HibeeJibee

It was 60yrs ago this month Rangers proposed expelling 5 small clubs from SFL. In a famous legal action they resisted led by solicitor Robert Turpie. Who were those 5 clubs? Stenhousemuir; Berwick Rangers (now relegated from SPFL); Brechin City (now relegated from SPFL); Albion Rovers (now relegated from SPFL)... ...and Stranraer .

I've just realised Eyemouth finishing on -3pts in 2018-19 was of course under the original conferences, effectively at Premier Division level, not in First Division. First Division record low is -1pt by (guess who) Eyemouth in 2004-05... so Vale need 1 win to avoid that.

Back today... Brechin City say Highland League should be represented in play-off (pressandjournal.co.uk) Brechin City chairman Kevin Mackie believes a Breedon Highland League representative should have been put forward for the pyramid play-offs after champions Buckie Thistle were deemed ineligible to participate. Mackie also thinks the licensing issue creates an uneven playing field between clubs who wish to be promoted, thus having to spend money to secure a bronze licence, and those who don’t want to go up. He said: “We were told if you want to be compliant for promotion you need to spend the money to get the bronze licence. “We’ve done that and everything is with the SFA to be processed, we’ve done everything to have the bronze licence. “The issue I have is that we’re now in a situation where if you decide you don’t want to go up you can spend your money on better players and not bother being compliant with bronze. “Whereas, clubs who do want to move up have to use more of their resources attaining the bronze licence. “The way it is there’s a bias which helps teams who don’t want to get promoted because they can devote their resources into their squad and don’t need to spend money on achieving the standards required for promotion. “In the Lowland League Hearts B and Celtic B can’t go forward for the play-offs even if they finish top of the league. “What’s the point in having a pyramid system if your league then doesn’t have a representative in the play-offs? “The Highland League needs to look at it, we’ve done everything we can to tick all the boxes and if you’ve got aspirations to get out of the league then you should have a chance. “There has to be something in place so that somebody from the Highland League represents the Highland League in the pyramid play-offs. “There’s no point in playing all season for nobody to be rewarded with the chance to go into the play-offs. “We want to try to get up and I think if the criteria for promotion isn’t met by the champion then the league should put forward a team for the play-offs that does meet the criteria. “I think the league should have been looking at what they could do or what might happen if the champion club wasn’t eligible because it makes a mockery of the league and the pyramid.” The Highland League have been contacted for a response.

Bo'ness Athletic are latest EOSL side Scottish Cup-bound. Incredible to realise Alex Jack Cup winners have now achieved 6 titles from 7 in this. F37 A8. Utterly dominant. Sat 29 Apr 2017 Lochar Thistle 1-6 Lothian Thistle HV (at Mid Annandale) Sun 19 Nov 2017 Tynecastle 3-0 Mid Annandale (at Heriot-Watt University) Sat 8 Dec 2018 Bonnyton Thistle 0-4 Camelon (at Mid Annandale) Sun 26 Jan 2020 Musselburgh Athletic (seven) 7-0 Mid Annandale (at Blackburn) Sat 28 Apr 2022 Drumchapel United 2-1 Crossgates Primrose Sat 07 May 2022 Nithsdale Wanderers 1-13 (thirteen) Drumchapel United Crossgates Primrose v Nithsdale Wanderers not played Sat 22 Apr 2023 Abbey Vale 3-3 Luncarty (2-4p) Sat 29 Apr 2023 Luncarty 3-1 Renfrew Renfrew v Abbey Vale not played Tue 23 Apr 2024 Drumchapel United 1-3 Bo'ness Athletic Sat 27 Apr 2024 Bo'ness Athletic (seven) 7-0 Nithsdale Wanderers Nithsdale Wanderers v Drumchapel United not played

Colloquialism - as in 'indiscriminate' IIRC - it's an offence to appear with too many clubs in 1 season. Didn't actually used to be in EOSL but standardised a few years ago IIRC. Anyway... sitting on -3pts means Vale need a result somewhere to avoid equalling Eyemouth's unenviable -3pts record from 2018-19... I think they'll get that result.

Broxburn more ambling than sprinting for finish... but 1 win from Kinnoull + Crossgates or any Musselburgh slipup will do it. Compelling, astonishing 4-way contest down bottom - here's how it concludes: Tuesday 30th April Glenrothes v Crossgates Wednesday 1st May Luncarty v Inverkeithing Saturday 4th May Crossgates v Dunbar Inverkeithing v Glenrothes Tynecastle v Luncarty Tuesday 7th May Crossgates v Haddington Glenrothes v Dunbar Luncarty v Jeanfield Saturday 11th May Broxburn v Crossgates Hill of Beath v Inverkeithing Luncarty v Hutchison Vale Tynecastle v Glenrothes Meanwhile another southerly tier 6 update: South of Scotland League (22 games) West of Scotland League (30 games) and playoff/round-robin details: Saturday 18th May (if playoff 1st leg) Creetown/Dalbeattie v Broxburn/Musselburgh (if round-robin #1) Broxburn/Musselburgh v Creetown/Dalbeattie Tuesday 21st May (if round-robin #2) [West] v Broxburn/Musselburgh Friday 24th May (if playoff 2nd leg) Broxburn/Musselburgh v Creetown/Dalbeattie (if round-robin #3) Creetown/Dalbeattie v [West]

(Vale recently lost 3pts for a 'promiscuous trialist'-type offence. Can they now reach 0pts?). Whitburn move up to 3rd... midweek May mayhem of St Andrews v Whitburn then Newtongrange v St Andrews, plus Whitburn v Newtongrange on last day, will be massive. Oakley fight on but fat lady's almost certainly clearing her throat.

I saw Tweedmouth deservedly land a surprise win over Armadale earlier - that leaves Thistle in deep trouble with Thornton up next and Edinburgh South bearing down. Rangers recent fine run leaves 'battle royal' for deinsurance place, but Ormiston struggling.

(Fauldhouse recently lost 2pts - with Edinburgh Community 3-3 Fauldhouse on Saturday 23rd March awarded 1-0 - for a 'trialist last registered abroad'-type offence). It looks all over bar the shouting now, unless Pumpherston can overhaul 7pts on Harthill in their last 6 games... Royal also have the benefit of 3 of those games being against the current bottom 5. Bathgate still chasing title.

Saturday 18th May 2024 R4: Haddington v Crossgates Hill of Beath v Sauchie Tuesday 21st May 2024 R4: Arniston v Glenrothes Whitburn v Preston Friday 24th May 2024* SF: Hill of Beath/Sauchie v Arniston/Glenrothes Whitburn/Preston v Haddington/Crossgates Saturday 1st June 2024 Final

Saturday 27th April (R4) St Andrews 5-1 Newtongrange (SF) Heriot-Watt Uni 4-2 Whitehill (aet, FT 2-2) St Andrews annihilate Newtongrange. 'Watt reach Final for 2nd time in 3yrs. Tuesday 21st May SF: St Andrews v Leith date tbc Final: Heriot-Watt University v St Andrews/Leith

Kinnoull are RELEGATED

Fantastic!

Edinburgh United are RELEGATED

West Calder United are PROMOTED

Confirmed next season's R3 where clubs in Europe enter will be split over 2 midweeks in September used by CL and EL respectively. QFs clash outright with Conference midweek in December.

Oystercatcher eggs on Dumfries pitch hit football fixtures - BBC News An oystercatcher which has laid its eggs on a pitch in southern Scotland has hit football fixtures in the area. The discovery was made on Friday at the North West Community Campus in Dumfries, which hosts a number of different sides. Threave Rovers Under-20s were due to play East Kilbride Thistle at the ground on Friday night, but that game had to be postponed. Lochmaben FC's Saturday fixture against Creetown FC in the Cree Lodge Cup and Queen of the South Ladies' League One match versus Airdrie Ladies on Sunday were both due to be played on the pitch, but could also be affected. Threave Rovers confirmed the unusual reason for the game cancellation on their Facebook page. It said Dumfries and Galloway Council had been left with "no option" but to close the facility ahead of the weekend's football fixtures. The club said the Scottish SPCA was dealing with the situation but it could take up to 28 days to be sorted.

You won't get 2 of SNP/Conservatives/Labour in coalition ... only 1 with Lib Dems/Greens. Don't always need majority though... Salmond ran SNP minority for 4yrs with mainly Conservative 'vote-by-vote support'.

In theory somebody could win HL or LL year-after-year, apply for neither a bronze licence nor grace/waivers, and gum up the works. It could be got round by HL altering their rules to say only clubs holding a bronze licence in advance can be champions (no chance of that passing IMO); or SPFL & LL agreeing to alter the collective rules and allow runners-up/etc. to enter playoffs instead (ditto). In theory such a club could ultimately lose their licence - and thus be relegated from HL or LL - if their attitude was considered "failing to engage in the pyramid" or whatever the exact wording is. In practice though Buckie would be bronze licensed today were it not for this delay getting a doctor to attend home games or getting a derogation. Indeed they might have that bronze licence in just 3 weeks.

Buckie's latest confirms my earlier thoughts. Foolishly didn't apply for grace period last month; hadn't envisaged doctor approval by SFA being delayed to next month - that 3 week delays appears all preventing them being granted bronze this month; then SPFL stuck to the letter. They maintain no mention was made of it being an issue until 5pm yesterday. President Statement (buckiethistlefc.co.uk) President Statement As your club president it is not only my responsibility, but my duty to inform you of the facts / circumstances that resulted in the decision made yesterday by the SFA. I am personally gutted for our fantastic management team and our fantastic players, who all did so much to make us all proud, and to all of you , our fantastic and loyal supporters. The statement issued by the SFA yesterday indicates that we did not reply to their requests. We have in fact been actively preparing for a Bronze Licence since late last year when it was clear that was the requirement from the SPFL. I will state straight away that we did in fact miss the cut off date for the “period of grace “ from the SPFL. We have to accept that and categorise as an error never to be repeated. However earlier this week we were asked to submit a request for this to the SPFL, which we did straight away. Why did they request this ? On the licencing side ( SFA ) I had a Teams meeting with the SFA Licencing Committee at Hampden on Wednesday to discuss the 4 applications for derogation that we had previously submitted. We were granted 3 of those derogations, the Floodlights, The Safety Officer and the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. The Medical Return was deferred to the next meeting due on the 15th of May. We have been unable to complete / submit our Medical Return because we are still trying to engage the services of a Doctor to attend all of our home games , this is a requirement for Bronze Level. This is currently our stumbling block and I believe the reason for our failure to be granted a Bronze Licence. I have to stress that during ALL the dialogue between the club, the SPFL and the SFA, there was never any mention of the pending disaster that unfolded last night. I received the e-mail last night at 5 o’clock, informing us that we would not be taking part in the Pyramid Playoffs. The rest, as they say is history. On a personal note I can only hope the above statement of fact clarifies the clubs current status as regards the licencing procedures and the efforts we have put into gaining a Bronze Licence. We felt we were in a good position , but unfortunately we were off the mark there. I would like to finish this by saying that the board, committee and management team will continue to pursue the Bronze Licence, do our utmost to keep our management team and players together, and fight ( as we did this season ) for the title again next season. We owe this to every one of you at Buckie Thistle Football Club. Garry J.G. Farquhar – Club President

64yrs ago: Tour match Motherwell 9-2 Flamengo Ian St John (6), Willie Hunter (2), Pat Quinn 25,000

In sporting terms this is dreadful for EK. Just now they enter Final without playing for 3 weeks. However if Buckie win (or receive a stay) in arbitration 2 legs of SF need squeezed back in before.

... but if there isn't a West participant it becomes 2 leg playoff EOSL v SOSL whose 1st leg is 3 days before that, in D&G rather than Broxburn, and not going to a penalty shootout if ends drawn.

He also neglects to mention Brechin themselves blew Strathspey away by 10 goals. I've read it several times and I'm no further forward: I think he feels it unfair Buckie played Strathspey twice near the end - both games were originally waterlogged (latter only last month) - as Buckie knew they needed GD, so blew them away by 12 goals. However if they hadn't rescheduled them by now HL would still be unfinished without a mathematical champion... and still no playoff entrant?