Cowden Cowboy

Transfer window isn't closed for League One and Two

So that people look at things in the round rather than always knee jerk and parrot same thing ad Infinitum. Reality is there may be benefits for young players but these are outweighed by the downsides for Scottish football as a whole

Hardly, they may improve in either environment but 11 potentially can benefit playing v L2 teams every week whereas the numbers will be much less in 1st team.

Yeah maybe

Never seen any Cowden fans in favour on here Not me or any other Cowden fan that started off the latest discussion on this thread re colts. Nor can I see them saying they are in favour. Them's the facts

I don't think they do - that is merely the argument that those pushing the idea put forward

... But will improve by regularly playing in a league against League 2 clubs is the argument

Both Leagues have been senior since they were first formed as have the East of Scotland and South of Scotland. Always been lots of senior clubs outwith those in Scottish Leagues - nothing to do with Pyramid system

Well yes that's the point of paying good money - but doesn't actually guarantee a return. Unfortunately that is the market place now where League 1 and 2 players are generally paid a good deal more than they used to be - driven by factors such as minimum wage, no trialists in Betfred, relegation from League 2, etc

Paying less to poorer players would have produced an even worse outcome on the field in all likelihood. £200 per week for decent players in League 1 isn't at all unusual

A perfectly valid viewpoint in terms of being a shareholder

The loanee often gets preference because if you don't play him you are not fulfilling your implied part of the bargain to give the loanee game time. If you don't your ability to secure loan players in future can be compromised

Cowden expressed interest in participating in what was originally proposed an East Reserve League. The SPFL then advised there weren't enough teams for East and West Divisions so they proposed one League across the country with games v Stranraer, Ayr, Berwick suggested. We felt the travelling involved would likely to be too much when and it would also increase costs and be less attractive to young players

That final sentence? I don’t recall writing that at all but can’t readily find that post. Thus firstly I have doubts re its validity but even so it does not even imply what you suggest - it does not at all say I thought it good for my club mainly because I never thought it was

Don't recall ever disagreeing with this approach - voted against colts in League and supported introduction of reserves. So don't understand your point

I am not sure players willing to play for nothing/expenses but who benefit from the facilities, etc at Hampden will worry all that much about turning amateur. They are more likely to play junior later rather than amateur again in all likelihood if they go pro again. Junior clubs with pro players should be paying minimum wage I would think but maybe recreational contracts get round that but again would then be expenses only surely.

I assume either they are no longer a wholly amateur club or more likely that the pros they sign do indeed turn amateur

You can play as an amateur for nothing other than genuine expenses or as a pro where you must be paid minimum wage. £1 per week deals not allowed. If you are in Central Belt and you have away games at Peterhead and Elgin you might have players working then a 15 hour week at £7.83 minimum wage

Not really - since the financial meltdown about 10 years back and the failure of clubs like Rangers and Dunfermline plus writing down of club debts by banks there has been little appetite for bank lending to football clubs now for many years.

What no one remembers Mazzola, Facchetti, Burgnich, Sarti but remember Schneider?

The best shot stopper isn't likely to also be a keeper who comes off his line for crosses

Because they have not committed to the pyramid system - the Scottish Cup place was a carrot and clubs who are in pyramid are unlikely to countenance the continuation of this for outliers - licensing payments to clubs in the pyramid will now increase and thus there will be little inclination to let non pyramid league winners continue to get a bit of the senior game's resources - the Junior Cup winners would get in along with the Amateur Cup winners and that would be it

£65 is that gross or net of VAT?

Correct there should be no junior grade at all

No the reality is junior cup isn't big up north because the junior clubs up north aren't strong enough to compete in it. What should happen is it becomes the Premier Non-League cup and as such has sponsorship and is the most prestigious cup outwith the 3 Cups involving SPFL teams - it is a nationwide competition with a long pedigree which just needs slightly repositioned.