stanley

I support the idea that you must be in the pyramid system to get a licence as I think it's the only way to bring about proper integration between seniors and juniors. It is, however, still complicated now with the lack of a senior West of Scotland League and no promotion open in the north. My point about history is that it did appear that every club that had been an SFA member ended up with a licence regardless of other factors. Even the extreme example of Glasgow Uni groundsharing with Airdrie. Their historical membership of the SFA should not have influenced their application for a licence. It does feel like integration will happen sooner rather than later and hopefully there will be no need for seemingly endless discussion on seniors vs juniors and all clubs will be in the same pyramid.

"Lothian v Burntisland postponed last night .. Tynecastle change there fixture but Lothian don't ... don't get that " There's a screenshot from the EoS website below it about Tynecastle v Kelty being at Riccarton tonight.

The historic rights should have counted for nothing. All clubs should have been equal when licensing started regardless of who had historically been SFA members. That doesn't appear to have been the case. What historic rights did Linlithgow and Banks o'Dee have anyway? They weren't previously SFA members. Different situation as they applied and fairly got a licence at the time but the rules changed later and the SFA probably don't care enough to remove their licence now. Farcical that an amateur team in the Caley League are playing at Airdrie in order to get a licence. I wouldn't have given a licence to Edusport or BSC either. There should have been tighter rules on this. I would not ban groundsharing altogether but no way should new clubs be able to share with any team just to get a licence having never had a ground of their own and not even playing in the city or town they are supposed to represent (in Edusport's case they don't even have a town). I say this as one of the biggest supporters of the pyramid on here.

It's AM Soccer. You're thinking of the Sky Sports programme...

The EoS lost a huge number of members over a short period of time. The future looked very bleak at one point especially losing two clubs to the juniors. Now they have a chance to grow and there's potential to be the most important league in the east longer term. They would be crazy to turn down clubs assuming they all meet the minimum criteria (which won't be very high considering that clubs don't need a licence to be in the league). I'm sure they will be accepting all of the juniors clubs who apply this season. No inside knowledge but it makes sense. Accept these clubs and grow the leage and get more new clubs the following season. Turning down juniors now would be completely pointless and it is certainly not the job of the EoS to worry about what positions the applicants finished in last season and if clubs who haven't applied finished higher than the applicants.

Was the exact number of applicants mentioned? I know you don't know/can't reveal the list of clubs but interesting to hear if it's definitely 15 applicants. I guess we will find out for certain who is in on 26th April?

I don't think the juniors should "f**k off". I 100% want the juniors to join the pyramid and have a proper integrated system. The four-way split would be: East of Scotland#1 East of Scotland#2 West of Scotland Dumfries & Galloway It would be chaos trying to work out where teams get relegated to. If new teams join the pyramid system then where do they go? If Kelty get promoted to the Lowland League and relegated back down then which league do they go to? The old EoS seniors or East juniors? It would be a total mess and, if anything, discourage integration. It would keep the old seniors and juniors divide in place effectively. You need a proper integration with an East and West league at tier six (ideally tier five longer term). For starters, create a Lowland League division one East and West. Invite applicants from all seniors, juniors etc. and get in teams who have a licence or can achieve one. Then the rest of the system is worked out below that. I doubt it will work out that way in reality but it would be an easier way to avoid the SoS being at tier six and the mess of the East merger. Whatever you do, there will be problems but the four-way split at tier six is crazy and will not help there to be a proper unified system.

Whatever happens, a tier six of EoS, SoS, East juniors and West juniors would be absolutely ridiculous and should be avoided at all costs.

Camelon, Blackburn, Tranent, Dalkeith and Inverkeithing confirmed so far unless I've missed anyone. Looks like there could be another ten without definite confirmation yet just rumours.

On the topic of the English pyramid, whilst initially clubs tended to get promoted back to the league soon after releation, that has changed now. Especially with there being two relegation places. Plenty of former league clubs at tier five now and even a few at tier six now (Stockport County being a very notable example). Over time, you would likely see league clubs struggle more especially with juniors in the pyramid but it will take time.

I'm 100% against it although I've probably got more interest in lower leagues/non-league than most Premier fans.

Do you know if 12 was the final total? I know you can't reveal the names of the clubs. From your post, we already know three. Superleague-Camelon plus 3 Premier-Blackburn, Dalkeith plus 2 South-3 teams West-1 team

EoS is the bottom tier of the seniors. Can't base a seniors v juniors debate on lowest division in the seniors v highest division in the juniors. The advantages of the seniors/pyramid have been posted numerous times already so no point in me posting it.

Not yet but it will be once enough juniors have moved across. Started with the champions last year and looks like many will follow this season. At some point things will tip in favour of the EoS.

On the EoS website it now says: "The deadline for membership applications for next season has now passed, an announcement on this will be made shortly."

It's amazing how far things have moved recently in terms of real discussion about integration and moving forward. Not too long ago, there was very little construction discussion about the topic. I think that there are still too many people taking extreme sides from both positions (senior and junior). I am on the side of the seniors and integrating the set-up but I think it's too easy to dismiss lots of junior clubs as being unambitious. History has to be taken into account here. Important for the future that things move forward and there is integration but you also have to recognise the reasons why some clubs are more reluctant to move than others and the current logistical difficulties for the clubs in the west if they move to the pyramid. Whatever happens, I think it would be ridiculous for the juniors to be able to move over and retain their current leagues alongside the senior leagues and somehow be part of the pyramid. That seems impossible. There does, however, need to be big changes made particularly with regards to the west clubs the South of Scotland League. I wouldn't be entirely against possibly retaining the junior cup name and making it the most important trophy for non-league clubs in an integrated set-up. A cup which would be for all of the non-league clubs. The junior cup carries much a bigger weight than any other non-league cups by far. It would probably a bit strange to continue with a "junior" cup if the SJFA was gone and had merged into the seniors but it would recognise the history of the cup. There needs to be more discussion about how best to accommodate and have a pyramid set-up which recognises the need for progress and is about the future (with club licences etc.) but that doesn't mean entirely disregarding the history of the juniors and the junior cup. The sooner we have a unified set up, the better. Proper regionalisation encompassing all of Scotland and a more logical set of divisions and clubs being able to move up to their natural level and being able to play all clubs in their area rather than there being a divide between the clubs.

St. Bernards? Would they be accepted?

The SoS would absolutely have to merge with the West Juniors in that scenario. Otherwise, you'd have the following three feeders: 70+ EoS/East Juniors 60+West Juniors 15 SoS clubs

Is it definite that the number of promotion places will increase for EoS? What will they do about the SoS and the lack of licensed clubs/apparent lack of clubs wanting promotion?

True although I'd be surprised if the info doesn't leak on here after the deadline has closed. I'm surprised only Dalkeith have announced they have applied so far given the number of applicants.

Have Bonnyrigg now applied? I hope the full list of applicants will be revealed soon after the 31st March deadline.

With the way the population is spread in Scotland, a North/South divide isn't a fair situation at tier five. It gives the northern clubs a huge advantage over the southern clubs. North/East/West makes far more sense. A huge percentage of the population of Scotland live in the central belt. Only issue I see with the playoff format suggested by burnieman is that you'd have playoffs of SPFL v non-league and non-league v non-league with both winners being in the SPFL the following season. Not very fair that one side has to face an SPFL side and the other two don't. It's trickier to work out a fair format for the playoffs.

Set up a Lowland League Division One East and West to slot under the current Lowland League. Longer term, hopefully it would become an East/West split at tier 5 but change takes time. Invite applications. Any clubs with a licence automatically get in if they apply. Other clubs that join are given a timeframe in which they must be licensed. Say, a season or two. Clubs must show that they are working towards a licence. EoS/SoS clubs can stay in their leagues if they want but they'll be pushed down a level. Need a minimum of ten clubs in each division in the first season and work it up to 16 once there are enough interested clubs. Vast majority, if not all, SoS clubs likely to stay where they are. Some of the EoS clubs would definitely move up straight into the new league but others would remain in EoS. Gives an opportunity for a number of junior clubs to move over together in leagues that could be of a decent quality if enough clubs move. I wouldn't allow reserve clubs at level six either although that might depend on the level of interest in the new leagues. Nothing ideal in any suggestions for the pyramid but there's no way the SoS can remain at level six long-term when it's a Dumfries & Galloway league and very, very few of the clubs appear to even be interested in moving up.

Yeah, I don't think a regional split would be very good. The Edinburgh teams tend to be strong and the borders teams weak. Any split based on regions could easily leave a huge difference in quality.

True but they might try to make the Premier bigger now that the situation has changed completely i.e. junior clubs applying to join. There was no pyramid system back then or a big demand from clubs to join. Of course, fitting in 30+ matches would be tough and might not work. If there are a few applicants then it would be a pity if a reserve team (Stirling Uni) kept a team out.