]

When they claim to be champions of Wales, yes.

Shrewsbury: 6 times Welsh Cup winners.

[Furtho]

FurthoOne thing I've seen mentioned in club social media feeds is the fact that the league and results have been annulled, but the FA keep all the fines incurred during those games - which does seem somewhat harsh.

It certainly does. I don't understand the general point about expunging or annulling - the games were played, teams one and lost, players scored goals and were sent off. These things all happened and there's no reason to pretend they didn't.

[ursus arctos]

Was it JVL? We also had an occasional poster who was a Dagenham fan I seem to remember.

Yes, JVL lists H&Y in his profile

[Jumbo McGinnis]

Given that you’ve got Redbridge, Newbury Forest, Ilford, Barkingside, Tower Hamlets, Sporting Bengal Clapton, Walthamstow and Hackney Wick all based in or having recently played within a very small radius over the last season or two and most with tiny crowds, I’ve often wondered how they continue to run, season in, season out and wondered if mergers had ever been discussed between any of those sides.

[Patrick Thistle]

Shrewsbury: 6 times Welsh Cup winners.

That's my alt:hist football thing. If Shrewsbury was in Wales then the Div 2 contender team of the early 80s would have also had European football and quite possibly that could have meant keeping some of the better players and going up to the top flight.

[tee rex]

Are there any examples of clubs being widely known as the second name, after the "And"? It seems like the first rule of Merger Club is that you never talk about the second club.

That also applies when it's the places combining rather than clubs (Hove, Boscombe, wiped off the map).