bullyweehutch Posted April 29, 2016 Share Posted April 29, 2016 And instant relegation for mega diddies Brora, exciting times That's the problem I see HL teams like Brora and wick facing. They are so far north it will be hard to find players willing to travel hundreds of miles every week Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welshbairn Posted April 29, 2016 Share Posted April 29, 2016 That's the problem I see HL teams like Brora and wick facing. They are so far north it will be hard to find players willing to travel hundreds of miles every week Wick already have to do regular 400 mile return trips in the Highland League, it wouldn't make a huge difference. The worst thing is the midweek games, the difference in their squads for Saturday afternoon games and midweek away games can be considerable, making for some unlikely results. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LongTimeLurker Posted April 29, 2016 Share Posted April 29, 2016 I don't think that move will be happening anytime soon And even if it had I seriously doubt it would have changed anything. There are too many clubs (junior superleague clubs also have to be factored in on this) chasing a limited pool of spectators in and around Falkirk and the one that post-WWII has always tended to lack an identifiable area where people looked at it as being their club in a Stenhousemir, Camelon or Bo'ness sort of way has been the Shire. Little Kerse wouldn't have changed that, because it's a set of playing fields rather than a community with a local identity distinct from that of Falkirk. Even if they dodge the bullet this time, it will be very surprising if the Shire are still an SPFL club five years from now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lionel hutz Posted April 29, 2016 Share Posted April 29, 2016 It would probably be worthwhile for East Stirling to play at Grangemouth or Prestonfield IMO if they got relegated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Mantis Posted April 29, 2016 Share Posted April 29, 2016 It would probably be worthwhile for East Stirling to play at Grangemouth or Prestonfield IMO if they got relegated. Cannae see Lithgae wanting them as tenants. They're not that hard up. Also would be curious to know what sort of lease Falkirk JFC have on the stadium, don't see why they should move aside. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drs Posted April 29, 2016 Share Posted April 29, 2016 Its been doing the rounds for months in Falkirk that if the Shire go down they are moving to Grangemouth - don't see why it wouldn't work, Maryhill share with a team in the LL so Falkirk also playing there home games there shouldn't be an issue. There are some current minor issues with athletics having priority but the LL can surely work round that a couple of times a season at most. If they do go down (and even if they don't) I've never understood why they don't use the Falkirk Stadium on a Sunday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clynliesh Posted April 29, 2016 Share Posted April 29, 2016 Well that will be both Shire and Cove with nowhere to play next year. Cove sure the hell not getting back to North Lodge Park and HL clubs won't travel to Links Park. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roker Rover Posted April 29, 2016 Share Posted April 29, 2016 Give it time. It's not so long since the bottom side in the English Football League would be re-elected based on how popular the chairman was with the other clubs. The only reason they've got two relegation slots at the bottom is because the Conference threatened to use play-offs to decide which team came up. I doubt there'll need to be the same kind of stand-off when the SPFL's satisfied that teams going up & down will be able to cope with their new surroundings. Apparently, Hartlepool United used to send a nice christmas present to the wife of every chairman in the league. They did it for years and survived 14 re-elections. In stark contrast, the first time my home town club (Gateshead) ever came up for re-election, they lost and were gone (and are still to this day trying to get back). Some of the clubs said that Gateshead was too far North as an excuse to vote them out, but given the Hartlepool situation, that would be like voting Ross County out at the first opportunity having kept Inverness Caley Thistle in 14 times and using travel distance as the excuse. When votes are involved a little bit of good hospitality can get you a long way and Hartlepool played a better game off the pitch than they ever did on it. Don't get me wrong though, the poolies are great and I have a lot of time for both them and their club. They helped Gateshead out a few seasons back when the pitch at the International stadium was unfit while the bigger north east clubs stood by and did nothing. Boro did let them play one game at the riverside after they had finished for the season but Sunderland and Newcastle did bot all. Hartlepool let them use Victoria Park about 5 or 6 times and the poolies turned out to support the Heed in their fight against relegation and it will always be remembered by Gateshead fans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welshbairn Posted April 29, 2016 Share Posted April 29, 2016 Well that will be both Shire and Cove with nowhere to play next year. Cove sure the hell not getting back to North Lodge Park and HL clubs won't travel to Links Park. Cove have already booked a groundshare at Harlaw Park for if they don't get promoted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calmac25 Posted April 29, 2016 Share Posted April 29, 2016 Its been doing the rounds for months in Falkirk that if the Shire go down they are moving to Grangemouth - don't see why it wouldn't work, Maryhill share with a team in the LL so Falkirk also playing there home games there shouldn't be an issue. There are some current minor issues with athletics having priority but the LL can surely work round that a couple of times a season at most. If they do go down (and even if they don't) I've never understood why they don't use the Falkirk Stadium on a Sunday. Falkirk juniors are to be joint tenant's at little kerse so doubt they would have a problem sharing grangemouth. Club's must have some sort of working arrangement already Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drs Posted April 30, 2016 Share Posted April 30, 2016 The little kerse thing appears to be deader than a dodo. Nothing has happened since the original announcement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitburn Vale Posted April 30, 2016 Share Posted April 30, 2016 Ed City v Shire it is for a place in the SPFL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the jambo-rocker Posted April 30, 2016 Share Posted April 30, 2016 So what game is played when? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the jambo-rocker Posted April 30, 2016 Share Posted April 30, 2016 You are right to say "do not underestimate the Shire". Proud to be the Shire may be the club's unofficial motto but it's more than that. Most people who have anything to do with the club end up "proud to be the Shire" The old club has a spirit of its own and will not easily relinquish its SPFL status. THEY MAY TAKE OUR DIDDYNESS, BUT THEY'LL NEVER TAKE OUR LEAGUE PLACE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhliston Posted April 30, 2016 Share Posted April 30, 2016 So what game is played when? Edinburgh City v East Stirlingshire 7th May 15.00pm East Stirlingshire v Edinburgh City 14th May 15.00pm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HibeeJibee Posted April 30, 2016 Author Share Posted April 30, 2016 Edinburgh City 1-1 Cove Rangers (4-1 aggregate) Drab game. Cove had the better of the opening spells in each half but offered little otherwise - I can only recall a couple of shots on target from the edge of the box and a few tricky corners. City played the better stuff (though neither side were at all fluent) and took the lead on the half hour when Gair nipped in front of a defender and deftly lobbed the keeper. With that the outcome was settled and the tempo of the rest of the game reflected it. For spectators it was far from a fine spectacle of a game - but from City's point of view, they'd a job to do and did it, possibly with an eye to the next round. City should have been 3-0 up - Allum twice missed one-on-one's with Cove's 'keeper. They'll be disappointed the records will show the 2nd leg drawn. They were coasting out the last 30 minutes, but Cove equalised shortly before FT when City's defence fell asleep at the back post after an over-hit cross. Overall, a game which reflected the fact the home team had a 3-0 head-start which became 4-0 and had to see out 90mins with little to trouble them. No doubt a performance of more energy, accuracy and clinical finishing will be needed to beat East Stirlingshire - but for City, first job done with ease. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoodyWoody Posted April 30, 2016 Share Posted April 30, 2016 Pretty dull game but then I guess City did what they had to do. On that performance I'd like to think Shire should have no problem but them I'm forgetting that Shire have delivered similar performances over the season. And whisper it quietly but I wonder if others might feel that a year in the LL going to some new places might be more interesting than the same predictable trips to Clyde, Arbroath, Berwick etc desperately struggling to reach 8th or 9th place. But I'm not sufficiently in touch to know whether relegation might mean extinction which of course I wouldn't choose! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HibeeJibee Posted April 30, 2016 Author Share Posted April 30, 2016 Haven't seen today's crowd. It appeared somewhat less than last season v Brora which drew just over 900. City programme said last week was 400. EDIT: Actually I see from a thread on LL sub-forum it was 839. So my attendance antenna are in good order. I'd anticipate over 1,000 next week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cowdenbeath Posted April 30, 2016 Share Posted April 30, 2016 Haven't seen today's crowd. It appeared somewhat less than last season v Brora which drew just over 900. City programme said last week was 400. 839 as per City twitter HJ. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HibeeJibee Posted April 30, 2016 Author Share Posted April 30, 2016 Thanks, aye, just updating my post to say that. As I say it'll surely be even more next week: as East Stirlingshire will presumably bring more supporters than Cove did, there are only 2 LL games on (at EK and Gretna) whereas there were 4 today including Spartans being at home, and it will have added attraction for neutrals. Hearts were at home today and are again next week. Only fly in ointment could be Hibs if finish 3rd: when is playoff QF 2nd leg? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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