stanley

I still think it's crazy that they've never had a ground of their own (and possibly have no intention of ever getting one) and they have no real ties to any city or town so they could easily be moving from Annan to the central belt just because they are promoted. I understand licences for teams with groundshares who actually represent a community but this is a bit ridiculous (same goes for BSC Glasgow playing in Alloa and never having had a ground). LTHV are stuck in the East of Scotland League despite clearly being above that level, playing in a ground in Edinburgh and they can't get promoted but Edusport can pick any licensed ground around the country (assuming the club who owns the ground will take them). Glasgow Uni in Aidrie as well...

Hutchie Vale applied to join the EoS in 2008 but were rejected. I always assumed it a case of a youth team "merging" with a senior team in order to get their place in the league. A bit like Edinburgh Athletic/Leith Athletic and Tollcross United/Tynecastle except that, in this case, the senior team retained their name too rather than completely losing it. Seems like this one actually was more like a merger rather than a takeover but I'm only going by the name changes and keeping the "Lothian Thistle" part. I think LTHV took Hutchie Vale's colours for their strip as well?

Just read this report from when they beat Preston in the cup in October: http://www.lothianthistlefc.co.uk/?cat=3 Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale coach Steven McKenzie reaffirmed his view that his side would be an asset to the Lowland League after Saturday’s 2-1 South Region Cup second-round victory over Preston Athletic. First-half goals from James Guy and Kevin Brown – the latter’s coming from the penalty spot – saw the East of Scotland League outfit prevail over the Lowland’s bottom side at the Pennypit, Fabio Neto’s 68th-minute strike proving no more than a consolation for the weary-looking Panners. In truth, this win merely strengthened the Saughton-based outfit’s assertion that they could more than hold their own in the Lowland League “There’s no difference at all really and I think we once again proved that,” McKenzie said. “But it’s all about opinions and I am confident with the squad we have we would do well in the Lowland League next year if given the chance. The club are working really hard behind the scenes to get things like a licence in place so that’s where we’re at the moment. Overall, I think we deserved to go through. It got a bit scrappy in the second half and, with us not taking our chances late on, it always gives them some hope. They chucked a lot of balls into our box but I thought we defended really well."

The first step should be automatic relegation from League Two. Playoff between Highland and Lowland League winners and the winner replaces the bottom team in League Two. I think that will happen in time especially as more of the long-established League teams get relegated. Others will start to realise that it's very difficult to come back up. Later, one automatic spot and then the playoff loser (between Lowland and Highland League) plays against the second bottom team for another promotion spot. Hopefully the first step happens at least because it would make things far more interesting. I'm personally hoping that Edinburgh City stay up and East Stirlingshire stay down just to help prove the merits of the pyramid system. Also, hoping that another League Two teams loses in the relegation playoffs this season. East Kilbride really seem like they could make a big impact in the SPFL and probably even beyond League Two long-term. Relegation from the Lowland League really depends on teams in the East/South getting licenced. As long as the top teams in the East are unlicensed then there's no point in increasing the number of relegation spots. If LTHV get a licence (and Tynecastle should be able to as well considering that they groundshare) then it would make a huge difference. If that was the case then 2 up 2 down from Lowland League would be more exciting. I also definitely advocate a system of teams only having to finish in, say, the top three in the East/South to be promoted i.e. the highest placed licensed team (as long as it's in the top three rather than finishing in a lower position...no point this season in a team like Coldstream getting promoted when they're nowhere near the top) getting promoted so that we have a regular flow of teams in and out of the league. I'm only repeating posts I've already made in the past by this point. I think most of this is basic common sense and will hopefully happen as the pyramid develops. Main priority for me is automatic relegation spot from League Two as well as the top teams in the East of Scotland League getting licensed. If those two things happen then things become a lot more exciting although they are already far more interesting now than they were pre-pyramid.

Would be brilliant if LTHV could get licensed. Surely they would have potential to finish in the top half of the Lowland League. They were always consistently good performers in the East of Scotland League before the Lowland League formed and now they're very dominant (along with Leith). Teams like Selkirk and Preston must be pretty worried about the prospect of being relegated. I don't think it will be very easy for them to win the league with LTHV and Leith Athletic in it. Would be great to see relegation from the Lowland League every season. The pyramid may be incomplete without the juniors but to at least see new teams coming in and the weakest being relegated out would improve it a lot and make things far more interesting.

How will possibly two clubs be relegated this season? I thought there was only one relegation place with the East/South champions playing off for the promotion spot (or, more likely, the South champions going straight up as the East champions are likely to be unlicensed). Ah, if a Highland League team is promoted and the relegated League Two team goes down to the Lowland League.

Are Craigroyston definitely applying to the juniors for next season or is it just a rumour at the moment?

Thistle almost got elected in 1974. Tied with Ferranti/Meadowbank on the first vote and lost 21-16 on the second. Surely Caley would have won the vote in 1994 if they'd gone it alone?