Cowden Cowboy

There is no incentive for them to vote for auto relegation - they get no increased promotion opportunity at top of the league. They might be persuaded to vote for an increased league size with no splits but that would need funded by the SPFL (or SFA) in terms of prize money without any deduction from existing L2 prize money - plus have no B teams plus there would need to be consideration of how that impacts on SPFL voting structure. On a personal note and I have always been consistent on this - the LL should be expanded to 18 teams or 20 (plus play almost all its league games on a Saturday in priority to all these cups) with no B teams and have at least 2 up 2 down as a prerequisite for SPFL2 looking at this issue

Extra Cups and less league games and/or splits will not get much traction with the spfl lower league clubs

Most fans approve of the Premiership split. The only dissenters are dullards who can't get their head around "but the team in seventh can have more points than the team in sixth!" L2 clubs sell hospitality and match sponsorships up front for the season and don’t want unknown venues and dates introduced to their core match programme. Nor do they want the Lowland League style programme filled with midweek league games - another economic downer

L2 clubs don’t want a split - who on earth thinks splits are a positive feature of a league.

I would be happy with a 18/20 team Lowland League with 2 up 2 down plus even an additional play off for 3 up 3 down. The SPFL position is completely different - 10/12 team leagues you will only at best have one up one down plus a play off - that is the SPFL model. 16 teams in L2 doesn’t work as only 15 home games thus loss in income for clubs who presently have 18. Then 16/20 clubs in L2 where is prize money sourced for additional clubs? How does 16/20 in L2 impact on SPFL voting structure.

It’s a 30% reduction in the overall budget not just the wages of big earners - not every player would be paid at the rates of the higher earners

He is a forward

Some thoughts re Facebook comments mainly. Replace Board with interim management committee - who will serve on this committee and ensure continuity of funding? A new owner - who, what are they bringing to the party? Just nebulously Calling for change is not delivering change - board not at all averse to change but there needs to be substance to that not rhetoric. Kelty Hearts situation has little or no relevance to Cowden’s problems. Good luck to Kelty

Council own Stirling stadium, Council own Kelty stadium

Re bringing on 5 players - think it was actually 4 - surely that made sense? 3-0 down with guys already having had 5 gruelling fixtures and with some carrying injuries. The game is lost. So you put on a lot of fresh legs and at least let some get a bit of rest - you also get to see what the trialists might offer

Cowdenbeath’s budget will be larger than a number of their rivals in terms of income but it is also the same on the cost side. For example they pay a rent to owners which they have flagged they wish to substantially increase, they pay over £20k for utilities (all the cost for stadium), they insure the stadium, they don’t have a plastic pitch so have to spend on groundsman and pitch plus cope with car damage, cleaner costs for the building, stadium repairs, etc. Some clubs just rent a stadium for a few hundred quid on a matchday with next to none of those costs. Then you had big wage spend last year plus pay off managerial team and spend more on players in January. Zoe who raised £15k a year is sadly no longer with us all this has a knock on to 2022/23. So it’s not all just roses re play off, league cup and parachute - plus most of that is gone in all likelihood next season if like Brechin, Berwick and The Shire you don’t just bounce back up

Bear in mind too that the League Cup is problematic for many part time clubs as it kicks off the season very quickly after a short close season and you can’t field any trialists only signed players.

Yes

That makes no sense - why would he depart after we beat the Pars?

The decision the last time was the most sensible and appropriate course

Well you are as they aren’t drawn against each other

It’s interesting to see what is spouted about L1/2 clubs - who have never to my recollection been asked to consider any reconstruction linked to the pyramid without colts/B teams being the main driving force behind the initiative. They have consistently said no to that aspect. Then you get the claim that they act en bloc - when in reality L2 clubs have managed to put their differences aside to try and reach a consensus on most matters which involves give and take. What is the pyramid view of full time clubs like Dunfermline and Falkirk; of the clubs who have come up such as FCE, Kelty, Bonnyrigg; Angus clubs; supporter controlled/influenced clubs, etc? They are not homogenous but colts/b teams being forced on them along with cash incentives hasn’t been well received in the past

The vast majority of clubs in the pyramid are professional

And those players were likely expensive as Gordon McDougall pushed the boat out to acquire them

Friday is a bounce game - a work in progress.

Over 20 players at training each night when I have been there.

Let’s try and be factual - 2 years ago we finished 4th after being 6th so we were improving until then. The loss of Sheerin, Cox and Allan then hit home. Last season was a 22 game lottery cut in half by Covid where. This season was the real disaster - the 3 year thing is not true. You learn lessons every year in football but sadly most often in retrospect and you even learn them more than once - fans only see the tip of the iceberg and there is often much more to be understood than is immediately apparent.

Never become predictable

Or maybe there are quite a few more agreed and we are just doing the paperwork. We aren’t signing them one a day

Will need to bring Lee Mack into their squad to add goal threat