Arthurlie1981

I’m not sure there is enough time for all this to happen for next season. I agree, It’s the best way forward now but clubs would likely have to get members permission and members would be looking for more information on what the new league would look like. Why not wait until March next year and allow for full information to be presented to clubs and you are more likely to get better response than throwing something together quickly. Also there seems to me the SFA still want the juniors (in the west at least) to come over as is and maybe they are hoping that there are more defections from the West Lothian and Fife clubs to make this easier.

Congrats to both Bens and Glens on your promotion.

Agree with everything in your post apart from the mandate. That was the mandate he was given by the clubs. That was the option they chose. But that doesn’t preclude him as when the counter offer of the west to go in now being presented to west clubs. They may haves rejected it who knows but my suspicion is he thought they would take it and he loose a bargaining chip when it comes to the east. Let’s be honest here. The west is the last area that is not part of the pyramid and contains an number of strong and well known clubs such as Bankies, Pollok, Talbot etc who would enhance the pyramid and the SJFA know that and are using this for their negations regarding the east. He knows the SFA want the west in but he is using the mandate to get what he wants. Your question should be asked of the clubs and there is nothing to stop the SFA stepping in and asking it but I presume the majority must still want it as they could of had the ERJFA tell the SJFA that they were no longer interested as the NRJFA seem to have done.

I agree with a lot of what you have said ICR. In terms of my club, every vote that has been taken has supported moving forward in the pyramid and we have always indicated our support for a pyramid from the first questionnaire almost 10 years ago and in fact even though I’m no longer involved I was asked to speak to Clydebank last season and discuss the future. There is no love lost between members of our clubs and the SJFA due to previous incidents.

Can you set up another league in the west without first discussing it with the SFA? They would have to look at refereeing issues, discipline, there would also be the issue of governance invitations and to clubs to join (I know that these were your suggestions but find it kind of insulting the amount of clubs you ignored). Having read what was said last night it would seem the west clubs have been getting told one thing with another being told to TJ. His job is to act in the best interest of clubs and for me, having read all this, he hasn’t done that. That means me eating some humble pie. If it was put to him that the west could join for next season that is a material change and should of lead to a consultation of the west clubs. This is the counter proposal that I have been waiting to be made. This should have been presented to the clubs with a free vote taking place. This would have allowed for clubs to decide their futures! It’s beginning to seem like a WOS league is the only way forward and if i were still involved I would be wanting my club to lead from the front on this.

Why would clubs in the west & north want to get back at clubs who left? I can maybe understand the East clubs but they are in the minority. The SJFA put forward a plan that is something resembling what their clubs wanted, the SFA agreed and the EOS/LL disagreed. It’s not the juniors fault the SFA have (until now at least) backed their plan. If the SFA had rejected it out of hand as unworkable in the East then the SJFA would have had to come up with other proposals. The ire of the EOS clubs should be with the SFA and some of their own representatives.

Maybe it’s just me but perhaps having this 1 year trial is in effect to give more time to all parties to come to a solution that’s more suitable long term. I did have to laugh at one poster on the pyramid thread on the EOS forum saying that he thinks legal action is coming from a non SPFL club against the sfa and the sfa couldn’t afford to fight it. He does understand how much a QC costs, it would bankrupt most clubs at this level

Excellent news. Like I said earlier good luck to both clubs.

Out of interest who will be responsible for maintaining the surfaces. Having spoken to a number of organisations when we were looking at doing something similar at Dunterlie some,who used council run facilities, pointed out that some councils have not been great at maintenance and with so many teams using the pitches it wore out earlier than it should have. Good luck to both Bankies and Yoker with this venture that if done right will surely be a great venture.

A very good point and would kill off the Scotland wide pyramid which would be a shame. The tail really does wag the dog in Scottish football.

Maybe on the EOS side of things but certainly he knew more than the average premier league chief exec about juniors.

Some very fair points made in here. As I said earlier it is always (especially on here) that opinions are the main drivers. IMO it doesn’t look like the EOSFL are wanting to negotiate. There seemed to be no real developments from the East Region and EOSFL meeting except that they will meet again. I understand from what I hear the 2 question questionnaire was okey’d by the SFA (was told this by someone else so cannot confirm this) I have said all along that there is enough fault to go around. I find it hard to trust the EOSFL/LL due to previous dealings with them. And by the way I have had plenty of fallings out with T.J. too but he is only carrying out the will of the clubs in this case. Also dealt with Ian Maxwell on a number of occasions and he is very knowledge on the juniors and I believe he only wants the best for Scottish Football and he looks to be getting as exasperated as me on this.

I disagree with rightly so but I do agree a compromise could and should be found.

So the discipline administration is an insurmountable issue to letting the west in (which is my major concern)?

Your right but there are sponsors at a lower level who will/maybe interested. It would generate local interest for clubs and give the fans a day out. It’s about economies of scale for events of this side doesn’t make it less marketable if done right.

With the conditions that SFA administer discipline which the SFA says they can’t and are content with the status quo. This has no impact on the EOSFL or the LL but are being used by some as a reason to delay or block this.

Lowering your self to insults shows you up more than me. I’m only giving my opinion. I don’t want my club to stay where we are, I want them to progress as far as they can go but what I see is an organisation and other clubs stopping them. That’s my opinion. If you don’t like my opinion then block me but don’t come on here with personal insults.

They haven’t put any forward, that’s why all sides need to find a compromise. The EOSFL/LL haven’t brought anything to the table apart from rejecting all ideas from the SFA/SJFA. That’s there trump card and they can play it, but it doesn’t look like they have entered the negotiation in good faith.

They haven’t hence why I said there needs to be compromise an all sides to get past the impasse that currently exists. You will only find a compromise if both sides come to the table with suggestions on the way forward and it doesn’t look like from the minutes that the EOSFL have done so.

They put forward an option which was rejected. The EOSFL have put forward no alternatives in the discussions (according to the minutes). At least the opposition parties in Brexit accepted that it’s going to happen and have put forward alternative proposals. The EOSFL haven’t really engaged with discussions by the look of and with Big Als summing up. Compromises could be along the lines of that we have a 5 year trial. The winner of the East Juniors plays the winners of the West Juniors with the winner facing winner of play off between EOS/SOS in a one of final and make it a big marketable occasion. That has little impact on the EOSFL as if the West came in that would likely be the scenario anyway would it not? The other option (and I have suggested it before) is to get an independent group together to develop plans with agreement that whatever they come up with is adopted. This takes away a lot of the mistrust that is now on all sides. No option is perfect but we have to try something to improve the non league game in Scotland. Edited to add: the SJFA compromise could be with discipline as it seems a sore point for some EOSFL clubs (and some on here). If that’s a deal breaker by all mean adopt what everyone else is doing.

I haven’t seen anywhere that the LL/HL line has moved. I thought that was one of the EOSFL concerns is it not?

Clubs they were only too willing to accept. They didn’t have to but it benefited them to do so. Edited to add: to delete the bit about licences after the East’s tweet tonight.

Agree with some of your points but not all of them. Biggest point agree with is it is all about opinions and what side of the divide you are coming from. I want this to work and there is fault in all sides but I just get frustrated when an organisation digs in with the position and offering no constructive alternatives as the EOSFL have. There are always solutions to this problem but compromise must come from all sides.

Most senior grounds with grass will have been shut for maintenance for almost a month by the time the finals comes around. It should be grass but it also should be held earlier.

Can’t speak for them but it just shows you that no one has ever mentioned the different discipline structures until they debate on this happened. The SJFA administering it is a red hearing anyway the regions administer it for league and regional cups. The SJFA only do it for the Scottish. I would expect that reinstatement and the percentage of the gates for cups will make a far bigger portion of the wages (both of which I would see the back off)