WHB proposal for restructuring the Aberystwyth Digs League

After some discussions within the club, We Hate Ben have come up with an idea to change the structure of the leagues we currently have in place for the Aberystwyth Digs League. The idea is that instead of the current system of three simultaneous leagues with a play-off system, we introduce three leagues at three levels with a promotion and relegation system. We believe it would increase competitiveness throughout the league.

There would three divisions of 8 teams (labeled Division 1, 2 and 3, which could offered for sponsorship if possible), where teams would be placed into each league based on their performance over a three-year period. We are all familiar with some of the longer-term sides in the ADL and it would encourage more long-standing teams and new teams to join. As each student is usually here for three years, a new team formed in the first year of a course would have a target to rise through the divisions and win the ADL Championship by the time they leave.

Having worked out a sort of coefficient based on league positions over the last three years the leagues have currently worked out like this:

Division 1	Division 2	Division 3
Sex Panthers SH Pandas Pornstars Phoenix Diamonds Geltaidd Obi Wan Average Anne*	On The Pier We Hate Ben FC Hammer Glengower Inter Yournan Gwatch Beaver ATFC Lions	Pathetic Athletic Arcelona U Tekkers Commodore Barstuds Abertina Gential Giants NWAUC

*Average Anne are the current holders of the ADL Championship and have such been placed in Division 1 despite only one year of competition.

The teams would be put into leagues in this manner as a once off, as in future they would retain their standing unless relegated or if they fail to register for a new season.

Each team would play against each other in their respective league once, and the standings when all matches are completed would be the final table. Each league would have a title to win, and a play-off competition.

ADL Championship and Division 1 title
In Division 1, the top four teams at the end of the season would contend the ADL Championship. Winning the division would still mean a title and trophy, but the play-off is like a grand slam with a bigger trophy.
(Semi-finals) 1st vs. 4^th (SF1) and 2nd vs. 3^rd (SF2)
(Final) SF1 winner vs. SF2 winner.

Relegation from Division 1
The bottom club (8^th) is relegated automatically after the league season ends, and will be replaced by the winner of Division 2.
The team in 7th place will go into a relegation play-off with 2nd, 3rd and 4th from Division 2.
(Semi-finals) 7th vs. 4th (SF1) and 2nd vs. 3^rd (SF2)
(Final) SF1 winner vs. SF2 winner
The winner of the final will start the following season in Division 1. The runner-up and losing semi-finalists will start in Division 2.

Division 2 title and promotion
In Division 2, the team in 1^st is automatically promoted to Division 1 for the following season, replacing the team who finished 8^th in Division 1.
The second promotion place is decided by playoff and is already explained above.

Relegation from Division 2
The bottom club (8^th) is relegated automatically after the league season ends, and will be replaced by the winner of Division 3.
The team in 7th place will go into a relegation play-off with 2nd, 3rd and 4th from Division 3.
(Semi-finals) 7th vs. 4th (SF1) and 2nd vs. 3^rd (SF2)
(Final) SF1 winner vs. SF2 winner
The winner of the final will start the following season in Division 2. The runner-up and losing semi-finalists will start in Division 3.

Division 3 title and promotion
In Division 3, the team in 1^st is automatically promoted to Division 1 for the following season, replacing the team who finished 8^th in Division 2.
The second promotion place is decided by playoff and is already explained above.

Relegation from Division 3
There is no relegation from Divison 3. The only way a team is removed from the ADL is if it doesn’t register the following season. Any new team that registers is added to Division 3.

ADL Wooden Spoon
The bottom two teams in Division 3 (7^th and 8^th) will face off at the end of the season in a one-off match for the Wooden Spoon.

Cups

Aberystwyth Town Cup (24 teams, maximum of 6 games):
ATC continues in similar format with as a  knockout competition. There is no seeding in any round, but teams are entered into certain rounds due to their league position the following season. In the first season, teams will be ranked from the Overall ADL Ranking. The idea is that it is similar to the FA Cup.
Round 1 contains only the 8 teams from Division 3 (teams ranked 24-17). These teams will be drawn at random and the 4 winners will enter Round 2, joining the bottom 4 teams from Division 2 (In the first season this will be teams ranked 16-13). The 4 winners from this round will join the remaining 12 teams. From this round no further teams will be added.

Example:
R1: (Bottom 8) Genital Giants, NWAUC, Abertina, FDR Commodore, Arcelona, Barstuds, Geltaidd, Unbelievable Tekkers
R2: (Bottom half of D2 + 4 winners from R1) 4 winners from R1 + We Hate Ben, Pathetic Athletic, ATFC Lions, Beaver
R3: (Remaining 12 teams + 4 winners) 4 winners from R2 + Gwatch, Glengower, Inter Yournan, Obi Wan Kenobi Nil, Hammer, Phoenix, Bayer Diamonds, On The Pier, Average Anne, Premiership Pornstars, Pandas, Panthers.
QF: (Remaining 8 teams)
SF: (Remaining 4 teams)
Final: (Remaining 2 teams)

Consolation Shield (Remove ‘Consolation’) (24 teams, maximum of 5 games)
The 16 teams from D2 and D3 teams play in an open draw in R1 (In first instance, bottom 16 teams from last years ADL Ranking. The 8 winners will be drawn against the 8 teams from D1 (In first instance against top 8 teams in ADL Ranking) in an open draw, making R2 a round of 16. This is followed by last 8, last 4 then a final, all with an open draw.  The idea is similar to the League Cup.

Example:
R1: (Bottom 16) Genital Giants, NWAUC, Abertina, FDR Commodore, Arcelona, Barstuds, Geltaidd, Unbelievable Tekkers, We Hate Ben, Pathetic Athletic, ATFC Lions, Beaver, Gwatch, Glengower, Inter Yournan, Obi Wan Kenobi Nil.
R2: (Top 8 + 8 winners) 8 winners from R1 + Hammer, Phoenix, Bayer Diamonds, On The Pier, Average Anne, Premiership Pornstars, Pandas, Panthers.
QF: (Remaining 8 teams)
SF: (Remaining 4 teams)
Final: (Remaining 2 teams)

Consolation Cup (Rename to Trophy or similar) (16 teams, maximum of 4 games)
Only teams from D2 and D3 will play. Round of 16 followed by last 8, last 4, then a final. In Round 2, teams from D2 will be seeded, so will not play against each other. After that it is an open draw. Idea is similar to FA Trophy.

Example:
R1: (Two groups to draw from, named A and B. Draw one team from A first then one from B. A contains 8 D2 teams, B contains 8 D3 teams)  Group A: On The Pier, We Hate Ben, FC Hammer, Glengower, Inter Yournan, Gwatch, Beaver, ATFC Lions. Group B: Pathetic Athletic, Arcelona, U Tekkers, Commodore, Barstuds, Abertina, Gential Giants, NWAUC.
QF: (Remaining 8 teams)
SF: (Remaining 4 teams)
Final: (Remaining 2 teams)

Super Cup (2 teams, ADL Championship Winner and Aberystwyth Town Cup Winner, played at beginning of season, 1 game)
A ‘Charity Shield’ type match between the ADL Championship Winner and Aberystwyth Town Cup Winner. If a team has won both then the replacement will be Division 1 title winner followed by ADL Championship Runners-up. To be played as an curtain raiser at the beginning of the season.

This is just an opinion piece and no disrespect is meant to other clubs or the ADL.