Shannon

I am sure Scottish Junior Football Association would not turn away any East teams who may want to become associate members like Girvan are with SFA and they will play in Junior Cup and get their annual membership fee plus have more clubs in their premier competition. The East teams would still be in the pyramid and East of Scotland League members but also members of SJFA to play in Scottish Junior Cup too. The Scottish Junior Cup does have much more prestige and fan pulling power than South Challenge Cup even for East teams who would like to be associate members and let this become a top non league cup trophy once again.

Letting West teams join the pyramid as one but stay members of Junior FA and play Junior Cup would keep almost every single supporter and committee member of a West Region Junior team happy while enabling clubs who wish to join the pyramid to do so and progress. The Junior Cup has a rich and long history and if we can keep this and encourage more teams instead of fewer teams to participate and make it the premier non league cup trophy then great. The South Challenge Cup won't bring out the crowds, just ask Linlithgow them along with others would enjoy to be back in Scottish Junior Cup to make it the premier non league cup competition but league will take preference which is what we want. Will be tough to fit in with South Challenge Cup too but I am sure teams know that may have to opt out of one of regional cups if wish to play in Junior Cup but 1-6 games could be fitted in most seasons apart from this season with awful wet weather and Coronavirus. Meadow for instance last season were done by early April / end of March and could have been even earlier. Seems positive discussions and both parties are making great moves towards a sensible way forward for tier 6 and below. Both sides have made concessions. If plans don't fall into place then with all clubs leaving as one will leave clubs with a week or less to make a big decision so clubs will need a back up plan too if SJFA don't want this. The only problem I see is Tayside so it is quite right West Region goes it alone and takes them out equation as they really can't do anything about that and North are already moving towards potential pyramid entry for licensed clubs who win league / play offs in NCL / North Region.

Some clubs may be considering whether they will be able to have their EGM with supporters due to Coronavirus outbreak with meetings cancelled and lot of vulnerable supporters over 60 etc. Would the application deadline be extended to end of April / May?

Conferences may be for the best now due to gatherings of over 500 will be potentially banned for forseeable future so going by Isa's crowd estimates Talbot won't be able to play any more games along with Pollok while the rest will finish the season bar 1 or 2 games since we have under 500.....? [emoji848][emoji23]

Most grass parks are really struggling with the constant rain to be fair to Darvel. 10 years ago Darvel game would have been off on a day like today.

How much for floodlights on average for teams that have recently been licensed? How did you raise funds, get grants and council help with it?

Seems sensible to me. Even 18 teams so will appeal to more teams with both top half in current West Region Championship and South of Scotland teams like Bonnyton. Have 3 relegated / promoted spots so teams like Petershill can be promoted if good enough. Anyway. 90k floodlights [emoji848] East teams how much did it cost you to install? How did local council give you grants...? Let us know....

If have discussions on Friday regarding league structure and Bonnyton happy at tier 6 and rest of new teams happy at a tier 7 conference as don't want hammered every week then I don't see the issue as surely up to 48 clubs. If they vote for 3 conferences fine but surely up to clubs what they want their initial league structure to be?

Bonnyton would stay tier 6 would be my personal thoughts, but surely current teams that are amateur level won't want to lose every week and be in a division that would suit their ability eg not playing current West Region Premiership teams and losing double figure scores.

Would need to be suitably seeded as if you need to finish top 6 or top 8 etc to be in tier 6 in 2021/2022 it would be unfair if you have a much stronger conference than other leagues. If conferences then teams may have to adjust wage bills etc as games v un heard of amateurs won't pull in same crowd as Buffs / Talbot / Pollok etc.

If say only 6 teams that are non Junior with majority ex Juniors and they are happy with 2 eg Glasgow Uni and Bonmyton in tier 6 plus others in a suitable tier below then surely could do that. Ex amateur clubs won't compete with Talbot, Pollok and the Buffs and would be happier playing eg Gartcairn or Lanark surely..?

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=2879319172125558&id=100001425097929

Largs amongst other current Junior clubs do a good video highlights package after almost every game. Fixtures have been much better and since Kennie took over in 2018, weather is only frustrating factor but that's same with League Two.

Should live stream or get meeting on YouTube to help clarify things to supporters of other teams. Would certainly get a lot of views!

Totally agree.

He is going to Largs meeting on Monday. Don't know about ours but I presume he might be or another West Region management committee. Complete cluster f**k for the supporters in my opinion and as I said before Junior teams may not now apply to Lowland League backed West of Scotland League.

Gordon Romney is very much muddying the waters to make Junior teams not apply to new Lowland League backed West of Scotland League. "Stuart sorry that is just completely wrong. The LL/EoS are currently in the pyramid structure right now. All LL have licensed clubs, you need to be license to sit a tier 5. EoS sit at tier 6 with 30% approx licences clubs. (I knew this) The LL & The west Junior association both have application in with the SFA to be chosen as one of the options to set up a west league sitting at tier 6. To get promoted and win any play off you must have a license whether your the west winner the east winner or the south of Scotland winner. The winner between the LL and the West juniors won’t be known until 7th June or maybe before"

I couldn't see anything on their Twitter that they have. Although Hurlford and Benburb and could be others hadn't posted anything but I believe Benburb must have expressed an interest just going by their pitch and recent rise through the leagues and upgrades.

Meadow expressed an interest in West of Scotland League.

What if likes of Kilbirnie through no fault of their fans vote for full West Region SJFA into the pyramid and then don't then decide to join new West of Scotland League as fed apparently false information at meetings that full West will move in tact so no point applying to new West of Scotland League. Its clear as mud for the normal supporters who go to the games and hardly fair on clubs and their supporters who then don't get pyramid access and end up outside pyramid as their office bearers are also in West Region Management Committee or their club believe don't need to apply to new West of Scotland League now.

The likes of Kilbirnie may not now apply even although majority of support could be behind joining new West of Scotland League as they will be getting fed potentially inaccurate information that full West Region will join and to be patient etc. Will keep Junior Cup etc as the carrot to older generation of fans too so now they then don't apply to West of Scotland League. Hardly fair on any supporters who get fed any inaccurate information from committee they trust and know. Definitely needs clarified to all clubs and supporters that West Region 100% cant join en masse to pyramid or can they? That clubs have to apply to join the new West of Scotland pyramid or they won't be in at all.

Every team that applies will likely release a statement so teams will know how many teams in the league. If 30 have declared an interest then will get 16 teams quite easily.

What if West Region get a quote / misquote from a SFA blazer that says we want all West Region clubs in and clubs then wait and wait and wait until after April then they don't apply to pyramid then they are out as clubs were misinformed by officials they have known for decades. I have no doubt a few clubs will wait and support the Juniors / West Region.

It's worked to be fair.

Clubs and supporters who will vote on what to do next won't all know this though. The meeting of clubs wishing to join West of Scotland league will hopefully help to clear things up asap but this is a card played by West Region and SJFA that will lead to clubs waiting and not applying to new West of Scotland league as they think it's a done deal that full West Region will join anyway.