INTRODUCTION TO FANTASY NON-LEAGUE
Well, here we go again, it only feels like yesterday that we were finishing last season’s competition.
This season’s Fantasy Non-League will again only cost you £5 to enter. The FNL 2024/25 entry deadline will be Midnight on Saturday 31st August 2024. It is very important that you read the rules very closely as I am making some changes to the competition this season.
TWO WAYS TO PAY:
ENTER AND PAY VIA CHEQUE / DOWNLOAD FORM
ENTER & PAY ONLINE
Pay £5 to enter and then you will get the link to the online form to enter.
Again, this season the EARLY ENTRY BONUS is in play, which is being increased to a 1,000pts. This subject is always a difficult one and gauging what this should be is not easy. Last season the highest position at the end of the season of a team that entered before the season started was 52nd position and they finished the season 2,469pts behind the FNL 2023/24 winner. I had thought about dropping the Early Entry Bonus and starting the competition from Saturday 31st August 2024, but it was pointed out to me that this course of action would hinder The Mixtures Leagues as those three weeks of August feature at least two rounds of the FA Cup which includes only The Mixture Leagues. So I have decided to stick with the Early Entry Bonus and everyone will start scoring points from the start of the season on Saturday 27th July 2024.
So, how does the Early Entry Bonus work? Well, if you enter the competition before NOON on Saturday 27th July 2024 you will receive those EARLY ENTRY BONUS points. I still get emails and calls commentating on the fact that we allow people to enter the competition nearly four weeks into the season. The reason for this is that a lot of our players don’t buy the paper until the season has started. Ideally, I would love to start the competition before the season starts but if we did, we would only have around half the players we normally have. My normal answer to everyone that asks this question is everyone can start either before the season starts or before the deadline at the end of August. In fact, I know that many players enter at least two teams one before the season starts and one before the 31st August deadline.
There will again be Manager of the Month awards. In total, there will be eight Manager of the Month awards with the last one being April 2025. However, again this season the first Manager of the Month will be September 2024.
At the End of the Season there will be cash prizes for the top three places and once again we will have my personal favourite a prize for finishing bottom, so why not enter two teams one to win it and one to lose it. If you have never tried to finish bottom then give it a go, it is not easy! Again, this season you will be competing for the Barrie New Bottom Spot!! (If you are planning to try and finish bottom can I suggest that you enter after the season starts so there is no chance of me accidently giving you the Early Entry Bonus).
Every season I like to make a few changes to the competition and this season is no different. This season there will be three changes. (So please make sure to take note of the changes).
- The biggest change this season is the introduction of two more leagues. I have decided to revamp the Mixture part of the competition. The reason for this is that it has become more difficult to choose just twenty four teams. The Mixture will become three leagues of twenty four teams. The Northern Mixture (eight teams from each of the three Division one leagues). The Isthmian Mixture (eight teams from each of the three Division one leagues). The Southern Mixture (twelve teams from each of the two Division one leagues).
- As stated above the Early Entry Bonus is being increased to 1,000pts.
- I am dropping the bonus teams as they have caused some confusion. Therefore, this season you will need to pick three teams from each of the ten leagues (30 teams) and I will be increasing the jokers from three to five teams.
- In previous seasons I have been awarding 25 and -25pts to the best and worst performing teams in each month. This season this will change to 30, 15 and 7pts for the top best performing teams each month and -30, -15 & -7pts for the bottom three worst performing clubs each month.
- This season I have also decided to alter the End of Season Bonus points. I will be awarding the top three and bottom three in each league the following 250, 125 & 60pts for the top three and -250, -125 & -60pts for the bottom three. The cup competitions and the Play-Offs will remain the same.
THE RULES FOR FNL 2024/25
(Please read these very carefully). You will need to choose 3 teams from each of the ten leagues. (Which will give you a total of 30 teams). Then you will need to nominate your 5 FNL JOKER TEAMS from the 30 teams you have already picked. Those five teams will mean that you will receive double points throughout the season. That will include all bonuses awarded during the season it will also include the End of Season bonuses.
Also, if you wish you can pick 5 substitute teams, but these 5 teams must be on your FNL 2024/25 Entry Form at the start of the season. (More on the substitutes later in this season’s rules).
POINTS ALLOCATION, IN ALL TEN LEAGUES LEAGUE & CUP GAMES
Home win = 10pts + goals Away win = 20pts + goals
Home Draw = 2pt + goals Away Draw = 4pts + goals
Home Defeat = -10pts Away defeat = -5pts
Every goal scored = 1pt (This counts if your team wins, draws or loses).
Every goal conceded (Win & Defeat only) -1pt.
Goal Bonus Points = 5pts (This is awarded if your teams score 4 or more goals).
Clean Sheet Bonus = 5pts (This is awarded for both wins and 0-0 draws).
Concede 4 goals = -5pts (This does not apply to drawn games).
(Two-legged ties count as two separate games. Cup replays that go to penalties. The penalties are only used to decide the winner. No points are awarded for the penalties scored).
BONUS POINTS FOR REACHING VARIOUS ROUNDS IN EACH CUP COMPETITION
For reaching the FA Cup 1st round proper and each round beyond = 25pts. For reaching the Quarterfinals and each round beyond in all the other cups that are involved in the competition which are listed below = 25pts.
LEAGUE LEADERS & BOTTOM CLUB BONUS
At the end of each month up to and including April 2025 the top three teams leading each of the ten leagues will be awarded 30pts, 15pts & 7pts respectively. The bottom three teams of the ten leagues will be awarded -30pts, -15pts & -7pts espectively. The Mixture bonus points will be allocated based on the top three and worst three teams over the leagues that are included in The Mixture Leagues. (Please remember and this is important these bonus points will only count towards the main FNL season total and not the Manager of the Month points).
MANAGER OF THE MONTH BONUS POINTS
Each month the best and worst team in each of the ten leagues will be awarded 30, 15 & 7pts & -30, -15 & -7pts respectively. (These bonus points only count in the Manager of the Month calculations).
PLAY-OFF GAMES
The actual Play-Off games themselves will be awarded points as if they were league games. The Play-Off Final winners will be awarded 50pts for gaining promotion. (These points will be awarded at the end of the season).
END OF SEASON BONUS POINTS
(These points will be awarded at the end of the FNL Season in May 2025). All League Champions will receive 250pts for winning their respective leagues. Second place will get 125pts and third place will receive 60pts.
The bottom team in each league at the end of the season’s Fantasy Non-League will be awarded -250pts.
Second from bottom -125pts and third from bottom -60pts.
Cup Winners will receive 250pts for the FA Trophy and 150pts for the other Cups. Play-Off Winners will receive 50pts.
Remember if your FNL Joker team get these bonuses they will be doubled, for example a league champion picked in July 2024 at the start of the FNL Season will win you 500pts. The Mixture Leagues will be awarded the End of Season Bonuses based on the FNL Points scored over the season. However, if any of the other clubs in The Mixture wins their respective league or get relegated, they will receive 150pts or -150pts. Which will be halved if you sub the respective teams in the transfer window.
Substituted teams will be awarded half the End of Season bonus points & the full PlayOff Winners bonus.
The following Leagues and Cup competitions will be involved in this season’s Fantasy Non-League
National League – FA Cup and FA Trophy.
National North – FA Cup and FA Trophy.
National South – FA Cup and FA Trophy.
Northern Premier – FA Cup, FA Trophy and League Cup.
Isthmian Premier – FA Cup, FA Trophy and League Cup.
Southern Premier Central – FA Cup, FA Trophy and League Cup.
Southern Premier South – FA Cup, FA Trophy and League Cup.
The Mixture Leagues – FA Cup, FA Trophy, League Cups.
USE OF SUBSTITUTIONS.
As stated above you can select five substitutes on your FNL 2024/25 Entry Forms and out of those five substitutes you can use all five substitutes. Again, this season there will be only one substitution window and that will be during the month of December 2024 with your selected changes taking effect from 1st January 2025. Details on how to use your substitutions will be released nearer the time during the month of November 2024. Please also note you can change your FNL Joker teams on the 1st of January 2025 if you wish, but this will count as one of your Substitutions.
Ian White, Fantasy Non-League
FNL Helpdesk:
Please contact Ian at fnl07544@btinternet.com with any issues
