Born To Run

Every time I see pictures of their home ground I find myself saying I need to visit someday. Stunning venue, hopefully the club can go into the NCL and find some success at a suitable level (as the NCL is under SFA jurisdiction, I’d think the club licence would still stand).

All but official. Seen a few Junior posters refer to how they “aren’t exactly keeping it secret”, and FB etc shows this too - just no proper announcement as yet.

Correct - it was over two years for Shire, I think it's now been amended to just one year should Cowden drop however. I can't answer the other points as well as the ES regulars, but the away support at BSC and home ones at the games I went to this season were certainly healthy enough. The slow start killed them in the end, can't afford to drop so many points early in a 30 game season.

Having had a chat with one of the gents at Camelon last weekend, their playing squad for one was driving a move to the EoS, and a couple weren’t sure whether to sign on for next season if they remained a Junior side.

The only certainty we have is that we will not know the list until the EoS AGM at the end of this month. If other applicants wanted to go public beforehand, we'd have heard from them by now.

I suspect if there are interested parties in terms of a late application, they’ll be discussed at this meeting today. Can’t see the EoS turning down any suitable club that will positively contribute to the league!

Oops...I’m already in 2018/19 clearly!

Not sure if this article has been shared yet - looking at Clydebank and the West region specifically, given most talk in here is East-centric. Looks like a WoS League is happening next season, SJFA organised or otherwise! http://www.clydebankpost.co.uk/sport/16142288.Clydebank_FC_willing_to_back_new_West_of_Scotland_league/

Just to back this up... I took in Camelon vs Broughty Athletic today (and it was a decent game too!) - had a brief chat with the guy that runs their social media, and his understanding was that 13 Junior clubs in total have applied. Can't remember his name for the life of me sadly, but top bloke. Seems like we're beginning to get some clarity now.

Have you got a link? Sad if true, seems to be a North team going every year recently.

I stand corrected @The Mantis!

Exactly this. Bear in mind there is already the possibility of 2 relegation spots, in the event of the Highland champ overcoming a lowland League 2 side in the playoff final. Rumours atm strongly suggest an additional promotion slot to the Lowland from next season has already been agreed for the expanding EoS.

I don’t understand what you are querying here. If the West Superleague champion can be promoted to the LL, all the West leagues would by their nature be part of the pyramid. Could technically go all the way to the top, which meets the definition?

Making the (admittedly large) assumption that we end up with 30-32 teams in the EoS, two concurrent leagues of 15/16 teams would seem the logical way to go. Don't think dividing regionally would provide fairness, so seeding using the Qualifying Leagues may well be the answer, with eventual top half sides going into an EoS Premier and bottom half going EoS 1st Division from 2019/20. If the EoS, as widely rumoured, is getting an additional promotion spot then give the highest points total an automatic spot with the other "league winner" facing the SoS champ to gain promotion. No doubt there will be 101 different ideas suggested!

Here's the Camelon statement: http://www.camelonjuniors.co.uk/a-new-future-beckons/

I wonder if Camelon's upcoming announcement will lead to a few more going public, or whether most clubs will bite their tongues until the EoS AGM? Like someone said earlier, the SJFA needs to know asap to try and restructure the East region accordingly.

That's my understanding. For one, Tranent are holding their EGM on the 8th April re joining the EoS. As the deadline was not extended, they must have the application in already (assuming a jump for next season).

Not during the weekend, but the last I heard midweek was that 11 applications were in from the East Juniors. Wouldn't be surprised to see that hit 13-15 in all honesty. The flip side is that some may be withdrawn if they've been submitted pending club EGMs to ratify, or if they decide to wait and see how negotiations play out between the SJFA and SFA.

So do what every club does (or at least should do) - set a budget, live within your means and compete at your natural level as a result. No-one is going to force Talbot or anyone else to overspend in order to move up the levels!

Yup. Such is the nature of the pyramid, there will always be tougher breaks for clubs in certain areas. They could always "decline" a promotion to tier 5 and above by not becoming licensed...

There are the makings of a decent point in there. I'm reliably informed that we're now into double figures on the number of Juniors with applications in for the EoS next season, which means many of them will be 'stuck' in the league for at least a few years. I guess it all comes down to the standard of the applicants, as after 2018/19 there will most likely be a return to the EoS Premier and E0S 1st Division. This will limit the number of heavy beatings dished out, and the Premier sides will set the standard against each other. It might well be a better standard than the weakened East Super League left behind, with the additional bonus of greater financial support and Scottish Cup entry once licensing is confirmed.

Is this confirmed? If so, essentially rules out the "West" division for 2018/19 at least, though it could slot in the year after. Seems a logical way to go next season with so many new teams potentially joining.

For those of you who haven't seen the latest posts in the Junior forum, Kilwinning's Facebook is well worth a read this evening... This post essentially confirms that the EoS is looking at running a "West of Scotland" division in parallel to the existing league, and that 5 Super Premier teams from the West Juniors have expressed an interest in joining for next season. Throw in BSC reserves, Girvan, Glasgow Uni, Bonnyton - there's the makings of a new league there if done properly!

I wouldn't dream of speaking for them, but I believe that this is the first step in separating the two - ensuring the football club is self-sufficient in the future, while obviously the academy is the main "business".

Cheap plug folks... In the process of launching an FM18 competition where the winner receives a share in Lowland side Edusport Academy! Have a gander for more info and the file download. Hope you're all better than me, I can't get near winning the league (never mind promotion).