The pyramid works!

[newcastle broon]

The next stage is to set up a feeder in the west into the LL which is the equivalent of the EofS and SofS. It makes no sense ignoring the largest population base with the most amount of teams. Whether the juniors then get on board is up to them. If not the Caledonian League should be considered

 

Is the Caledonian League considered a senior league? I'm surprised it hasn't already been approached to slot in at tier 6

The largest population isn't being ignored.

Where do you class Cumbernauld and East Kilbride then ?

Ayrshire and probably north east Fife is where the Lowland lacks in geographical terms.

[edinabear]

The North Caledonian League? You are right that it is one of the senior grade leagues that is not part of the senior grade's pyramid, but the problem is it is really struggling for numbers in recent years and has a very short season of ten games:

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2015%E2%80%9316_North_Caledonian_Football_League

 

the other missing one is the Aberdeenshire League that Banks O'Dee and Aberdeen University get to play senior grade games in:

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aberdeenshire_and_District_League

 

No, the Caledonian Amateur League: 

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caledonian_Amateur_Football_League

[edinabear]

The largest population isn't being ignored. Where do you class Cumbernauld and East Kilbride then ? Ayrshire and probably north east Fife is where the Lowland lacks in geographical terms.

 

I am talking at tier 6 level inwhich there is no west feeder. Where would Cumbernauld or East Kilbride go if relegated?

[LongTimeLurker]

The Caledonian league definitely isn't regarded as senior despite Glasgow Uni being involved. Historically I think the Scottish Amateur Football League also had quite a few full SFA members, but was never viewed as being senior due to the Amateur FA affiliation.

[HibeeJibee]

I am talking at tier 6 level inwhich there is no west feeder. Where would Cumbernauld or East Kilbride go if relegated?

 

South of Scotland League. Ditto with BSC Glasgow, Dalbeattie, Gretna, Threave.

 

In principle the SOS League acts as the feeder for the south-west portion of the country. At one point they were breaking into Strathclyde, with EK joining and Edusport Academy playing out of Hamilton Palace. However they've now moved to Annan and EK have ascended into LL. It's why a comprehensive pyramid requires the involvement of the Juniors. Measured in quality terms most SOS League clubs are equivalent to Junior districts level, or worse - there is no amateur league in Dumfries & Galloway now and most of the homeless clubs joined SOSL in 2014 - so on paper you'd put it in as a third district within the West Junior pyramid. Girvan Juniors are ex-SOSL.

 

Leaving the Juniors aside - another part of the problem is Strathclyde has so many competing amateur leagues.

 

 

Aberdeenshire & District League is the U20s League for the 'east' half of the HL, btw. Equivalent of North of Scotland U20s League, Lowland & East of Scotland U20s Development League and SPFL Development Leagues.

 

Banks o'Dee and Aberdeen University are both Junior clubs but playing in the Aberdeenshire Cup and Shield, plus this U20s competition... BoD are of course also SFA members and enter the Scottish Cup every season.

[GordonD]

Thanks for all of that, guys.

 

These are my first posts here though I've been lurking for a while. I finally decided to sign up because there have been quite a few times I've wanted to make a comment but haven't been able to - particularly the recent pelters aimed at Livingston. I was a Meadowbank Thistle supporter who stopped going when the club went West, and I've been having a few chuckles over their recent woes.

[Whitburn Vale]

Thanks for all of that, guys.

These are my first posts here though I've been lurking for a while. I finally decided to sign up because there have been quite a few times I've wanted to make a comment but haven't been able to - particularly the recent pelters aimed at Livingston. I was a Meadowbank Thistle supporter who stopped going when the club went West, and I've been having a few chuckles over their recent woes.

Who do you support now??

[GordonD]

In the sense of going to games, nobody. I might give Edinburgh City a try (freezing cold Meadowbank Stadium, tiny crowds - it would be just like the old days) but I don't want a reputation of being a glory-seeker.

[Whitburn Vale]

In the sense of going to games, nobody. I might give Edinburgh City a try (freezing cold Meadowbank Stadium, tiny crowds - it would be just like the old days) but I don't want a reputation of being a glory-seeker.

Wouldnt see it like that Gordon,you'd be going along to see your local team,no harm in that.

[Loondave1]

Never thought I'd ever attend another Loons game at Meadowbank but im looking forward to it.God knows why though it was always an abysmal day out and the pub over the road "Golden Gates/Grapes"?? is long gone.

[Snakebite]

Interesting to see how they get on with the jump in terms of crowds and the amount of players needed to compete.

 

My gut is they will struggle mightily unless they add a good few players, but really, who knows at this time.

[Zanetti]

Interesting to see how they get on with the jump in terms of crowds and the amount of players needed to compete.

My gut is they will struggle mightily unless they add a good few players, but really, who knows at this time.

When we played then in the cup earlier this season Queen's fans easily outnumbered home fans.

[Marshmallo]

Interesting to see how they get on with the jump in terms of crowds and the amount of players needed to compete.

My gut is they will struggle mightily unless they add a good few players, but really, who knows at this time.

My guess is there'll be an initial bump in attendances with people interested to see how they get on, but it'll be a different story in November when it's dark and freezing.

[Poet of the Macabre]

If your club is so badly run that relegation puts your club's very existence under threat, then it's not the structure's fault.

[GordonD]

My guess is there'll be an initial bump in attendances with people interested to see how they get on, but it'll be a different story in November when it's dark and freezing.

Meadowbank Thistle had 4,000 at their first game. We never got anywhere near that figure again, ever (excluding games like the Skol Cup semi-final against Rangers, which was at Tynecastle.)

[luggy]

We played Annan in their second home game when they joined the league and the crowd was over 1200 have a look now and that might tell you that the so called big league is not all its cracked up to be.

[BerwickMad]

I don't think a town the size of Annan failing to get crowds of 1000+ is any black mark against the league.

[1320Lichtie]

We played Annan in their second home game when they joined the league and the crowd was over 1200 have a look now and that might tell you that the so called big league is not all its cracked up to be.

Annan has a population of 8,000. Having an average of 447 isn't bad at all.

[lichtie36nilhello]

In the sense of going to games, nobody. I might give Edinburgh City a try (freezing cold Meadowbank Stadium, tiny crowds - it would be just like the old days) but I don't want a reputation of being a glory-seeker.

Bloody gloryhunters!!!! ;-) I get accused of that all the time! Seriously, give it a go... Edinburgh City is almost like the rebirth of Meadowbank Thistle after all. You might end up playing Livi in a cup game or in a league game eventually, how good would that be?!

[Hampden Diehard]

If your club is so badly run that relegation puts your club's very existence under threat, then it's not the structure's fault.

It's nothing to do with how the club is being run; that's a daft, meaningless throwaway line.  The guys that run the Shire give their all and do run the club quite well.  I'm sure that they'll adapt and survive....but I wouldn't like it being me having to help do that.  It'll be a right hard shift.

 

Sadly there just aren't enough people to support them and give them the cash to bring in better players.  Relegation to the LL will rob them of home games against clubs with a decent travelling support, and how many regulars are going to travel from Falkirk for an inferior standard of football?