BTID

The only teams that have definitely applied afaik so far are Clydebank and Belshill from 19s.

Think what’s being missed here is the fact the PWG failed to carry out its purpose for years which would’ve have most likely ended as is suggested now. Had the conferences not been suggested (and I think it’s wrong that it has been changed in good faith) what would the outcome have been. Clubs would still have left to the wosl and probably a split. The remaining few eventually do what the east done and join later. Thats what happens when a leagues structured on the back of one guy chasing around trying to save the grade. If there was such hesitancy and everything was so great why didn’t a group of remainers speak out and stay put?

I think there’s two strands to this. 1. I personally don’t see a big push from the clubs themselves. We had nearly 20 years of the juniors and the lowland league done more to develop a pathway in about 20 minutes. Some clubs won’t even really want to be in this league never mind run a 20s. But in time I think many will see value in building a base up within the community. 2. Grassroots clubs could be the driver here. It’s a no brainer for the senior team to take on if it doesn’t cost them money. I know 19s and 21s clubs will be looking around and seeing an uncertain future. 21s is sat afternoon so cannot really be a fully effective pathway. Paisley 19s is sat afternoon. Not sure about lanarkshire. Central is a mess of days and still no clear vision as to how the situation solves itself. The current uncertainty may well be the reason some attach to a new wosl side. Once clubs start going for their licenses I can see the pitch issue resolving. Like I say as it stands Glasgow life would need to resolve its pricing structure or it would price out teams.

See to be honest, the lack of vision from the governing bodies is why this end of youth football is such a disaster at the moment. 19s had a horrendous year, almost unprecedented loses of clubs. 40% folding from the top tier of central and paisley. We have too many young teams coming through with not enough players committed to playing at this age. Run by parents/volunteers because money senior clubs are investing is vanishing. Simply not prepared for that level. We had to play in a league where you could be fri night, sat morning (some kick offs I seen where 9.15am) and Sunday afternoon. Fixtures less than 5-7 days in advance most weeks. How could we promote that? Thankfully this new league seems to be well run and have a vision, it will *save* youth football at this level not kill it. Where it leaves the syfa at 19s and 21s not sure, will just continue to see a demise. Shettleston the first club to fall from 21s and they won’t be the last. The syfa ruling on trialists playing development football sums it up for me. This is their mission statement on their website: Leading the way and modernising our approach to guarantee the continued growth of grassroots football Encouraging all boys and girls throughout Scotland to play organised football and enabling every child to develop and flourish as a player. Enabling development unless it’s within their organisation and refusal to work with other associations. Self interest in the organisation and no vision to help ambitious young players progress. What can they sanction - the player? Ban them? Farcical. I would like to use our 17s when I can which would be beneficial for their teams growth.

We’ve been looking at this for about 2 years now and had been doing a lot of preparation once the rumours of a west league were becoming apparent. The one thing I’ve found with all the teams in the development league is a willingness to share information and support in anyway possible. Seem like genuine progressive people wanting to improve youth football at the top end. If anyone wants any info on funding, applying, opportunities etc give me a message happy to help. I think this could be the best thing to happen to youth football in a long time.

Was a no brainer for us been looking to join for the past 3 years but being a junior club had stopped us. Delighted to finally apply and hopefully it will be the long term solution to a huge problem at the top end of youth football. I was fairly skeptical as to the number of teams that will apply in time for next year, but there definitely is interest. People do need to keep in mind a lot of those 21s teams are pretty well cemented with their setup on a Saturday afternoon. But if a club wants a 20s I can see many 19s jumping on because the situation there is critical.

Yes I think there’s a number of points to be addressed here that this ‘anti juniors’ rhetoric is often used as a stick to beat us with. 1. Said it on many occasions ask any fan you like, there is an appreciation to junior football for allowing the club a place to regrow. That said, it was equally beneficial to junior clubs, particularly the early years and big games we’ve always been one of the best supported sides. Seem to have missed out what the Bankies have brought to the table. 2. The club just wants to play at the highest level it can. It wants to be alongside progressive clubs. No one has forgotten how the club was treated in senior football, self preservation exists at all levels...hence why the juniors got themselves into a mess. Why lower league 2 clubs don’t want additional relegation spaces. Probably similar to the lowland league to tier 6??? 3. Retention of membership, think like most I fail to see the need. If you wanted to stay juniors so bad why leave? Why wasn’t there a sub group formed to save the grade? We were all told the grade is in it together at option z - then dumped the east and north at the drop of a hat. At least we’ve been open and honest about the need for change since day 1 instead of pretending to care about a grade which in the end very few did. Why? Because it was in each clubs best interests. Like it always has been.

Do you know, just came to us there, wouldn’t surprise me if one of the teams that applied was Evro Football Pro. Sure there’s been a split there with BSC 20s so if they had no league to enter a 20s into perhaps they’ve considered fielding a senior side.

Giffnock have an ams team and a youth setup don’t know what qualifies as what. They’d certainly have a strong base if so.

Looking forward to it...when we can get back!!!!

Tradition/history can be a dangerous thing for a club. Just because you have a past, doesn’t mean you’ll have a great future. In fact I’ll bet many fans and committees out there don’t have any growth strategy at all, merely clubs plodding into obscurity. If Bonnyton are doing great work in their community - good luck to them will serve them well for the future if they get it right.

EK dont currently have a 20s think that went year before replaced by their reserves. However their current 19s are majority second year so maybe would be a possibility. Believe K park is an issue Fri night. 21s football is fairly deep rooted with the premier clubs I’m not sure how much ambition there is to change. 19s is where there is a complete mess. 40% of clubs from the top tiers of paisley and central folded this season. Catastrophic. Could well force some hands of the clubs to join or connect with a junior team to be able to keep going. Regards an east/west split I believe 21/22 is probably more likely, but as noted may only take 5/6 entries to seriously look at it. bonnyton, bsc, cumbernauld, uppers, dunipace, camelon, stirling, braves is 8 west of the edinburgh catchment fairly reasonable travel before any new west club applies.

Big sticking point will be a let and the costs involved for Friday night. Glasgow life charge pitch in 1/3rds fri nights. Drum could be a possibility - If donald dewar is available. 35s league takes a lot of lets as well. Lot of the current East Kilbride team are 2nd year 19s as well wonder if they’d consider going back in. Rossvale Young 19s team. Lot of clubs not able to support numbers to run 19s and 21s at the moment may merge. Even without the development league impacting, 40 FORTY % of top flight clubs in the two main leagues here that cover the west have folded this season. Not sure what will be left of 19s football, but the rest may want to latch on to a new wosl club. Glenvale being the case example an excellent setup but no first team. Also need to consider the well established 21s league who’s members are well rooted to Saturday afternoon. Harmony Row, Tower Hearts, Pollok, Glencairn. Etc. Will be a power struggle there also for players.

Cheers for that insightful post.

Re: U20s Whittlets we’re keen but next season might be too soon. Kilwinning were interested in a Friday night 21s last year, unsure about this. Similar with Gartcairn. We haven’t put in an application yet. Very keen for it to happen. Still to sit down with important people at the club and discuss. Believe the LL agm needs to change its rules to let wos teams in also.

Just Clydebank FC thanks

Bellshill putting a team forward for U20s next season. Wonder if enough west teams will apply to make a west league for next season?

I have passed it loads of times without really looking at it properly but to me it would be a less likely venue long term than DD. DD’s 3G I’m not sure how much it could be developed. 3 sides can’t be developed and there’s limited space between the near side and the building. I guess if you fenced off that one side and built a small stand on the far side? ps don’t think Halgreen was ever considered btw for us.

Drumchapel Utd applying is an interesting one. Afaik they’ve basically taken over Donald Dewar. Also an SFA Quality Mark platinum club so been doing a lot of work in the community. There’s definitely an opportunity there to leap above clubs west of Glasgow. Their 19s folded and 21s struggling this year so that might also help attract new interest. Donald Dewar is just your standard astro pitch with High fence Round it. Not sure what the criteria is for facilities but you wouldn’t get a barrier round the pitch without considerable work on moving the big fence back. No terracing or standing area either. But the potential is there if they have a bit of money behind them to make a decent club.

Well it looks as if no meeting will take place before the deadline - so clubs will need to go with the information they have or the deadline is extended. Applications are already in for the wosl, so it’s happening. Apply or be left behind to false promises.

Isn’t george fraser chair of the LL not eos? Not sure anyone is being left behind wasn’t that clarified everyone is welcome? Maybe some want to stay also.

I really don’t get the clamber for the retention of the junior cup as a condition. It feels like some folk still have a nostalgic reality that this years final will actually be 1950 Meadow v Petershill 80k at Hampden. Whilst I totally understand the history behind the cup, having been involved in the build up to our final in 08 it was a brilliant occasion that really felt special. But it’s 2020. The north doesn’t compete. The east is decimated. It’s not been a proper national cup for years now. If you looked at the cups value in recent years it wouldn’t even be up for debate. If clubs have so much affinity to the cup I have no problem with that, stay junior if it means that much. A south challenge cup sounds quite exciting actually and personally I’d like an all in lower league national cup from LL/HL down in time.

Interesting topic. The one thing that unites everyone is a want to improve youth football. From what I see, any sort of development age group is beneficial for the progression of youth football. I’m sure everyone would agree watching the syfa at the upper age groups in particular that it’s on its knees. The amount of clubs folding is catastrophic at u19s this season. In the two main leagues through here at 19s in the top tier - 40% of clubs have folded. FORTY. So it’s not about saving grassroots at this age, it’s already crippled. For me, by the time boys get to 16-19 they think for themselves and parents start to become less involved. Today’s society has many more options to choose so retaining and developing those that really want to take their football seriously is the main priority imo. The days of infinite teams and players playing is finished. Reality is the future will need to be fewer teams, better quality coaches, better facilities and opportunities to progress. Clubs running a u18 and U20s aren’t elite clubs, nor are the players elite either...boys will prob train twice a week. That for me is an absolute minimum to play the sport at a decent level, other sports would demand a much higher commitment. I would certainly look into this at my club, any 16 or 17 year old at a U20s unless exceptional will not be playing regularly for the 20s. A bridge 18 to 20 makes sense to me - where I’d possibly even scrap my 17s and just go 13s 14s 15s 16s syfa and 18s 20s SFA.

Who said it was horrendous or brutal? It’s a foul, either from Young who headed the ball out his heads or the shove from the back. The former was close, but I reckon he had two hands on it. Referees always give goalkeepers protection from incidents like that when there is contact, last nights officials generally (inc for talbot) were miles off it.

Exactly who thinks we are too good for the juniors, where has this come from? As a club we want to progress as your club does and as we’ve seen the association let us down so we are leaving. Good luck to you when we see you join the same senior league.