TO STREAM OR NOT TO STREAM

 To stream, or not to stream? 

That is the question facing the National League Board - and it took a tweet from a Hollywood star owner of one of its member clubs to bring the matter into the open. 

With a sponsor deal with social media site Tik Tok already secured and a fly-on-the-wall documentary, Welcome to Wrexham, currently been shown on Disney+ brand awareness isn't a concept that is lost on Wrexham co-owner Ryan Reynolds. 

Former EFL Chief Executive Shaun Harvey, who works as a strategic advisor to Reynolds and Red Dragons co-owner Rob McElenney, has sent a memo to all other 23 clubs in the National League outlining their proposals. It is believed that the interim proposal would see any club who can meet the National League's minimum criteria should be allowed to stream games with immediate effect. 

Additional provisions also include the observing of UEFA's Article 48 (which prevents matches being televised between 2.45pm and 5.15pm on Saturdays except during the FIFA international calendar), the streaming of games should not be compulsory, the home club should decide if the game is to be streamed - so their own gate receipts aren't at risk, the home club should meet the costs of streaming and any games selected for coverage by BT Sport (who hold the rights to show National League matches) would be exempt from streaming. 

The statement also adds that Wrexham would charge £10 to domestic subscribers and make the games free of charge to overseas subscribers until a centralised solution is put in place by the National League board.

During the 2020-21 season, when clubs were forced to play games behind closed doors due to the Covid 19 pandemic, many National League clubs set up their own streaming services, which fans could subscribe to, with varying degrees of success. Notable successes of this period included Notts County and Wrexham. 

It also provided clubs with crucial income during a time when they weren't able to make any money on the gate. In addition to this, it also meant that exiled fans would have been able to tune in and watch the games and contribute to the club fianancially - something which will ring true with Torquay United and Yeovil Town. 

With the National League still harbouring the long term ambition to introduce three up, three down between themselves and League Two, the ability to earn extra income from streaming their matches might act as a potential sweetener for the EFL to agree to it.

GARY JOHNSON'S FOUR YEARS AS TORQUAY UNITED MANAGER

Since he was appointed as Torquay United manager on September 13, 2018, Gary Johnson has taken the Gulls from 14th in National League South to the brink of a return to the Football League. In the 2018-19 season, he led United to the National League South title and two years later he followed up this achievement by guiding the Gulls to the National League Play-offs, where they lost out to Hartlepool United on penalties at Ashton Gate. 

Johnson is now of the longest serving United managers in recent times – having surpassed both Paul Buckle (June 2007 to May 2011) and Leroy Rosenior (June 2002 to January 2006). In addition to this, he is the fourth longest serving manager in the National League, behind Alan Devonshire (Maidenhead United), Luke Garrard (Boreham Wood) and Phil Parkinson (Altrincham). Also, only nine of the 92 managers in the Premier League and the Football League have been in their current roles longer than Johnson has been in charge at Plainmoor. 

In addition to this, his reign as United manager is third longest spell of his career, behind his first stint in charge of Yeovil Town, which lasted for four years and three months (June 2001 to September 2005), and his tenure as Bristol City manager of four years and six months (September 2005 to March 2010) – which is the longest spell of his career. 

• Games managed: 183 (33 in National League South, 129 in National League, ten in the FA Cup, nine in the FA Trophy, one National League Play-off semi-final, one National League Play-off final). 
• Goals scored (all competitions): 335 Goals against (all competitions): 217 
• Points won: 267 
• League titles won: 1 (2018-19 National League South) 
• Biggest win: 7-0 vs Lymington Town (A) FA Cup second qualifying round 2018-19 
• Biggest defeat: 2-6 Yeovil Town (A) National League 2019-20 
• Most number of games won in a row: 10 (13 November 2018 – 5 January 2019 – a club record).
• Longest unbeaten run in the league: 16 (22 September 2018 – 5 January 2019 – a club record).
• Highest individual goal scorer: Jamie Reid 66. 

Position on the list of the Gulls’ longest serving managers: 

1. Eric Webber 13 years and 7 months (October 1951 – May 1965) 
2. Frank Brown 6 years (May 1932 – May 1938) 
3. Mike Green 4 years and 2 months (March 1977 – May 1981) 
4. Gary Johnson 4 years (September 2018 – present) 
5. Paul Buckle 3 years and 11 months (June 2007 – May 2011) 
6. Leroy Rosenior 3 years and 7 months (June 2002 – January 2006) 
7. Frank O’Farrell 3 years and 5 months (May 1965 – October 1968) 

(All figures correct prior to United’s home fixture against Solihull Moors on September 13, 2022)

AN EMOTIONAL HOME COMING

Many signings completed in the summer 2022 transfer window would have been accompanied by greater fees, but none would have matched by Jay Stansfield's loan move to Exeter City from Fulham for poignancy. 

Stansfield, 19, is of course the son of former Grecians' striker Adam Stansfield who sadly passed away in 2010 from bowel cancer. As a mark of respect for Stansfield, City opted to retire his number nine shirt; however, the now iconic shirt number has now been handed to Stansfield junior for the 2022-23 season, as he returns to the club, who he appeared for as an academy player, on a season-long loan. 

Prior to his cancer diagnosis, Stansfield senior had helped City to win promotion from League Two in the 2008-09 season, where he was a teammate of current Grecians manager Matt Taylor, before helping the club establishing themselves in League One in the 2009-10 campaign.

Stansfield's junior, who has appeared for Fulham in the Premier League this season - and even managed an assist in their recent win over Brentford, made his debut for the Grecians from the sub's bench against MK Dons. Fittingly, they marked it with a 1-0 win - their first victory in five matches - and hopefully he will play a starring role in many more victories.