I have just been watching the scenes of celebration as the Brentford fans and players celebrate their return to the Football League Championship. Brentford are one of my chosen teams so I know that they will be leaving League One. That will necessitate a change in my picks for next season as this pyramid competition involves selecting one team from each of the top ten levels of the Football Pyramid.
I should now check on all my other picks to see how they are doing. It has been a very busy winter for me with extra work resulting in lots of overtime, most of which went on paying the debts that had accumulated. I have not been to any live football at all this season but finances have to come first. Hopefully next year I will apply my own rule of getting to see all my selections at least once.
Arsenal are easy. They are my main team and always finish in the top four of the premiership. Thankfully they are back there after the scare when Everton overtook us. I have to thank Crystal Palace for beating the toffees on their own patch. Tony Pulis, you can work wonders with players of minimal talent. I do know that it is all comparative as many of the Palace players would be superstars in teams lower down the pyramid.
Yeovil I chose in the Championship as they are closest to my home base of Devon. They sit firmly at the bottom of this particular level, and that actually works out quite well for me as I do not now have to select a different team. Brentford and Yeovil can swap places in my pyramid but both remain part of it.
Exeter, my League Two pick, flirted briefly with the idea of promotion early in the season but have now dropped all the way down to try and challenge Torquay for relegation. I do expect them to survive as they drew today but they are living close to the edge (and it is a steep drop).
Tamworth are interesting as I chose them because my cousin lives there and we used to drop in at least twice a year but finances have prevented that this year. They have been confirmed as relegated from the Conference Premier and they must drop out of my pyramid because I expect them to be in the Conference North and my pyramid flows into the Conference South. I will, therefore, have at least one new team to follow next season.
The Conference South proved most educational for me this year as I found that Weston-super-Mare hid their results better than some of the teams lower down the pyramid. I was not happy with their website and almost gave up on them but then I clicked "Like" on their facebook page and I found that all the missing information was sent to me on a regular basis. You live and learn so I lived and learned. Weston are firmly mid-table so will probably remain in my pyramid next season.
My Southern League Premier Division pick was Bideford who are based in Devon so should be easy to get to next season. This is the likely situation as although they flirted with promotion they have tailed off and are looking certain to stay put just behind the leaders.
The Southern League South & West pick was Tiverton Town and they are firmly in the play-off places with a chance of taking the title and that automatic promotion spot. They could rise to the Premier Division in which case I will have to choose another team at this level but my expectation is that they will lose in one of the playoff matches.
My Western League pick was Buckland Athletic. This is because I have met two people who both played for this team. I spoke to one again recently and he no longer plays. The other I have not seen for many months and as a result I may well choose another team for next season. They are firmly mid-table and are expected to play at this level again next year.
At the bottom of my pyramid are Barnstaple Town who are currently third in the first division. With the top two being promoted they remain in a position where they will play at this same level next season. They are capable, however, of putting together an end of season boost that will see them in the Premier Division. Time will tell but there are not many other times in this division that I would be prepared to follow. I may have to do the decent thing and go straight to the South West Peninsula League Premier Division as that League is also classed as a Level 10 League.
