THE NORTH V THE SOUTH?? WHICH LEAGUE IS THE STRONGEST?

Yesterday, the cold end wrote about the promoted sides from the Ryman North and also produced a table for the Ryman North Division promoted sides since the league re-organisation for the 2006/07 season.
Here is the table for the Division One South so we can compare which league is the strongest??

HOW HAVE THE PROMOTED SIDES DONE SINCE 2006/07 - RYMAN SOUTH  
                     07/08    08/09    09/10    10/11    11/12  
06/07  
MAIDSTONE UTD        17th RP  15th RP  18th RP  20th RP# 6th  D1S  
HASTINGS UTD         14th RP  17th RP  7th  RP  18th RP  15th RP  
07/08  
DOVER ATH            -        1st  RP  2nd BSS@ 7th  BSS 6th  BSS  
TOOTING & MITCHAM    -        9th  RP  12th RP  14th RP  19th RP  
08/09 
KINGSTONIAN          -        -        5th  RP* 7th  RP  11th RP 
CRAY WAND            -        -        15th RP  9th  RP  6th  RP 
09/10  
CROYDON ATH          -        -        -        21st RP# WITHDRAWN  
FOLKESTONE INV       -        -        -        22nd RP# 4th  D1S 
10/11  
MET POLICE           -        -        -        -        5th  RP  
LEATHERHEAD          -        -        -        -        20th RP

KEY 
* denotes lost Ryman Premier Play-Off final verus Boreham Wood 
# denotes relegated 
@ denotes lost Blue Square South Play-Off semi-final versus Woking
Average finishing position for promoted sides in Ryman Premier       - 13th 
Average finishing position for D1S title winners in Ryman Premier    - 13th 
Average finishing position for DS1 Play-Off winners in Ryman Premier - 14th
Best finishing position for title winners     - Dover Athletic...champions 08/09 
Best finishing position for Play-Off winners  - Hastings United..7th 09/10

THE NORTH V THE SOUTH (NOT INCLUDING 2011/12) 

                                       NORTH                 SOUTH                  VERDICT    
TITLE WINNERS BEST POSITION        -   1st (DARTFORD 09/10)  1st (DOVER ATH 08/09)  TIE
PLAY OFF WINNERS BEST POSITION     -   6th (CANVEY   10/11)  7th (HASTINGS  09/10)  NORTH
TITLE WINNERS AVERAGE POSITION     -   7th                   13th                   NORTH
PLAY OFF WINNERS AVERAGE POSITION  -   13th                  14th                   NORTH                    
OVERALL FINISIHING POSITION        -   10th                  13th                   NORTH
NUMBER OF SIDES PROMOTED           -   1                     1                      TIE
NUMBER OF SIDES RELEGATED          -   3*                    3                      TIE
HIGHEST POSITION GAINED            -   10th BSS (DARTS 10/11)2nd BSS (DOVER 09/10)  SOUTH
NUMBER OF PREM PLAY-OFFS QUALIFIED -   3                     1                      NORTH 
NUMBER OF PREM PLAY-OFF FINALS     -   1                     1                      TIE 
* denotes includes Aveley in 08/09 who were reprived from relegation

The overall verdict on these figures is that the Ryman North is the stronger of the two leagues although there is much more to argued about such as crowd figures and FA Cup performance perhaps. What is does show is that, aside from Dartford and Dover Athletic who rose rapidly through the Ryman Divisions, promoted sides can expect to finish in an average of 12th place which I'm sure most teams would take on their debut season at a higher level of football.

Lowestoft Town seem best placed for a title win for the promoted sides this season although there are many more games to be played with the Metropolitan Police best representing the Ryman South this season.