lionel hutz Posted March 1, 2016 Share Posted March 1, 2016 16 would be fine so need to find the balance to make up a 16 below. After that how many are left and is that the point where we see an all in pyramid in the north sorely outnumbered by its south counterpart. There's no easy answer because the demographic of Scotland is bloody awkward. This. If you look at the current crop of clubs in the north (excluding Tayside), there's not many clubs that are near a license. The 18 HL clubs, Golspie and Banks already have one. Outside of that there's Halkirk, Lewis Utd, Aberdeen Uni, Culter (and possibly Orkney) that are anywhere near a license. That's 25 clubs at a stretch. Too many for one league but not really enough for two divisions, which leaves the situation in the quagmire it's currently in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welshbairn Posted March 1, 2016 Share Posted March 1, 2016 16 would be fine so need to find the balance to make up a 16 below. After that how many are left and is that the point where we see an all in pyramid in the north sorely outnumbered by its south counterpart. There's no easy answer because the demographic of Scotland is bloody awkward. The North Region Super League has 14 at the moment, with promotion and demotion below it. Demote the bottom two from the HL and you have 2x16. Not sure why they should both be the same size though, and I doubt many Super League clubs have flood lights etc. Maybe we should just forget about the pyramid, switch to summer football and wait for an SPFL club to go bust or the league structure to change so ambitious HL sides can apply, like Caley, County, Elgin and Peterhead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lionel hutz Posted March 1, 2016 Share Posted March 1, 2016 The North Region Super League has 14 at the moment, with promotion and demotion below it. Demote the bottom two from the HL and you have 2x16. Not sure why they should both be the same size though, and I doubt many Super League clubs have flood lights etc. Maybe we should just forget about the pyramid, switch to summer football and wait for an SPFL club to go bust or the league structure to change so ambitious HL sides can apply, like Caley, County, Elgin and Peterhead. Banks are the only club with the suitble cover and lighting Culter have some but not enough cover The rest have no cover and no floodlights. Most of them play in glorified public parks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welshbairn Posted March 1, 2016 Share Posted March 1, 2016 Banks are the only club with the suitble cover and lighting Culter have some but not enough cover The rest have no cover and no floodlights. Most of them play in glorified public parks. The only one I go to is Inverness City and they're getting kicked off their public park next year, after spending tens of thousands on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lionel hutz Posted March 1, 2016 Share Posted March 1, 2016 The only one I go to is Inverness City and they're getting kicked off their public park next year, after spending tens of thousands on it. Read this on FN, fucking disgrace from Highland Council. I do hope they could find a suitable replacement venue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welshbairn Posted March 1, 2016 Share Posted March 1, 2016 Read this on FN, fucking disgrace from Highland Council. I do hope they could find a suitable replacement venue. They should get the Northern Meeting Ground and send the Cricket wankers to Bught Park, in my unbiased opinion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jute Posted March 1, 2016 Share Posted March 1, 2016 The only one I go to is Inverness City and they're getting kicked off their public park next year, after spending tens of thousands on it. I thought council had given them that site to develop. Why are they being kicked off? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welshbairn Posted March 1, 2016 Share Posted March 1, 2016 I thought council had given them that site to develop. Why are they being kicked off? I think they were only given a short term lease. Nowhere else was on offer so they had to take it, but under condition that they paid for all the improvements. They got shafted basically. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HibeeJibee Posted March 1, 2016 Share Posted March 1, 2016 Unless you're suggesting that the rest of Scottish football is supposed to switch our season to the summer just to accommodate the whims of a fifth tier league, I'm not sure that's relevant. If the SPFL Pyramid play-offs are in April/May, then a summer season in the Highland League clearly isn't going to work. Buckie Thistle were the only HL club to vote against the pyramid, so it is possible they advocate this (as you say clearly unworkable) idea due to that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craigkillie Posted March 2, 2016 Share Posted March 2, 2016 This. If you look at the current crop of clubs in the north (excluding Tayside), there's not many clubs that are near a license. The 18 HL clubs, Golspie and Banks already have one. Outside of that there's Halkirk, Lewis Utd, Aberdeen Uni, Culter (and possibly Orkney) that are anywhere near a license. That's 25 clubs at a stretch. Too many for one league but not really enough for two divisions, which leaves the situation in the quagmire it's currently in. Unless I'm mistaken, the clubs in Tier 6 don't need to have a license. They wouldn't be able to get promoted without one, but they can compete at that level quite happily. So you don't need two divisions full of licensed clubs, just one fully licensed division, plus a lower division which has some licensed and some non-licensed clubs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonaldLozano Posted March 2, 2016 Share Posted March 2, 2016 That was really interesting! But the fun part is after spending so much money..It was of no use! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burnie_man Posted March 2, 2016 Share Posted March 2, 2016 Reduce the HL to 16 clubs and set-up a lower tier and invite clubs to apply, whether that is a second tier of 12-16, or two smaller east/west divisions. As had been said, these clubs do not need to be licenced but perhaps those interested from the Juniors may like to move across. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ham1sh68 Posted March 2, 2016 Share Posted March 2, 2016 Banks are the only club with the suitble cover and lighting Culter have some but not enough cover The rest have no cover and no floodlights. Most of them play in glorified public parks. Not an accurate statement. Superleague teams in the North Region have to meet ground criteria. Hermes for example have floodlights and regularly play league and cup games using them. Several clubs have also comfortably hosted William Hill Scottish Cup ties. Perhaps you are confusing these clubs with Division One clubs, some of whom more accurately reflect your statement. Certainly the Superleague grounds are far better than some of the middens North clubs have played on in the East and West regions in the Scottish Junior Cup. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burnie_man Posted March 2, 2016 Share Posted March 2, 2016 Not an accurate statement. Superleague teams in the North Region have to meet ground criteria. Hermes for example have floodlights and regularly play league and cup games using them. Several clubs have also comfortably hosted William Hill Scottish Cup ties. Perhaps you are confusing these clubs with Division One clubs, some of whom more accurately reflect your statement. Certainly the Superleague grounds are far better than some of the middens North clubs have played on in the East and West regions in the Scottish Junior Cup. How may North Juniors have a proper enclosure or a stand? when I mean proper, one with a capacity of 100 or more. I know Aberdeen Uni have one (old Wilsons XI ground) and Banks O'Dee, anyone else? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lionel hutz Posted March 2, 2016 Share Posted March 2, 2016 How may North Juniors have a proper enclosure or a stand? when I mean proper, one with a capacity of 100 or more. I know Aberdeen Uni have one (old Wilsons XI ground) and Banks O'Dee, anyone else? Like I said Lewis, Aberdeen Uni, Banks and at a stretch Culter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyclizine Posted March 2, 2016 Share Posted March 2, 2016 Culter would be a major stretch! Fraserburgh United have a seated stand, that's pretty much it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jute Posted March 3, 2016 Share Posted March 3, 2016 How may North Juniors have a proper enclosure or a stand? when I mean proper, one with a capacity of 100 or more. I know Aberdeen Uni have one (old Wilsons XI ground) and Banks O'Dee, anyone else? Longside have a covered terrace and Fraserburgh United have a covered stand. Lewis United used the stand at Aberdeen Sports Village but think that's it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LongTimeLurker Posted March 3, 2016 Share Posted March 3, 2016 Think Islavale might be another one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HTG Posted March 7, 2016 Share Posted March 7, 2016 So we bring in the north juniors to help add depth to that half of the pyramid? Do likewise in the south and you'll have tier 9 teams who are a better standard than Tier 6. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welshbairn Posted March 7, 2016 Share Posted March 7, 2016 So we bring in the north juniors to help add depth to that half of the pyramid? Do likewise in the south and you'll have tier 9 teams who are a better standard than Tier 6. I don't see the need to split the Highland League to enable the Pyramid. The team promoted to it from the Superleague will most likely have the floodlights etc required. If something unlikely happens and a team like Inverness City wins it you either give it to the next team or let the the bottom HL team stay up for another season. It will be rare that the bottom SPFL2 team gets demoted to the HL rather than the LL. We don't have to have a system that has detailed coverage for every unlikely eventuality, just one that works most of the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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