LongTimeLurker

Think this is correct. The HL, LL, EoS, SoS and WoS subforums should never have been in the SPFL section in the first place because these leagues are not part of the SPFL. A new pyramid section with a separate subsection for each tier 5 and 6 league setup would be the proper protocol. The existing Juniors subforum could continue to be used for the north and east region league tier 6 setups that are now in the pyramid until such time as the SJFA finally disbands and the Midlands and Grampian league setups are fully analogous in SFA hierarchy terms to the other tier 6 leagues. Hopefully that will happen in the not too distant future but it hasn't happened yet.

The Junior Cup is also relevant to many/most WoS clubs who have retained SJFA membership so all Junior subforum content cannot sensibly be placed in a North Pyramid subforum.

Must have been signed off by the SFA licensing committee at the end of March like Clydebank, Darvel and Cumnock were this time around to be 100% sure of it. If not, still potentially possible at the discretion of the LL board if the Auchinleck Talbot and Irvine Meadow scenario applies.

So Sauchie (or possibly Oakley who were doing floodlights work recently) are the one remaining question mark. Has there ever been a clear statement that Sauchie applied or were they just assumed to be the rumoured fifth east club because they tick so many of the boxes by having floodlights and a seated stand? https://www.nonleaguematters.co.uk/forums/index.php?threads/lights-at-oakley-united.3694/

99% sure Cumnock and Darvel were already approved months ago. https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/ayrshire/michael-kennedy-dreaming-spfl-football-23833838 ...Speaking to the Kilmarnock Standard, Vale boss Kennedy said: “I spoke about my vision for the club when I first joined. I wanted Darvel to have one of the best environments for playing football. “We had a three-year plan in place, moving into the West of Scotland League brought that forward a year to be honest, because we had to get our licence done as early as we could. “It’s great we’ve managed to get all of this done in a two-year period; it’s pretty remarkable to be honest....

Has anyone heard anything concrete that indicates unambiguously that any EoS member or associate member was able to retain or reacquire ERSJFA membership for 2021-22 despite not being in the new Midlands League? My understanding of the state of play matches what is in this tweet:

He was in Scotland teams that won the Home Internationals.

If I were in their shoes I would have actively explored a name change to Third Lanark.

Buckie Rovers are in abeyance again according to what is on Fitba North so probably down to a maximum of 31 north region entrants.

Entrants: 19 Midlands League, 32 North Region (assuming they all enter) and TBD number of clubs from the West of Scotland League that have retained their SJFA membership. Games likely to be played on Scottish Cup dates when Alex Jack and Southern Counties Alba Cup type competitions for non-licensed clubs are normally also held by the EoS and SoS. Posts on the WoS subforum have indicated that a new competition will be launched this season for WoS clubs that are non-licensed and non-SJFA. The Midlands League fixture release points to the following being the dates for the opening rounds: Round 1 Sat Aug 21 --> 64 probably with some byes Round 2 Sat Sep 25 --> 32 Round 3 Sat Oct 23 --> 16 Round 4 Sat Nov 27 --> 8 Quarter finals, Semi-finals & final TBD but likely to played be in May once the WoS league season is out of the way. League fixtures take priority in that context. There are no replays so all ties are played to a finish.

The powers that be on here appear to be aware of the issue: Suspect it would have happened by now if there was no juniors angle.

Yes

Started a new thread on this topic that I will now delete having just noticed this one.

Thread to discuss the 2021-22 SJC.

We'll see what happens on that last bit. Haven't seen that scenario being mentioned for a while by Dundee based posters. What we have seen so far is that both the WoS and the EoS plan to move over to similar linear divisions formats for 2022-23 meaning Hawick vs Luncarty could very much happen in the years ahead as a lower tier fixture:

Don't think so. Ardrossan Winton Rovers pushed a proposal to regionalise the tier 7 conferences: https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/ayrshire/west-scotland-league-ayrshire-club-23946506 ...Ardrossan's examples of how new conferences could look Conference A: Ardrossan WR, Irvine Victoria, Lugar, Annbank, Craigmark, Maybole, Ardeer, Saltcoats, Girvan, Dalry, Whitletts, Arthurlie, Neilston, Johnstone Burgh, Kello Rovers, Muirkirk Juniors. Conference B: Yoker, Drumchapel United, Glasgow Perthshire, St Anthony's, Vale of Clyde, Shettleston, Vale of Leven, Renfrew, Glasgow University, St Roch's, Maryhill, Ashfield, Petershill, Cambuslang Rangers, Port Glasgow, Greenock. Conference Kilsyth Rangers, Lanark United, Larkhall Thistle, Wishaw, Carluke Rovers, Gartcairn, Newmains Utd, Royal Albert, Thorniewood United, Bellshill Athletic, Forth Wanderers, Lesmahagow, Shotts Bon Accord, East Kilbride Thistle, St Cadoc's... but one of the WoS officeholders later clarified that this approach had been rejected by the SFA CEO: That seems to imply that regional north and south conferences would also not be possible in an EoS context? If so, a reluctance to extend the league any further north than they can get away with would be understandable if even the lowest tier has to extend across the league's entire catchment area.

Is that why Aberdeen, Hearts, Hibs and Dundee United would also have B teams under this latest plan? Think that's a step too far on the available evidence.

Should have been Och awa an dinna talk pish.

The EoS could have tried to insist Tayport were in their catchment but didn't because the line of latitude is actually only for the relegation of Club 42 and hence as you frequently pointed out a red herring. That's a long way to drive so OK they can go north appears to be what happened on that one. Odds on there would be no objection if the three Perth area clubs now decided they would prefer the Midlands League as well. Difficult to see how Letham would have got in if the EoS viewed Perth as definitively in its catchment given the two leagues were supposed to be working on an agreed boundary.

My understanding is 2021-22 normal Club 42 playoff plus OF B teams added to reach 44 then HL and LL champs added in 2022-23 and 2023-24 with no Club 42 playoff to reach 46 and then 48 with Hibs, Hearts, Dundee United and Aberdeen B teams also being integrated into the HL and LL respectively along the way.

This is not confirmed. Other sources say only 2022-23 and 2023-24 for that.