[Junior football, what is the future?]

22 minutes ago, Hillonearth said:

Only in Scotland could you hope that first sentence made sense.

No it's not. First and biggest clue is its name.

Seriously, buy a map and look at where the clubs play strung along the coast from Stranraer to Annan.

Then take a look at the venues most of them play at; a few groundshare at the likes of Palmerston or have decent enclosed grounds (Threave, St Cuthbert's and so on) but a good proportion play at schools, 3G cages or the corner of farmers' fields. They're all here: http://nonleaguescotland.org.uk/

Lastly, go and actually watch a couple of the games. I don't want it to seem like South-bashing; the SoSL is what it is, but the standard is generally fairly low overall.

Again, only in Scotland could you pontificate to a side like Talbot or Pollok that playing at that level is a step up..."progresion" ....

I'm not talking about geography I'm talking about league structure and the route through the pyramid.

I do appreciate that if one or two clubs made the switch it might not be viable for SL West clubs.

The EoS stretches to Tweedmouth and Eyemouth - 1.5hrs from Edinburgh, whereas Stranraer is 2hrs from Glasgow.

In East Region Juniors, Edinburgh to Forfar is almost 2hrs.

Dunbar to Forfar about 2.5hrs.

I'm not taking about quality of football, because if Junior clubs move over together it would be exactly the same as it is now.

If all the clubs were to make a commitment then they'd all have a say in how it is structured / regionalised going forward. 

In all likelihood the majority of SoS clubs would filter down, if the standard is as poor as you say.

[Junior football, what is the future?]

8 hours ago, Arthurlie1981 said:

 

Yes they are but the SFA put forward proposals at the AGM one of which could add a new "west league".

I disagree that the clubs could just get a licence and create a new league. This was never offered to the clubs at the time we had to register our interest. We asked for clarification but none was forthcoming. Unless the SFA were to say we are going to create a west version of the east of Scotland league then why would clubs take the risk. The licence money would be great but the loss of gate income for some clubs would negate this.

 

The South of Scotland league is the West version of the EoS league.

If a group of clubs joined at the the same time  they would effectively have the same fixtures and therefore generate the same gate receipts.

Over time the current SoS clubs might find themselves in a lower division of the SoS they all find a level. 

What the SFA could do to incentive change would be to flip the distribution of its club payments so that the lower league clubs, those who need it, get more money to develop.

 

 

 

 

[Junior football, what is the future?]

6 minutes ago, Arthurlie1981 said:

 

 

It's nothing to do with that at all imo. For west clubs to apply they have to go to either the SOS or the EOS. The cost of this would be horrendous plus the loss of income if joining either of these leagues. The SFA have the power to end this debate by just implementing the pyramid across the board, but they won't do that and it will always be more east centric.

 

I can't comment on the ins and out what the EOS league did or didn't do. All I know was that there was no encouragement from either the SFA or the SJFA.

 

Unless the SFA wants it to change nothing will.

The SFA is an Association of clubs, not an Authority.

If the clubs want change they need to initiate it themselves, based on what's best for them.

If the 16 West Region Super League clubs want to join the pyramid and all the benefits it would bring, they could each apply for a license and more or less create the same league they're in now.  

The obvious difference being that before a ball is kicked each season they'd receive their SFA payment and would have participation in the Scottish Cup to look forward to. 

And a fixture list.

Same principle applies to East Region clubs.