FairWeatherFan

Its not point scoring. Its pointing out a change in the HL rules from requiring the need to be full members of the SFA and floodlights at a level set by the HL board. Which has been changed to the above where there it is mentioned that you only need to be a Registered Member which acceptance into the HL provides. Which was done in the summer 2019 and there has been no mention of a HL2. In fact they're talking about adding the NCL, not creating a second division. Can you point out where it states that a team that plays at Tier 5 has to be licenced?

They don't have to be licenced.

It was technically breached before that. The original Scottish Football suspension was set until April 30th. The first leg of the HL/LL tie was due to be played on April 25th.

While most people seem to focus on Rule 1 (c) of the Pyramid Playoff Rules: The SPFL will probably counter with saying that the SFA never complied with Rule III (a) & (e) To prove that the SPFL set both dates and times for the play-offs. The Lowland League fixture list. Which is why the SPFL should have just publicly said that Brechin City were Club 42 and have the SFA deal with the flack.

I'm not defensive about it, i'm forlorn in that its already over. If I had been the SPFL I would have nominated Brechin City as Club 42 having finished bottom of SPFL2. That puts all the responsbility onto the SFA into trying to organise the HL/LL Champion in the middle of a lockdown. Which they would have failed to do in a suitable time frame. If I had been the SPFL I would have voted for 14-10-10-10. Even though I despise the 14 team league variations even more than the 12 team with a split.

It was looking a little ominious there, but the talk of scrapping seems to be purely about the 2020-21 season due to the circumstances. Which is entirely understanable. Hopefully they take the time to consider what it looks like beyond that and come up with something long term. But i'm sure we'll hear all about colts again at some point in the next year.

If you believe that one party in a 4 way play-off agreement cannot arbitarily nullify the whole process, what do you think should happen? At this point the Scottish Government called it off. Go through all the rules of the SPFL, LL and HL you can pick nits every which way.

I didn't forget about Bo'ness. Both the HL and LL are at 16 instead of 17 as Kelty & Brora don't know what league they'd be in either. I don't consider this an argument. An argument would suggest some sort of animosity between us. There's just a difference of opinion over something neither of us have any control over. You know i'm pro-pyramid but unfortunately the SPFL ended their season and ruled out all play-offs. The hope to get a club promoted to the SPFL then fell to reconstruction, which was put to bed. I'm not convinced the legal challenges will change that aspect of things. As for the other previous post. We both agreed and anything further is an unknowable hypothetical. So didn't see much point furthering it. Other than the SPFL Premiership & Championship nobody knows when the other leagues will be starting again.

Not everyone is playing a waiting game, or you mave have missed the series of signings at different levels being announced already. Then working within that marketplace 41 clubs in the SPFL, 16 in the HL, 16 in the LL, 63 in the WoSFL, 49(?) in the EoSFL, 14 in the SoSFL all know what level or league they'd be playing at for any 2020-21 season.

Not the fault of Kelty or Brora. Brechin had better start signing some players. I'm sure they will. They just want be playing in the 2019-20 SPFL2 play-off. What's the EoSFL's plan with an 18 team premier and the possibility of 3 teams coming down from the Lowland League?

Do you want to sign for Brechin? Player: What league are you in? Player: When's the season starting? Player: When do you start paying me since there's this pandemic still on the go? I'm sure it will be a great recruiting experience.

Nope, like I say i'm really easy to buy for and happy with anything I get. I'm no longer a kid that probably drove my mum insane (and into debt) to make sure me & my sister got whatever the lastest fads were. The 2019-20 SPFL2 play-off is a fantasy. What should be the focus right now is ensuring whatever 2020-21 looks like there is a play-off involved. The HL and LL should be making sure they are in lock step with the SPFL to make sure they don't get denied again.

We should be looking at what can be achieved to maintain the integrity of the Pyramid play-off, none of this is insurmountable. Instead it wont happen as the SPFL dont want it to, to protect Brechin and the SFA are frankly incompetent. Well according to the their club thread they Brechin City only have 3 signed players for next season. So the integrity of any play-off is already shot.

While Brora will probably have staff in Aberdeen, they would also likely have some travelling from Inverness area upto Brora itself. Best case scenario that's 2-3+ hours. Kelty on the other hand 26 mins.

From the Kelty v Brora perspective it skewed to much in Kelty's favour to me.

Actually i'm really easy to buy for I don't have to come up with a series of lists depending on a multitude of factors outwith my control.

With Ajax, PSV, and Feyenoord winning in the last 3 years Holland can say they still have their Big 3, the Big 3 in Portugal is becoming a bit a twosome. When Sporting won their last title in 2001-02 it was their 18th. Which tied them with Porto on x18 with Benfica in the lead on 30. Since then they're stuck on x18 with Porto on x28 and Benfica on x37.

Premiership will start in August, Championship October, no idea about L1 or L2. The opportunity is there to stage these play-offs in August using a neutral Premiership venue, giving plenty of time before the new seasons starts for any of these clubs. So the competition has been stripped down from two-two legged ties where home field advantage is given to the SPFL side in the second leg, to two neutral site games. Since a Premiership venue has been suggested that means Aberdeen. Which may well suit Brora but will mean Kelty & Brechin having to travel up. Then if Kelty wins presumably staying on the next 3 days there in quarantine to avoid another round of testing. That means time off work. Costs of testing, accomodation, bonuses (just appearance, goal type bonuses without factoring in win & promotion bonuses that they'd presumably be happy to pay). You've then got to factor in players will have lapsed contracts. Do teams get to sign new players during this period? In which case clubs with the biggest cheque book can win out. What happens if x number of players test positive following testing? Players prioritise their family life or primary income job over the play-off games? How much training time is given since clubs haven't played any competitive games in over 3 months? Instead of the SPFL, LL, HL putting plans in place following this week when I believe the SFA AGM is meant to be. They've got to come up with different plans not knowing which one can take place until these playoff games take place. HL at 17 with Brora in it, HL at 17 with Brechin it or an 18 team league due to derby games/midweek games have to be reconsidered due to the difference between Brora v Brechin. LL 16 or 17 which technically has a knock on effect to the EoS & WoS in how they manage promotion & relegation rules for 2020-21. The SPFL probably won't care but you'd like to think they would try avoid a Brora v Stranraer possibility.

If they're playing games in August, why is the season starting in October or January?

Did you miss the big song and dance they made over the return Reserve team football in 2018-19? They went from a 14 team Development League that played a 26 game season. To a SPFL Reserve League of 18 teams that played each other once. There is also a Reserve League Two. The 18 team Reserve League lasted all of one season as Celtic, Rangers, Hibs, Falkirk, Aberdeen, Dundee, Partick Thistle, and St Johnstone all seem to have withdrawn.

Bonar Bridge returned this year and lost every game they played. With a few double digit losses. I'm sure they'll have competition to finish bottom if they aren't up to much.

I've never seen it publicly said by anyone. Plus it all seems to date back to around the time theHighland League was signing up for the pyramid and the Lowland League being created. EDIT: Maybe its a pressure they're putting on themselves to get Fort William (and their fixture congestion) out the league

To be honest with you I think those running the West Region will be quite glad to have gotten into the pyramid when they did. It's meant they've been able to carry on largely unscathed and kept the goodwill that people have towards the Junior game. The alternative probably would of split the West Region and seen a hard breakaway to create the WoSFL. The East & North Regions were able to null and void with little fuss. There were promotion or relegation concerns in the East and no one in promotion spots in the North Region would challenge the decision. In the West Region however, you had 18 promotion and relegation spots to decide. As well as the West Premiership title. With near enough half the Region tied into how that decision would go. It would likely have fractured the Region, with a number of clubs investigating a WoSFL possibility.

First in the Highland side maybe. There have been 5 so far on the Lowland side Spartans, Stirling University, Annan Athletic, Stranraer, and Caledonian Braves.