Bundesliga Boy

Exactly that! SPFL can’t keep making things up as they go along.

Re-read my post. I didn’t say that such a line definitely existed, I speculated that it might. Whether such a line exists or not, the crux of their argument, as per reports, is that Lowland and Highland champions haven’t played enough games. In view of the fact both champions happen to be last years champions who again had to miss out, I’d advocate the playoff final should take place, and yes I believe any argument to the contrary to be both poor and ridiculous. That doesn’t necessarily equate to it winning this potential appeal that you are referencing.

I don’t believe it’s ground related at all. I suspect they’ve found a line somewhere in their rules and regulations that will relate to a team being promoted on ‘sporting merit’ or something of that ilk, and then attempt to use that as some sort of ridiculously poor argument to not allow promotion based on the amount of games played by Kelty/Brora.

I'll copy you into my Lowland League message: So he is stepping down apparently due to his club fighting relegation and therefore it's the right thing to do - they were in same boat last year and he didn't go. Last year he knew there was a (borderline) legitimate reason not to have the playoff due to all playoffs being scrapped. This season there is no such excuse therefore he can't be seen to be L1/2 rep on the SPFL board if they intend to end the pyramid playoff and his team happen to be Club 42 at the time. So he goes now! (it's almost comical!). Questions I have include: 1)What are the supposed 'several issues' that the SPFL have relating to the play-offs? 2) Why do they have any reason to believe either club does not meet the criteria - this must have been known long ago bearing in mind they both finished top last season, and had an end of March deadline re this years criteria. 3) Why are they highlighting in their statement how many games each feeder league had played prior to the Leagues being called? Remember that the Lowland League recently sounded out the SPFL about their scenario and were advised (by the SPFL!) to call the league on a PPG basis, and appoint a champion. (how the leagues got their champion really shouldn't be the SPFL's concern anyway). 4) Why can't dates be announced for the play off? A complete fallacy to suggest otherwise. We know the leagues are being based on a 22 game season. Outwith for the cup, there have been no postponements since the leagues returned, and it's highly unlikely the clubs wont achieve the 18 games prior to the Apr 20th deadline. There is therefore no reason why, at the very least, provisional dates couldn't be allocated for the two-legged pyramid play off final. So ask yourself this - why are they so reluctant to do so? Could it be that they have no intention, none whatsoever, in engaging in play-off final chat? All of this, specifically the peculiar wording in at least 3 of the paragraphs in their official statement, stinks to absolute high heaven!

You can't be that naive surely? So he is stepping down apparently due to his club fighting relegation and therefore it's the right thing to do - they were in same boat last year and he didn't go. Last year he knew there was a (borderline) legitimate reason not to have the playoff due to all playoffs being scrapped. This season there is no such excuse therefore he can't be seen to be L1/2 rep on the SPFL board if they intend to end the pyramid playoff and his team happen to be Club 42 at the time. So he goes now! (it's almost comical!). Questions I have include: 1)What are the supposed 'several issues' that the SPFL have relating to the play-offs? 2) Why do they have any reason to believe either club does not meet the criteria - this must have been known long ago bearing in mind they both finished top last season, and had an end of March deadline re this years criteria. 3) Why are they highlighting in their statement how many games each feeder league had played prior to the Leagues being called? Remember that the Lowland League recently sounded out the SPFL about their scenario and were advised (by the SPFL!) to call the league on a PPG basis, and appoint a champion. (how the leagues got their champion really shouldn't be the SPFL's concern anyway). 4) Why can't dates be announced for the play off? A complete fallacy to suggest otherwise. We know the leagues are being based on a 22 game season. Outwith for the cup, there have been no postponements since the leagues returned, and it's highly unlikely the clubs wont achieve the 18 games prior to the Apr 20th deadline. There is therefore no reason why, at the very least, provisional dates couldn't be allocated for the two-legged pyramid play off final. So ask yourself this - why are they so reluctant to do so? Could it be that they have no intention, none whatsoever, in engaging in play-off final chat? All of this, specifically the peculiar wording in at least 3 of the paragraphs in their official statement, stinks to absolute high heaven!

Look, of course the league is ‘saying’ it’s due to this season, but Ginaro is absolutely spot on. If that had been any other team in the league who happened to be top after just 3 games, there’s absolutely no way they’d even have dreamt of calling the league, especially as others had only played 1 game, and in one instance a team (Strathspey) hadn’t even played a single game. The league took this as an obvious opportunity, rightly in my book, to rectify what happened last year and put Brora forward. Lowland had intimidated as late as Jan to member clubs that they would call their leagues only if they got to half way or more. They didn’t get that far, but put Kelty forward. Normally you could legitimately question both calls. especially in the Highland scenario, but it looks like last seasons winners have been given the chance to battle it out in late Apr/early May, and I for one can’t wait.

The question pertained to this season and was posted (and subsequently answered) nearly 8 weeks ago. You say nearly 4 are certain to go down, which is interesting, as if rumours are to be believed then it appears this season could well be declared null and void, ergo no changes, so I'm not sure there's much certainty of anything happening until some point next week. Personally I wouldn't be opposed to this year being called on a PPG basis but I can see why that might be a big issue with so many relegation spots at stake and such few games being played. On the flip side, I'd also have great sympathy with Leith and Luncarty if null and void was the action taken. Here's hoping that by next season at the latest we'll see the Premier reduced to the preferred 16 club model.

That would make a lot of sense. The likes of Leith and Luncarty deserve a shot at the top league after their impressive seasons.

Exactly that!

I'd agree with that sentiment too

I appreciate with each passing week it becomes more unlikely the league will finish, but if they really wanted to get to half way and then call it, they absolutely could do. Personally I believe clubs could get by with just two weeks worth of training. If you therefore start the first games on Tue 1st June and play two games a week, then even the teams that require 9 games to finish, would end their season on Tue 29th June. Yes that's very tight, and yes it doesn't allow for any postponements, but in 'junior football days' it wasn't uncommon towards the end of the season to see certain clubs playing 3 games a week (ie Sat, Mon, Wed etc), so perhaps for the first two weeks or so, some of the clubs may have to do just that to ensure completion. This would allow the likes of Leith and (likely) Luncarty to take their rightful spot in the top league with the bottom four in the Premier dropping down to accommodate them. This in turn reduces the top league to the optimum 16 clubs. I'd much rather give things another few weeks than do something hasty like null and voiding the EOS leagues right now.

Yeah absolutely LL could continue if given green light. Slightly concerning that Bo’Ness may need to cram in 6 games in about a fortnight, but with their junior heritage they will be used to playing Sat, Mon, Wed, Sat towards end of the season so perhaps as a one off, this could be accommodated. As you say, complete fixture headache for the Secretary lol

The deals I’ve read in press at the time had automatic clawback to parent club if the season restarted, so I wouldn’t read too much into your theory. As Big Dougie alludes to, makes sense for these guys to be playing and keeping fit in the meantime.

I took it only slightly differently. After the 18 games, I believed the proposal to be just four further games - ie top/bottom 5 split. So I thought perhaps Tue 11th and Sat 15th May would be set aside for the play off semis. The following midweek and weekend would then the play off final. My biggest hope is that the LL get to put forward a champion in time. As you say, can’t see any scenario where the HL can do that this season.

Agreed, 50% completion appears to be absolute best to hope for now, but as you say, in the background null and void becoming a distinct possibility. Here's to seeing the back of February as a whole once and for all.

Just curious, is there a possible scenario that could see 6 EOS Premier clubs relegated at the end of this season, ie exactly a third of the league? For the purpose of this scenario, lets suppose the lower leagues do get the green light to restart.......I've already entered fantasy land territory, this I know. FWIW, I suspect there wont be a playoff further up the leagues involving a tier 5 overall champion and club 42. Call me cynical. But if it did, and if Kelty (for example) lose to either the Highland champs or the club likely to be bottom of League 2 (Brechin), the Lowland would remain at 17 with the almost guarantee of a team being promoted into it. If the licensed WOS champion, ie Clydebank or Darvel (both trying to get license in time), was to prevail against the EOS champion - and potential SOS champion too, the Lowland would then be at 18 clubs and we know they intend to reduce to 16. VOL and Edinburgh Uni would likely finish in bottom two spots, and geographically both be sent to the EOS Premier - which would then increase to 20 teams. This which would presumably increase further to 22 clubs with the addition of the two EOS Conference champions being promoted into it. Would they honestly look at binning 6 sides from the top league - which as a one off I would sympathise with, or would they attempt a more pragmatic approach - relegate 4 for example and remain at 18, with the hope that things wouldn't repeat itself next year, and then they could return to the optimum 16 clubs. Infact, thinking out loud, what if Brechin had a mini resurgence and Albion Rovers for example fell out League 2 but not replaced by the Lowland Champion. That would add yet another side to the Lowland and a potential 23rd club to the EOS. 7 sides to be relegated - surely not! Yes I know, all very hypothetical, and unlikely too so don't need anyone jumping on the bandwagon re that, however the EOS have a duty to plan ahead for the worst possible doomsday scenario and what consequences that could have throughout their pyramid. Potential crazy times ahead - if we ever get the go ahead!

My sentiments exactly! With L1 and L2 hoping to resume early March, Lowland could do likewise and strongly consider only counting the results of playing each other once, and then split into a top 8, bottom 9 scenario which would provide the best opportunity of providing a champion to face Brora (or another) in HL/LL play off, and then on to a winner takes all against Brechin (or whomever happen to be Club 42 at the time).

So EOS definitely behind other leagues as things stand, but midweek games will sort that in due course.

Appreciate the edited Clyde analogy, but worth bearing in mind their 3G pitch whereas Penicuik for example are already 5 league games behind and that may well increase over Jan, Feb and maybe even March too.

You should actually be on Sportscene! In all sincerity, very much appreciated.

Excellent thanks. Off topic for here I appreciate but are the WOS home/away too? Also, could there potentially be a 3 way playoff - ie Jeanfield or Tranent, Clydebank or Tranent, and maybe Threave too if they pip Stranraer to the SOS, for the right to go into the Lowland?

Excuse my ignorance, it's a Covid/holidays/too many late nights brain freeze! Are their 34 fixtures this season (ie home and away) in this seasons EOS Premier, in which case we're miles behind factoring in games in hand etc, or is it a one off 17 game season in which case there's loads of time to fit everything in. (again, any number of really poor excuses for not knowing this already!). Many thanks in advance!

Are there two further clubs to take it to 64?

Yeah, they sure are mate.

I'll rely on the better knowledge of one or two others to fill in any blanks. The number will however in a all likelihood increase by a hefty amount over the next 5 years or so. Even the next couple of years should see a number or new WoSL sides Licensed.