oldandround

The "legacy" junior teams will have to swallow their pride and apply to the EOS. I get this is easier said than done for old men but they need to do this now! The EOS will play their part by saying hee haw about the past and welcome them with open arms. In a year or so, it'll be all in the past and forgotten when new and old rivalries are renewed. The new junior sides like Syngenta will go back to being pennies. Bo'ness juniors to linlithgow thistle or better still, a Bo'ness amateur team in leafa, rather than stirlingshire and linithgow rose community also back to leafa. Sauchie too, should go back amateur These are well run clubs but not got the background for semi pro. They could have, but its having the unique location that make a team IMHO. You cant have multiple semi pro teams playing at the same ground in villages or small towns. However, its not up to me!

Wouldnt have to be PCR. PCR was the rule in august etc. Since then technology has moved on. If the government is advocating lateral flow as good enough for flights and schools, there must be a case for the SFA to argue that its good enough for tier 5 football. Has anyone even checked considering at the moment they dont require any testing at all. If the SFA offer the lateral flow testing as a compromise, who knows. they might go for it even as a trial for the rest of the economy. I agree if its to be PCR, thats a non starter as far too expensive.

Assuming the SFA (gov) accept them, Antigen kits (aka lateral flow tests as proposed to be used by schools etc) are £7 each. so for a playing squad incl backroom team of say 25, thats £200ish a week per team. Not cheap, but not exactly club wrecking for teams that just got a nice grant. Testing isn't the end of the world (as long as they dont wont those ruinously expensive PCR ones.) just saying.......

Did the lowland league not already say that if they were unable to complete this season, then Kelty would be declared champions for the playoffs?

Absolutely and undoubtedly. But, I'll say it again. this is a special time and needs special thinking. better to try and fail that not to bother at all. Go for it, whenever we are allowed. play 3 times a week. use the squad. Get a bunch of ammies in. anything to complete the season and not just give in to (admittedly dreadful) circumstances.

Only if the teams press it. If they really wanted to, its just 2 weeks to return and then go for it. Its not been a 6 months long shut down or like a normal off season with new players to be incorporated into the team It should just be a couple of weeks to dust off the cobwebs and back at it. Any players sitting in the house eating pies just now instead of out running need hunting anyway! Its a special season and requires special circumstances to come into play. Look for reasons to play and not the other way around and they will be found. I fully expect eg Kelty and Bonnyrigg to be up for it, but Dalbeattie, Edin uni / Vale etc to be "reticent" and looking for a voiding.

Why so negative? With the over 70s all vaccinated by middle of February, schools will on the balance of probabilities be back after the February holidays. Once that happens, the league will start back up with games restarting 1st week in March (all in my dream state but it could be correct!)

I know you're right, but Im in mourning for my football fix and not thinking properly as a result....... Its just rubbish just now. Hopefully get back the middle of February

Only in the west that is. 9 positives in east lothian on each of the last two days. if that extrapolates to a count of 60 cases per 100k. thats level 2 figures. This is rubbish and disappointing

Every single interaction has an effect on the R number. Every single activity is assessed by the government to decide what parts of society are allowed to continue and what are needed to maintain cohesion and order in the community. its been roundly discussed in all sections of the community that household gatherings are the biggest influencer on the spread of the virus. Household parties are ongoing all over the place and continue to be shut down by the police. A neighbour of mine in whitecraIg has house parties every week. been fined a few times and has been the centre of a recent musselburgh outbreak. Cares not a jot. After that is pubs etc where drunken erses hing aboot each other getting all foosty. So they were shut. then restaurants as folk sit inside talking and spreading the virus. Now they've shut non essential retail as people congregate around the checkout and clothes racks at next and pc world etc. all indoors. So they're shut. And schools. oh schools. The number of 16/17 year olds that have been positive or isolating round here is, well its a lot!. That is because they cannot socially distance from each other. they stand around street corners and and in doorways, swapping their germs. So only options is to shut schools to prevent the wee rascals killing granny. AS for football. Im not aware of any large outbreaks anywhere. Next to no mass self isolations. its outside. low risk, between heathy people. The effect on the R number from "elite" football is so low as to be non quantifiable. Cancelling football would make no discernible difference to the rate of the Virus propagation. (grassroots is a different matter as a recent survey had 500,000 people in scotland are someway involved in grassroots football - be it playing, watching, driving kids to etc) Further football gives lots of people something to discuss, argue about, watch to take their minds of the horror show thats going on in hospitals and care homes to allow the government to get a grip on the vaccine rollout. If you cancel football, there will be lots of dissent. not doubt about it. Keeping football going is a government priority as they know there are an extensive number of knuckle draggers who would simply throw their toys out the pram if its cancelled but B&Q is open. So sure, you could cancel football, but I reckon (and it would appear the government currently agree) it would do more harm than good. Also, current restriction appear to be working. New Infections down 40% today on 2 days ago. I dont want football to stop, despite all the prophecies of doom going around. I want something to occupy my mind, and I dont reckon I'm alone. There simply has to be more than just "the virus" to discuss.

Its a difficult one. The players are young fit and healthy. They are not at risk of coming to harm. They might however take it to someone who is not so healthy. So if the only consideration is stopping the xfer of the virus then sure lock it down. same goes with shops, schools, mcdonalds etc. shut everything and probably everything goes away in 6 months. but life then sucks. no point in living etc. people then start to ignore the rules and anarchy reigns. could it be that "football is the opiate of the masses" is coming into play here? They government might just be giving the public something to hold on to during this time? yep EOS is bottom rung, but here we are discussing, engaging and supporting our teams. I for one would miss it if it suspends. Utterly selfish I know. Truly hope we carry on, but as safely as possible. I do completely see burniemans view though and its equally as valid as mine.

Spartans academy is covered in snow. You cant scrape off snow from a 3g pitch as it removes all the black rubber infill with the snow. So unless you have a lorry with rubber infill on standby, you need to wait for the snow to melt, which didnt happen. Further, 3G actually freezes and become a skating rink at about + 1 degrees. Calling them an all weather pitch is just inaccurate. The correct term is "plastic shite"

Dalbeattie isn't in the Borders, it's Dumfries and Galloway who still look OK at the moment. of course. what a daftie. Thanks for not going in two-footed, which I probably deserved........

They'll be back in level 2 next tuesday, so dont pin any hopes on getting in. Bit of a significant rise in the borders. They're currently worse that level 3 aberdeenshire and they'll be back over the magic 100 by Sunday if not before. Big numbers today (well 22 which is certainly enough for wee nippy to shut down the borders)

Wondering if the Bonnyrigg side is just maybe starting to age? They’ve been pretty much the same side for five years. Make no mistake, they’re still a top top side, just slightly less good as they start to decline. Missing Dan baur for example. Few new signings are forcing their way into the team. Old Father Time gets us all unfortunately [emoji22]

No problem with the decision. However they should not get to remain in the prem and should be forced to start at whatever the bottom tier is next year. So unfair on those teams that are going to at least try and play. Its a travesty what teams like glens are getting away with.

I find it it incredulous that the league have allowed these teams to just take a year out without making them start at the bottom. thats just shameful. What a tin pot league. Not even amateur leagues would behave like that! Seems the junior legacy still alive at this area. If they want to take a year out, fine, but dont penalise those teams that want to play. Truly horrific and dreadful decision by the league In fact its downright embarrassing.

Sam capes in goal. Former u15 Scottish cap and Scottish cup winner. Pleased he’s playing 1st team at 17/18? but a bit surprised it’s at Whitehill. I know this is rude sorry

Nah. The issue is that back in 2000 ish permission was granted for a new dog track. The land owner started the build but was told by the council that it would be necessary for him to enhance the water treatment for such a stadium. So he paid for a new sewerage works in the area. The council then decided to grant permission for a shed load of housing in an adjacent part of the area, all using the new water works. Land owner was miffed that water works he paid for we’re being used by others to make houses and thus profits. So he asked for his money back. Denied. Then he applied for planning permission to build housing on his land (near to dug track) to fund the stadium. But that land is not zoned for housing. So denied. The land owner then elected not to continue with the dug track build as he claimed it was not viable without the Housing and nothing has progressed in a decade. What this has to do with Amy football is anyone’s guess though [emoji57]

Unfortunately I dont believe any of the other east lothian teams are joining this year. Just no laddies available! I heard that Tranent were trying to get the Longniddry 2003's enmasse, but they instead folded and 6 or 7 joined Preston U20's, who will be a team to watch next year. They are the remainder of the Longniddry 2001 side that won the league & south east in 2019, now 2nd year 20's plus some scottish cup winning 2003 lads and a couple of others. At Musselburgh its a bit of a transition with a number of 2003s joining and the 2000s moving on. But a few decent signings from elsewhere should make them a decent side as well. No laddies around for Dunbar or Haddington I hear. Ormiston made their customary tentative enquiry to take over a young side but were rebuffed. Tynecastle are snaffling up anyone they can find from the u19 seryfa league but will not be up to much I reckon. If edinburgh south join, they'll be pony. Edinburgh Utd might be dark horses. Lots of time and effort there, with decent coaches and some right good players at 2004 who might play there instead. Friday nights will be fun this year. Pity my grandson is too old to play now but at least I'll be able to follow him in LEAFA!

But confused with Edinburgh south. The whole concept of them joining the EOS was to provide a pathway for the youth. However it seems as if 6 of their u19 side have instead signed for tynecastle at u20. Not saying this is not allowed or anything, just a bit odd

In simple terms, Im with LTL. In principle I dont like groundshares. It just seems wrong. A club should have its own base, its exclusive home. Not half a base or a shared home. I dont like clydebank / yoker etc or AC / inter milan! I accept their right to exist, but it doesnt sit right with me. In saying that, Edinburgh South dont have any choice here. THey are a brand new (senior) club that dont really have any choice. Its groundshare or dont join. What I'm looking to see is plans to use the 3 years to fund raise and upgrade fernieside for their move there. Its got cracking potential for a successful team.

Or only 3.3 miles from their other pitch at fernieside Fernieside park. Pretty large and decent. Really only needs a fence! This should be their future. If they can get the council and locals to allow it of course!

I find it surprising that he gets in ahead of Michael Andrews, but what do I know?

Totally not in the know. But, they tend to use inch park for the younger sides. U16's and above tend to use jack kane (grass or 3g) and the ams used fernieside, which they have for years. Before that it was double hedges park. Inch park is really susceptible to flooding and off whenever it rains. It would be very very expensive (i reckon) to upgrade to EOS standards. Fernieside on the other hand, just needs a fence really. Clubhouse is recently built, modern and right at the ptichside. Playing surface is flat, huge, well maintained and there is loads of grass area around it for development going forward. Its actually a pretty decent facility. A negative is probably parking and access as you have to drive through the housing estate to get to it. It definitely an option. 20 grand max and its ready (for EOS to tier 6), assuming the council allow it of course!