LongTimeLurker

Haven't seen that mentioned anywhere but would be interesting to hear the details if somebody has.

Not that it matters much but the DNR forces did inirially hold Mariupol in 2014 along with Kramatorsk and Sloviansk until the Ukrainian army successfully counterattacked. Think Azov's exploits in the Mariupol area came after the Russian army intervened to prevent the DNR and LNR's total collapse around Donetsk and Luhansk. The fiction that only volunteers were involved was maintained at that point so that Germany, France and Vlad could strong arm Poroshenko into accepting the Minsk peace plan and Gazprom could continue on its merry way with Ukraine as a transit route to the EU.

Three up three down between the divisions next season apparently. If Darvel do the business against Tranent I wouldn't be surprised if the three promoted Conference X teams do it again next time around judging from this season's cup performances.

They secured promotion with that 1-0 victory. Neither Bo'ness Athletic or Armadale Thistle can catch them now and at least two clubs will go up no matter what happens with Darvel and Tranent on the LL playoff.

^^^interesting way to react when the whole topic of fixed links to islands like Mull, Orkney or Lewis is always quickly characterised as cloud cuckoo land stuff by plenty of people on twitter and newspaper comment sections or by former political hacks like Brian Wilson when the SNP float the idea of a fixed link between Greenock and Dunoon. It was all about P&B "history" though in his mind and not about the real world away from cyberspace.

In the interim though the Ukrainians need to avoid having a relatively large force surrounded in a mini-Stalingrad again in the sliver of the Luhansk oblast they still control because of the Russian victory at Popasna on the 2014 ceasefire line. Think a lot of people in the west are getting a bit too carried away about how well things are going for Ukraine in the here and now. Better than most people thought possible two months ago no question but the Makarov wasn't sunk, odds on there never was a bridghead NE of Kharkiv and there appear to be serious doubts that behind the lines partisans had anything to do with the recent armoured train incident in Melitopol. Suspect the next few weeks are going to be very difficult ones for the Ukrainian military because although the Russians have had to lower their expections in a big way they may have finally identified the pincer that is actually doable for them. Guess the calculation is though to get them to go for it and annihilate as much of the attacking force and remaining Russian armour as possible in the process as that will make it easier to advance later.

The irony is though that the NIP could wind up being of net benefit to NI economically in a way that messes up the world view of the kippers and SF as well as the DUP. On the bright side at least Stormont didn't try to ban contraception when folk got home from the dancing. Having any particular religious denomination dictating public policy is something that is best avoided and is something the RoI has also moved on from making a united Ireland less daunting as a prospect for Ulster Unionists than it was 50 years ago.

^^^stalks me from thread to thread along with the red dotting nutter from Greenock because I have posted stuff on the politics subforum that is broadly sympathetic to Ulster Unionism. At no point did I advocate a 100 mile tunnel but what does the truth matter when there is a tribalistic agenda to pursue? What I did do was contrast Scotland's inability to even do relatively short fixed links like a tunnel from Lerwick to Bressay because of the strength of the pro-ferry lobby with what might have been doable in the long term future if a Faroese approach had been adopted.

Find that last bit hard to believe because it provides an obvious incentive for a player on the team starting the game with seven players to feign injury.

...or it simply takes time for the referee's report to arrive and the next relevant league meeting to be held?

Some people need to come to terms with the fact that the pyramid in the south doesn't belong to pre-2013 EoS and SoS clubs any more and how it evolves in future will be decided to a large extent by what the majority of clubs that were formerly in the junior grade want to do. So far in an EoS context most former east region clubs appear to have been happy to keep the previous EoS ways of doing things intact but there's no reason why the WoS has to do that on an issue like this.

Don't see why if they are still an unlicensed club and the WoS arranges its fixtures in a way that makes their participation in both the Scottish Cup and Strathclyde Demolition Cup possible. Maybe the EoS should make an adjustment to make it possible for their members to choose between participating in the SJC or the Alex Jack Cup?

That's the conclusion you reach when you know full well that there will be 30 rather than 38 league fixtures next season?

...but only nutters think Faroese/Norwegian style fixed links are the better way to go.

I can accept they should be fined if it winds up being a forfeited game, but talk of throwing them out the league would be a massive overreaction. Used to go into Castle Park quite a bit as a kid (the gate was usually left open so it wasn't difficult to do) and occasionally watched them play but I am not connected to the Vics in any way.

Get a grip. You are talking about a club that has been around since 1889 that we should all hope will still be around long after the present committee and players are no longer involved. This isn't some pub team but a club that won the SJC three times. They requested a change on scheduling and when that was refused by Glenafton were still able to start the game with the minimum necessary number of players so they did technically do enough to fulfill the fixture obligation even if not being able to complete it is likely to result in a 3-0 forfeit. Personally think questions should be asked as to whether it was actually reasonable to have WoS fixtures clash with something like a Europa League final that a Scottish club is involved in and whether the associated rule on fixture changes could be redrafted to make avoiding clashing with huge games like that which players and officials are going to want to watch live a reasonable request that the fixture secretary has to honour.

Maybe random draw only applies to who plays which game at home and not to the order in which the games are played?

Tranent has Prestonpans station not too far off.

Abandoned because only 6 players left and unable to continue usually takes you into 3-0 forfeit territory unlike weather related scenarios.

...and I should probably know that given my strong Bo'ness United leanings. Will amend. Two towns involved where clashing with a Rangers cup final would not be a good move from a crowd and player availability standpoint. Winner of the game will be promoted if Darvel win the LL entry playoff and they don't mess up the easier game they have the following Saturday.

So now instead of completely over the top senior vs junior tribalism we have bizarre EoS vs WoS stuff for no apparent reason. Meanwhile back on topic: Syngenta: Sat 21 Bathgate (a), Sat 28 Pumpherston (h) 66 pts, GD 61 Whitburn: Sat 21 Stoneyburn (h), Sat 28 Fauldhouse (a) 66 pts, GD 58 Bo'ness A: Fri 20 Armadale (a), Sat 28 Bathgate (h) 64 pts, GD 63 Armadale: Fri 20 Bo'ness A (h), Sat 28 Stoneyburn (a) 62 pts, GD 65

...in which case the Russians don't actually control the plant yet and it was about enabling the soldiers (especially those from units other than Azov) who wanted to give up to do so given the pressure from the wives in Kyiv. Zelensky is off the hook now for what happens if/when the Russians go after the rest.

If Darvel win the playoffs it looks like the outcome next season is a 16-18-18-8 format. If Tranent win it will be a 16-16-18-9 setup. Not ideal by any stretch of the imagination but workable as long as no club goes into abeyance or folds outright.

This place presumably? https://www.localgymsandfitness.com/GB/Dunfermline/715326325259937/Pitreavie-Sport-%26-Soccer-Centre?__cf_chl_tk=BIl.dr.CKepRd0RRZoKfOgVVNKeckFI6cEe3etJhNHY-1652893507-0-gaNycGzNCKU