Thought I’d give a perspective from someone who follows a team in England - Morecambe - that has traditionally been non league but then got involved in the Pyramid. Morecambe is a town of about 30,000 people and the average gate tends to be in the 1000-2000 range.
The 1974 FA Trophy win is definitely the biggest triumph in our history. It was before I was born but my dad, uncles, aunts, cousins who went to Wembley that day all remember it and treasure that trophy.
Equally however other highlights from our non league days include FA Cup runs with three third round proper appearances over the years being particular highlights.
In 2007 we came 3rd in the Conference and won promotion to the Football League after a playoff win at Wembley (giving us a 100% win record at Wembley!)
We’re punching above our weight somewhat in League 2 and avoided relegation by the skin of our teeth this year. Suspect we’ll be back in the Conference at some point before too long.
So what are the lessons for the Juniors?
Pollok who I follow owing to living on the southside, are a club that reminds me a lot of Morecambe. There is a great atmosphere whenever I’m at a game and I enjoy Junior football. However I can’t see any reason why I would enjoy it less if Pollok were in a pyramid.
The Junior Cup is a trophy with history, that everyone wants to win and I think the nationwide entry is an important part of that. Whatever else happens to the grade I think it is essential that the Junior Cup survives and ideally expands to take on other Tier 5 and below sides. When Junior clubs were admitted to the Big Scottish it was a missed opportunity for the SJFA not to invite representatives from the leagues to enter but that’s past now. The important thing is not to lose the cup as the grade loses members. I’d hope a nationwide non league cup is on the PWG agenda and that the history of the Junior Cup means it is the chosen means of delivering that nationwide cup.
In terms of the Pyramid there are good and bad things about going up a level. Morecambe are now very much the smallest fish in the Football League pond and we are highly unlikely to ever win the EFL trophy for League 1/2 members, it also doesn’t have the history or romance of the FA Trophy. But one day we are likely to drop back down to the Conference and while I’ll be sad we don’t see as many big name games, there’ll be a run at another FA Trophy win on the cards.
The pyramid in England has enabled us to join the Football League when we had some good times and strong teams but will also give us a place in non league and an exciting cup to try and win when we inevitably struggle in future.
I want Pollok to win more Junior Cups but I also want to see them do well in the Big Scottish and draw Premiership teams and I’d be excited to see how they got on in the Lowland League and League Two, even if that only lasted a few years and then they dropped back down a level later. I just can’t see how merely being in a League that is part of the Pyramid system could affect my enjoyment of Pollok games in any way?
