The East Stirlingshire Thread

[LongTimeLurker]

On 12/23/2018 at 18:45, newcastle broon said:

...500 crowds are rare even  in the SPFL bottom league,just another sly dig at the LL in it's present format.

...603 at Lithgae vs Camelon yesterday and that's not the biggest nonleague fixture that the wider Falkirk area has to offer before you even start to get into some of the possibilities in the west. Give it a few years and a spurt of floodlight installations where necessary and it doesn't have to be so rare. The LL is going to go from strength to strength in the years ahead and shouldn't be viewed as some desolate wasteland where relegated SPFL clubs go to die.

[Kelheart]

10 minutes ago, LongTimeLurker said:

...603 at Lithgae vs Camelon yesterday and that's not the biggest nonleague fixture that the wider Falkirk area has to offer before you even start to get into some of the possibilities in the west. Give it a few years and a spurt of floodlight installations where necessary and it doesn't have to be so rare. The LL is going to go from strength to strength in the years ahead and shouldn't be viewed as some desolate wasteland where relegated SPFL clubs go to die.

Agree this league is a fantastic challenge after the EOS last year and as you say only going to get better, look to England where teams have dropped out of league football but bounced back stronger and a few just fell of face of earth but at least it gives any team with ambition the target of league football 

[newcastle broon]

12 minutes ago, LongTimeLurker said:

The LL is going to go from strength to strength in the years ahead and shouldn't be viewed as some desolate wasteland where relegated SPFL clubs go to die.

Let's no forget the LL has gone from strength to strength since its formation even then when all the eyebrows were raised ,could just do wi a bit more help from the SPFL regarding the current format  

[newcastle broon]

Just now, gogsy said:

Disnae help when LL teams are bigging up SPFL3

Do ye want salt n sauce or salt n vinegar wi that comment 

[newcastle broon]

41 minutes ago, gogsy said:

I have no idea what that means

 what you said, is it the east or west side of the LL bigging up SPFL3 

Edited January 6, 2019 by newcastle broon

[Midge]

On 06/01/2019 at 03:06, PELE said:

As soon as EK get 3 or 4 points clear, they have it in the bag. They were a sure thing before this weekend.

EK v Cove match-up awaits.

Heard Ferguson’s got a plan B

 

 

[San Starko Rover]

A question for the Shire fans, I’m a big believer in the pyramid and want to see everyone involved (that wants to be) now you lads were the first casualty of the pyramid and I’m curious how you guys feel these days. No one likes being relegated but how has this effected the Shire? You were often the whipping boys in the SFL which I can’t imagine was fun to watch and I appreciate you’re having a disappointing season this year but how do you rate the change? Has going from a league you were often finishing bottom of but with no fear of relegation to a league you’re generally challenging in been good or bad for the club and the fans?

I’ve got a lot of respect for fans of the Shire as it’s easy to pick a bigger team like the OF or even the Edinburgh clubs but coming from Falkirk and picking the Shire who are not only the smaller team in the town but with your stadium issues over the years takes a dedicated support. Glad to see you back in Falkirk as what happened to Firs was a travesty.

Anyway genuinely interested to see your views on the pyramid and the Lowland league which should continue to improve with the Juniors joining.

[San Starko Rover]

?

[selfassemblyshire]

A question for the Shire fans, I’m a big believer in the pyramid and want to see everyone involved (that wants to be) now you lads were the first casualty of the pyramid and I’m curious how you guys feel these days. No one likes being relegated but how has this effected the Shire? You were often the whipping boys in the SFL which I can’t imagine was fun to watch and I appreciate you’re having a disappointing season this year but how do you rate the change? Has going from a league you were often finishing bottom of but with no fear of relegation to a league you’re generally challenging in been good or bad for the club and the fans?

I’ve got a lot of respect for fans of the Shire as it’s easy to pick a bigger team like the OF or even the Edinburgh clubs but coming from Falkirk and picking the Shire who are not only the smaller team in the town but with your stadium issues over the years takes a dedicated support. Glad to see you back in Falkirk as what happened to Firs was a travesty.

Anyway genuinely interested to see your views on the pyramid and the Lowland league which should continue to improve with the Juniors joining.

The defeats are actually worse, losing to Uni teams and egg chasers like Gala.

Apart from that its been enjoyable, more wins is always welcome but the LL format is so much better. Its boring playing a team 4 times a season, 6 if you meet in play-offs and maybe more for cups etc.

The bigger games have a bigger feel as you only get to play each team twice. When we get more of the well supported teams into the division it wont actually be that bad a place to be!

[Baxter's Nutmeg]

9 minutes ago, selfassemblyshire said:

The defeats are actually worse, losing to Uni teams and egg chasers like Gala.

Apart from that its been enjoyable, more wins is always welcome but the LL format is so much better. Its boring playing a team 4 times a season, 6 if you meet in play-offs and maybe more for cups etc.

The bigger games have a bigger feel as you only get to play each team twice. When we get more of the well supported teams into the division it wont actually be that bad a place to be!

You sound as if you are doing the league a favour by being in it! I think teams like the Uni’s and Gala deserve a bit more respect than that.

[Tommyssocks1998]

Egg chasers!!!! Really? 90% of the team are from Edinburgh. Your comment makes me happier that we pumped twice in a fortnight.

[selfassemblyshire]

You sound as if you are doing the league a favour by being in it! I think teams like the Uni’s and Gala deserve a bit more respect than that.

A club with a long history and bigger fanbase (home and away) than arguably anybody bar Kelty.
Fans who will sit in the social club before and after to give teams money - except from Spartans after they were total dicks on the last day of last season.

The Uni teams and Edusport bring nothing to the league. The only support they get is family and friends and when they play each other I'm pretty sure the subs get counted in the attendance.

Gala - fair dos but the borders are all more pro rubgy than football, that's all I was really meaning by the egg chasers bit. Obviously struck a wee nerve there.

[Tommyssocks1998]

Pretty accurate description of your Club, the only thing you missed out was homeless/ tenants/ ground sharing.
Regarding the Rugby, it certainly isn't what it was down here, at least the kids get football at school now.

[Baxter's Nutmeg]

1 hour ago, selfassemblyshire said:

A club with a long history and bigger fanbase (home and away) than arguably anybody bar Kelty.
Fans who will sit in the social club before and after to give teams money - except from Spartans after they were total dicks on the last day of last season.

The Uni teams and Edusport bring nothing to the league. The only support they get is family and friends and when they play each other I'm pretty sure the subs get counted in the attendance.

Gala - fair dos but the borders are all more pro rubgy than football, that's all I was really meaning by the egg chasers bit. Obviously struck a wee nerve there.

Edinburgh Uni football has a long history, longer than Shires I think? Is that the barometer we are using to determine team’s participation in the league?

As for the fan base argument, not all teams are as fortunate as you to have a decent crowd, but crowds don’t win games, the players, staff and volunteers who run the clubs do. I think you are doing these people a disservice by dismissing them so easily.

[newcastle broon]

11 hours ago, selfassemblyshire said:

When we get more of the well supported teams into the division it wont actually be that bad a place to be!

And here's me thinking yous were ambitious 

2 hours ago, selfassemblyshire said:

A club with a long history and bigger fanbase (home and away) than arguably anybody bar Kelty.
Fans who will sit in the social club before and after to give teams money - except from Spartans after they were total dicks on the last day of last season.
 

See yous next Saturday should be a profitable weekend for us then.

Oh and I agree wi yer Spartans comment 

[selfassemblyshire]

See yous next Saturday should be a profitable weekend for us then.
Oh and I agree wi yer Spartans comment 

I'm being more realistic [emoji23][emoji23][emoji23][emoji23][emoji23] always love a wee trip to Rosewell. Looking forward to seeing everybody!

As for the other comments, I'm glad the kids in Gala are getting football it's nice to hear.

I'm not dismissing the Uni clubs and commend their volunteers as I know how much work goes into running The Shire.

In terms of stature and atmosphere I'd rather be playing Bonnyrigg, Linlithgow etc. The smaller clubs in our league still draw decent numbers but the Unis and Edu really dont. It's unfortunate.

As for the homeless comment, that's what happens when the board re-elect (not even mentioning his name) a man whose sole purpose was to drive us inti the ground and sell our stadium for houses.

As sad as it was to leave Firs Park it meant we got him off the board and away from the club.

Not to mention Firs Park is still sitting there rotting away.......

[come on shire]

2 hours ago, Tommyssocks1998 said:

Regarding the Rugby, it certainly isn't what it was down here, at least the kids get football at school now.

I agree with your earlier point that most of Gala's players hail from Edinburgh as it's your nearest big city.

However, Gala have given at least 40 players to Scotland over the years and 5 have went onto the British and Irish Lions, including the current Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend who's a Gala native.  A lot of the top kids still get snapped up by the Edinburgh pro side. 

Even though it's good to see more kids playing football in the borders, it's imperative to the Scotland team that the borders stays as a rugby playing area first though, as it's the foundation area of the game up here, just like south Wales is to the Welsh national team. 

However, the LL league is great for days out and Gala is one of my fave trips.  Whitehill is up there too but I'll miss that next weekend sadly as I'm going to Scotland v Italy.  However, I'm going to Gretna tomorrow.  Not been there since I went to see the Shire as a wee 18 year old back in the Brooke Mileson days back in 2005

[Tommyssocks1998]

I agree with your earlier point that most of Gala's players hail from Edinburgh as it's your nearest big city.
However, Gala have given at least 40 players to Scotland over the years and 5 have went onto the British and Irish Lions, including the current Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend who's a Gala native.  A lot of the top kids still get snapped up by the Edinburgh pro side. 
Even though it's good to see more kids playing football in the borders, it's imperative to the Scotland team that the borders stays as a rugby playing area first though, as it's the foundation area of the game up here, just like south Wales is to the Welsh national team. 
However, the LL league is great for days out and Gala is one of my fave trips.  Whitehill is up there too but I'll miss that next weekend sadly as I'm going to Scotland v Italy.  However, I'm going to Gretna tomorrow.  Not been there since I went to see the Shire as a wee 18 year old back in the Brooke Mileson days back in 2005 [emoji4]

My Dad was the barman at the Rugby Club in the early 80s and you could go in on a Tuesday night after training and there could be about 5 or 6 internationals in the Bar. Changed days now though.
I was at Shire's first game in the LL as my boy was at the Vale at the time, a 2-2 draw with the Vale missing a late Penalty. I remember thinking at the time that it was good for the League having a team the size of ES in it. The League is of a high standard which is improving all the time.

[Burnie_man]

1 hour ago, selfassemblyshire said:

Not to mention Firs Park is still sitting there rotting away.......

It's probably been asked before, but who owns it, and is there any prospect of it being redeveloped back into a football ground for ES?

[drs]

My understanding - 

Alan Mackin still owns the land, he was trying to sell it back to the Shire last season as he cant get planning permission for his housing project. Karma being a bitch.

It would cost a lot to bring what remains upto any sort of licenced standard, even if that was possible there wouldnt be any requirement to build something beyond what the likes of Dumbarton and East Fife currently have.