amalgamations!!

[Swinebag]

Just had a look at the team numbers and wondered if there are to be any regions joined up to help balance out the numbers?

It seems that our own NW, SE and Scotland are allright jack, but a lot of the teams seem to be relatively short. This may dampen a bit of enthusiasm and I can see some of the less populated teams giving up pretty early in this.

Or....


do people think that even the small teams are big enough to have an impact and negate the numerical disadvantage?

thoughts?

[AJDUK]

One season Liverpool had around 50% more players signed up than Walsall had - that was around 35 or so for them and about 20-25 of us. I remember one week when only 2 or 3 Liverpool played, but in general they found it hard to field a core team. Every week 11 or 12 Walsall always played, usually the same players.
It"s not about the registrations it"s about who actually joins in. Right now it"s looking a bit skewed but in practice it might not turn out that way. I think it"s better to wait and see what happens. Still ages off yet..........

[suzanne]

Have to agree with Andy.

Numbers might seem a bit high with some teams at the moment but it will all even out in the long run.

My SW team has about avg numbers but I am more than confident we will be in the top 3.

[Foggy]

"I have a dream"

[TightEnd]

I think we have to give this time

Of course some established teams and groupings have a head start, but the opportunity for all the captains given the catchement areas is the same, just it will take time for the newer regions to get the numbers where they want them

[Sef]

I had a chat about this the other night.... i don"t think smaller teams are at a disadvantage, infact, quite the opposite.

That said it would be nice for all teams to be roughly same numbers but that"s up to the team captains to push recruitment imo. I"m sure they will drive the numbers up.

[deanp27]

This talk is a bit premature IMO. It"s set up as best as possible and we should just roll with it. I mean I"d take 1 Yorkshireman over 5 Scots or Mancs anyway....

[PHIL_TC]

I had a chat about this the other night.... i don"t think smaller teams are at a disadvantage, infact, quite the opposite.

Would love to hear the logic on this one Sef?

I see some discontent in London.... but I agree LOADS of time left for captains to recruit and level the playing field x

[nosey-p]

This talk is a bit premature IMO. It"s set up as best as possible and we should just roll with it. I mean I"d take 1 Yorkshireman over 5 Scots or Mancs anyway....

Well said  

[Sef]

I had a chat about this the other night.... i don"t think smaller teams are at a disadvantage, infact, quite the opposite.

Would love to hear the logic on this one Sef?

I see some discontent in London.... but I agree LOADS of time left for captains to recruit and level the playing field x

First time i"ve had a request for my weird logic, not sure if anyone else will understand it.  

The more players in a team means the more chance of the same team at one table therefore 5 players from the bigger team, 2 from team b and 1 each of 2 other teams.. I think the 2  single team players have the advantage in terms of 1. knocking out the other team players as theres more of them. and 2. other teams knocking each other out while they sit there racking up the points.

Make sense? lol

[Jon MW]

I had a chat about this the other night.... i don"t think smaller teams are at a disadvantage, infact, quite the opposite.

Would love to hear the logic on this one Sef?

I see some discontent in London.... but I agree LOADS of time left for captains to recruit and level the playing field x

First time i"ve had a request for my weird logic, not sure if anyone else will understand it.  

The more players in a team means the more chance of the same team at one table therefore 5 players from the bigger team, 2 from team b and 1 each of 2 other teams.. I think the 2  single team players have the advantage in terms of 1. knocking out the other team players as theres more of them. and 2. other teams knocking each other out while they sit there racking up the points.

Make sense? lol

To you it probably does  

Weight of numbers just means that the more members a team has the more chance they"ll score points and the more chance they"ll score higher points.

I don"t think there"s any need to try and achieve exactly equal teams though - particularly as it"s the number that participate that matter rather than the nominal number of members - but also because as long as no team isn"t especially tiny then they should all have a chance.

And given the region sizes there"s no reason why any team should end up being particularly small.

[scouse3465]

I think we have to give this time

Of course some established teams and groupings have a head start, but the opportunity for all the captains given the catchement areas is the same, just it will take time for the newer regions to get the numbers where they want them

Would have to disagree on this scotland catchment area / established teams  is a lot larger than anyone elses .
Must be strange for scotland to be favourites at something

[AMRN]

I think we have to give this time

Of course some established teams and groupings have a head start, but the opportunity for all the captains given the catchement areas is the same, just it will take time for the newer regions to get the numbers where they want them

Would have to disagree on this scotland catchment area / established teams  is a lot larger than anyone elses .
Must be strange for scotland to be favourites at something

No kidding - it stretches all the way to Leeds!!  

[TightEnd]

I think we have to give this time

Of course some established teams and groupings have a head start, but the opportunity for all the captains given the catchement areas is the same, just it will take time for the newer regions to get the numbers where they want them

Would have to disagree on this scotland catchment area / established teams  is a lot larger than anyone elses .
Must be strange for scotland to be favourites at something

I"m right

Populations of English regions, Scotland and Wales (source 2010 UK Gov estimates)

- South East 8m
- London 7.1m
- North West 6,2m
- East 5.3m
- West Midlands 5.2m
- Yorkshire and the Humber 4.9m
- South West 4.9m
- East Midlands 2.5m
- North East 2.1m
   

Scotland    5.2m
Wales    3.06m   


5 of the APAT Catchment areas are larger than Scotland in terms of population

Yes they have established teams, notably Glasgow, but so do some others

Its up to London etc to recruit as hard, and level the playing field....

[deanp27]

In fairness half of the Scottish team are not actually populating there...