Chatham is a horrible place to go to, and ground in dodgy area. Ran out of beer in away end a couple of times. Went there in a playoff semi final with Horsham a couple of years ago. Was evening kick off, and they made away fans walk round and through park to get to stadium. Match finished in the dark, and we had to leave  the same way to avoid cheering home fans, but the park was unlit, and we had to climb over fences as they had locked gates. Complained to club, but did not even got a reply.

Been to 3 of the 4 Isthmian ones before, only Brentwood not been to, and it looks a tiny ground, but if it was a midweek trip in the first half of the season with 150 Wands there it would be fine. 

Chatham have a chavvy teenager problem, segregation would be preferable there which is a shame as when I went there watching DW women in the FA Cup last season it is a very well appointed and tarted up ground (floodlights are rubbish mind!)

Done Farnham and Poole, Gloucester is a new ground since we went there in the FA Cup in 2018. Berkhamsted looks tiny but a lovely one.

Farnham hugely on the up, ground is tidy but very tight. Really don't know what their endgame is, 4000 as would be required by the NL would be ridiculous on that site, they'd have to take down almost everything they have put up in the last 2years and start building again!

Folkestone we haven't been to since the Ryman days and Walton & Hersham are very ambitious as we saw in the Surrey Senior cup.

Give me Boston, Carlisle, Forest Green, Tamworth etc any day though!

The friendly in Poole the other year was a fun away trip; and I've never been to Gloucester. Farnham would add a bit of spice too. 

At the other end, I would not be disappointed if I never went to Hornchurch again ...

Don't honestly mind Hornchurch.

Can park 100 yards from the ground entrance for free, nice takeaway opposite a nice enough pub, friendly volunteers and a decent enough view from the wooden side stand

They have been segregating some away contingents of late, but I presume its the biggest local followings, eg Dagenham

Mark Cooper has been announced as the new Chelmsford manager

Would be a disaster if Hornchurch win the league as we desperately need some of these bigger teams out of the NLS like Worthing, Torquay, etc. If Hornchurch win the league and someone like Hemel or Weston win playoffs then we could have an absurdly stacked NLS next season that includes Dorking, Worthing, Torquay, Ebbsfleet, Maidenhead, Maidstone, Chelmsford, Braintree, Truro, Dagenham, Chesham, etc...

I see a clipping after Saturdays game where the Bath manager and striker talked about the possibility of a reprieve should one of the teams from the leagues below get promoted and not meet ground grading. Notsure if this is wishful thinking or they have been told it is a possibility..

Surely wishful thinking. When you win promotion you have until the end of March in your first season up a division to meet the grade.

It can be tight (as we have seen) if in that 10 month period you have to receive planning permission first of course.

Unless perhaps the likes of Berkhamsted literally haven't the room for the necessary stands/terracing.

Posted by: @gary-munnery

↑

I think Chatham have an issue , or have had issue with unruly behaviour. 

Probably - them and just about everyone else at the moment tbh with the 'youth tiktok green st' kids

Posted by: @dorking-eagle

↑

Farnham hugely on the up, ground is tidy but very tight

Yep. Would no doubt be 'soft segregation' but a bit of a nightmare and deffo a sell out (what's the capacity?). They have no idiots as far as I'm aware so getting in early and purchasing a 'home' ticket would work.

Pure speculation at this point of course as we could be 2 divisions apart next season. Or not.

Dropping into the NL from League Two is almost certainly Barrow 

(plus one other from Tranmere / Newport / Crawley / Harrogate )

Braintree and Truro drop into the NLS

Meanwhile in 'Step 3' the play off semi's are:

ISTHMIAN

Aveley v Brentwood Town

Billericay Town v Chatham Town

SOUTHERN

Farnham v Berkhamsted

Gloucester v Poole

If Gloucester City come up from Step 3, they could potentially be put in NLN if Oxford City or Merthyr strongly lobbied to be moved sideways into the NLS.

Can imagine Oxford are itching to get moved back to the NLS. I would like a trip to Wales though 

Posted by: @gary-munnery

↑

Can imagine Oxford are itching to get moved back to the NLS. I would like a trip to Wales though 

Same!

That said, there is an informal arrangement that clubs don't tend to get moved sideways into a different regional division if they haven't been in their current division for 3 seasons, which Oxford City and Merthyr haven't (2 and 1 season respectively)

Posted by: @dorking-eagle

↑

Dropping into the NL from League Two is almost certainly Barrow 

I wouldn't rule out Barrow quite yet as they have a very juice home tie against Newport on the final day. Crawley, Tranmere and Harrogate all have tough fixtures to add to that.

In the NLS, Ebbsfleet United and Maidstone United are added to the confirmed teams list for next season.

Worthing and AFC Fylde are added to the confirmed teams for the NL.

Barrow (-32gd)  need an 8 goal swing compared to Crawley (-24gd) AND Harrowgate to lose in order to get out the bottom two, so they need a lot of things going their way.