stanley

On this occasion, there's one club who can enter the playoff but next season there might be none. It is certainly an extra barrier to clubs being promoted to the SPFL.

Yes, clubs are now required to have a bronze licence to enter the playoffs. It was previously entry. This is a very recent change. It is probably in reaction to five established SPFL clubs being relegated in recent years.

I think the main point of changing the rules to bronze being the minimum rather than entry was to try to reduce relegation from the SPFL. Scottish football is all about self-preservation. I don't think increasing the standards is the main focus of this at all.

Even without mergers, it's likely that the number of Saturday afternoon west leagues will reduce naturally as the numbers of clubs continue to decrease. Last season ended with 92 clubs across four leagues (Caley, Central Scottish, Scottish AFL & Greater Glasgow). Now, there are just 76 clubs between Caley, Scottish Premier and Greater Glasgow. Go back ten years and there were 228 clubs across seven leagues (Caley, Central Scottish, Scottish AFL, Greater Glasgow, Paisley & District, North & South Lanarkshire, West of Scotland). The number in the Saturday morning leagues haven't actually increased in those ten years either (they've actually decreased just at a far smaller rate than the Saturday afternoon leagues). Add to that the Stirling & District which as gone from 45 to just 10 clubs. There's also plenty of Stirling/Falkirk area clubs in the Caley now. Stirling & District only just surviving so far. I got the numbers from years ago from HibeeJibee's old post but it's a useful way of measuring the ongoing decline.

They'll be struggling to have more than one division at this rate.

Seven now. 93rd minute goal.

Keith 0 v 0 Brechin at half-time.

Busby gone from the Scottish Premier. Down to 22 teams (and four of them are confirmed as moving to the Caley in 2024/25). Bo'ness United Community gone from the LEAFA. The LEAFA has lost 10+ clubs since last season. Down to just 33 clubs.

What is the general stance from the EoS on accepting reserve sides? I know Stirling Uni are in it but they have been for years and were accepted when numbers were much lower. I'm sure other reserve sides have been rejected since then?

There's a couple of good threads in the amateur football section on here about it. Numbers or teams have gone from 800+ ten years ago to 400+ now. I'm not really best placed to comment on the reasons. Certainly fewer people playing in general but various other factors.

Things are, at least, pretty straightforward in the east. Plenty of spaces in the league if any club wants to join (unlike the closed shop in the west). A regionalised set of amateur leagues below for clubs to apply from (LEAFA, Kingdom of Fife, Borders, Stirlingshire) unlike the west (three Saturday afternoon leagues, Ayrshire league, Saturday morning leagues etc). The only complicated aspect is the Stirlingshire clubs being in various leagues. I would imagine that, over time, the amateur leagues will continue to shrink. Eventually, perhaps the remaining clubs will join up with the seniors. The LEAFA, in particular, has declined massively in numbers in recent years. The Stirlingshire league is clinging on and unlikely to still be around in a few years as it has lost most of its clubs to the west leagues.

Hard to see the S&D still existing in a few years based on current numbers. They even have a Fife club in the league now. So many clubs based in their area now play in the Caley. Merger with the SP seems a bit strange but I guess both leagues are desperate for new clubs.

You'd think they might know the name of the league they are joining.

19 teams left in the league. 5 in the Premier (Castlemilk, Oban Saints, Arthurlie, Harestanes and Neilston). Just seven clubs left in the league from the old Central Scottish. What was a merger with the Scottish AFL is basically turning into a merger with the Caley...

Yes. Also important that they are both guaranteed to finish in the bottom two (as between 0 and 2 will get relegated).

Why the next 2/3 months?

It'll just be the way the tables on the website are set up.

I always prefer more promotions over fewer relegations but I think they'll definitely go for the one less relegation spot option. Otherwise, you'd be looking at 4 or 5 promotion spots from a potentially 10-team league. I think what you've said about the Third Division potentially being nine clubs next season is also likely a factor in their decision. Although it's definitely a slightly unexpected outcome, I think it's a decent idea.

How will they deal with relegation/promotion between the 2nd and 3rd divisions next season? One less relegation spot next year to bring it back to 16 teams for 2025/26?

I hope there will soon be a proposal to automatically relegate the bottom team. That has to be one of the priorities. The bottom placed team could feasibly end up on <10 points and stay in the league. I find it hard to understand why anyone would agree with this.

Sad to hear. Hopefully they are able to sort something out and return to the EoS in the future. Does this mean only two teams will be automatically relegated from the first and second division now (depending on Lowland League promotion/relegation)?

Definitely possible especially at a ground some have never been to before. Edit: admittedly, kick off time is awful and will put some people off but we will certainly take a good number.

GGPL is down to 30 clubs now (two clubs in the table have folded and have 0 games listed as being played). It looks like there quite a few reserve teams in the GGPL too (mainly linked to clubs in the Caley) but certainly far stronger in terms of numbers.

Fixtures are here: https://www.scottishamateurfa.co.uk/fixture/cup_id/4

The risk involved in joining the Lowland League in its first season varied massively depending on which league the club was playing in at the time. There was very little risk involved in 9 EoS clubs joining the league and continuing to play mostly the same teams as before and remaining in the senior set up with a chance of possible promotion in the future to the SPFL. There was more risk for Threave and Dalbeattie who had already tried out the EoS and gone back to the SoS but they still had the option to go back to the SoS if it didn't work out (as Threave did when they resigned from the Lowland League). I can't see any risk at all for East Kilbride who took advantage of the opportunity. There was huge risk involved for any of the big West/East junior clubs in giving up their position in the juniors and moving to the Lowland League just like Kelty took a big risk in moving to the EoS. "Leap of faith" seems like a strong term for what the original 12 clubs did in joining the league. Again, credit to the clubs who started in the Lowland League in the first season and helped set up the pyramid for the future. They had to work on their grounds, get licensed etc. Regardless, that's really a separate discussion to clubs voting against increased relegation and voting in favour of B teams. It doesn't really matter what happened in 2013 when we're talking about the future of the league.