New clubs in the East of Scotland

[craigkillie]

In what way does a newspaper literally quoting the league statement act as any further sort of confirmation?

[Stag Nation]

1 hour ago, FairWeatherFan said:

The Highland League were already playing 30+ leagues again by that point and the EoS/SoS were in a period of transition because of the creation of the Lowland League.

The EoS would have a single season playing 18 games across two divisions which wasn't found to be good enough, the 2nd season they kept smaller divisions but played 3x times a year bumping up the numbers and by year 3 were a single division that would have had 30 league games if Kelso hadn't pulled out.

Since 2013 pretty much everyone in the non-league has prioritised larger league seasons.

Indeed. But you originally said "30 game seasons", not "30+".

No wonder I was confused.

[8MileBU]

7 hours ago, GordonS said:

Yes, you do like to "explain" things. It's never just your opinion, it's an "explanation".

Whataboutery.

Bit of a dickish post that m8. Especially when you’re fond of a lengthy ramble yourself. 

[GordonS]

2 hours ago, LongTimeLurker said:

...and the statement had the following part:

https://www.eosfl.com/

These local authority boundaries will not affect any club already in membership of either League. Once a Club is admitted to a League, any application to switch Leagues will not be entertained except with the prior approval of both Leagues. 

So Dunipace would not be able to move to the WoS without permission from the EoS, which seems unlikely.

They played in the west for their whole history until less than 3 years ago and literally the only reason they moved east was because there was no senior league in the west, so it is a bit of a different case. Clydebank would have moved to the EoS if the WoSFL hadn't come along when it did, and I'm sure nobody would have objected to them moving back west. Before you say "but they're in a west area", bear in mind the agreement says, "These local authority boundaries will not affect any club already in membership of either League."

Main thing is that there's no indication they want to move back so it's hypothetical, but if Dunipace wanted to move back to where they'd always played until recently then I think it would be a petty act of crayon-wielding to block them. The line around the M8 is pretty easy to set but further north and south it gets trickier - as someone said above, would a Drymen team really be sent east?

Edited March 10, 2021 by GordonS

[8MileBU]

2 hours ago, craigkillie said:

In what way does a newspaper literally quoting the league statement act as any further sort of confirmation?

Didn’t read it that way myself. Perhaps they’ve just posted the article for anyone who wants to read the press take on it plus the EOS statement and confirmation of boundaries?

[8MileBU]

8 minutes ago, GordonS said:

They played in the west for their whole history until less than 3 years ago and literally the only reason they moved east was because there was no senior league in the west, so it is a bit of a different case. Clydebank would have moved to the EoS if the WoSFL hadn't come along when it did, and I'm sure nobody would have objected to them moving back west. Before you say "but they're in a west area", bear in mind the agreement says, "These local authority boundaries will not affect any club already in membership of either League."

Main thing is that there's no indication they want to move back so it's hypothetical, but if Dunipace wanted to move back to where they'd always played until recently then I think it would be a petty act of crayon-wielding to block them. The line around the M8 is pretty easy to set but further north and south it gets trickier - as someone said above, would a Drymen team really be sent east?

 

8 hours ago, GordonS said:

Yes, you do like to "explain" things. It's never just your opinion, it's an "explanation".

[FairWeatherFan]

26 minutes ago, GordonS said:

They played in the west for their whole history until less than 3 years ago and literally the only reason they moved east was because there was no senior league in the west, so it is a bit of a different case. Clydebank would have moved to the EoS if the WoSFL hadn't come along when it did, and I'm sure nobody would have objected to them moving back west. Before you say "but they're in a west area", bear in mind the agreement says, "These local authority boundaries will not affect any club already in membership of either League."

Main thing is that there's no indication they want to move back so it's hypothetical, but if Dunipace wanted to move back to where they'd always played until recently then I think it would be a petty act of crayon-wielding to block them. The line around the M8 is pretty easy to set but further north and south it gets trickier - as someone said above, would a Drymen team really be sent east?

The always West or always East idea is a bit misleading though. For Dunipace they were basically a Central league team the entire time. They only had a single season in a true West Region wide league. In 2018 they were facing a significant change with the West Region going region wide for all divisions.

It's the same for Harthill now. Always East for them has basically meant a Lothian Division or a South Division that was Lothian/Southern Fife. WoSFL or EoSFL neither option is what they've known.

Both clubs are a bit more like Montrose Roselea who went from always Tayside to reassessing their circumstances as things evolved around them.

[Pyramidic]

2 hours ago, craigkillie said:

In what way does a newspaper literally quoting the league statement act as any further sort of confirmation?

I was just referring to more press coverage on the boundary issue. I do not understand why anyone would wish to red dot such coverage.

I have amended my comment to avoid any further misunderstanding and confusion with the Dunipace discussion.

Edited March 10, 2021 by Pyramidic

[AlanCamelonfan]

42 minutes ago, GordonS said:

They played in the west for their whole history until less than 3 years ago and literally the only reason they moved east was because there was no senior league in the west, so it is a bit of a different case. Clydebank would have moved to the EoS if the WoSFL hadn't come along when it did, and I'm sure nobody would have objected to them moving back west. Before you say "but they're in a west area", bear in mind the agreement says, "These local authority boundaries will not affect any club already in membership of either League."

Main thing is that there's no indication they want to move back so it's hypothetical, but if Dunipace wanted to move back to where they'd always played until recently then I think it would be a petty act of crayon-wielding to block them. The line around the M8 is pretty easy to set but further north and south it gets trickier - as someone said above, would a Drymen team really be sent east?

Dunipace played in the west but they actually talked about. Moving east while still in juniors. 

[GordonS]

57 minutes ago, FairWeatherFan said:

The always West or always East idea is a bit misleading though. For Dunipace they were basically a Central league team the entire time. They only had a single season in a true West Region wide league. In 2018 they were facing a significant change with the West Region going region wide for all divisions.

It's the same for Harthill now. Always East for them has basically meant a Lothian Division or a South Division that was Lothian/Southern Fife. WoSFL or EoSFL neither option is what they've known.

Both clubs are a bit more like Montrose Roselea who went from always Tayside to reassessing their circumstances as things evolved around them.

Yup and it shows that there will always be the odd special case and always the possibility of some clubs moving region, especially as the pyramid comes together. It wouldn't be the end of the world.

[latapythelegend]

7 hours ago, LongTimeLurker said:

...and the statement had the following part:

https://www.eosfl.com/

These local authority boundaries will not affect any club already in membership of either League. Once a Club is admitted to a League, any application to switch Leagues will not be entertained except with the prior approval of both Leagues. 

So Dunipace would not be able to move to the WoS without permission from the EoS, which seems unlikely.

Looking at how Dunipace have went in the last few years, I doubt they would want to move back. They have grown as a club and I don't think it would have happened as quickly if they clung onto the Juniors like others in the West.

[PastyMan]

West Calder statement on FB

CLUB ANNOUNCEMENT

The club are happy to announce that we have applied for membership of the East Of Scotland Football League starting from season 2021/2022 to move the club forward into the Senior ranks of the SFA pyramid system ,we have played in the Scottish Junior Football Association since 1950 with this decision not taken lightly ,we will keep everyone updated on our application.

[San Starko Rover]

So who out of the ERJFA have officially applied to join the EOSFL next season? Are Armadale still refusing to join? Wasn’t it their Twitter guy that posted something about rather going amateur than joining the EOSFL. No shock they wanted to join the WOSFL than face playing clubs they publicly badmouthed, the way the wind was blowing was obvious and it was a strange hill to try and die on after the exodus.

[stanley]

10 minutes ago, San Starko Rover said:

So who out of the ERJFA have officially applied to join the EOSFL next season? Are Armadale still refusing to join? Wasn’t it their Twitter guy that posted something about rather going amateur than joining the EOSFL. No shock they wanted to join the WOSFL than face playing clubs they publicly badmouthed, the way the wind was blowing was obvious and it was a strange hill to try and die on after the exodus.

Livingston United (from last season), Bathgate and West Calder in terms of public announcements (I think).

[PastyMan]

13 minutes ago, stanley said:

Livingston United (from last season), Bathgate and West Calder in terms of public announcements (I think).

Whitburn announced they were applying to go senior but were coy about whether it would be East of Scotland or West of Scotland leagues. With the clarification on geography that came out yesterday that means Whitburn will apply EoS.

[FairWeatherFan]

Pumpherston were meant to be one that were going to the EoSFL without seriously considering the WoSFL. They don't have much of a social media presence though.

Bo'ness United Juniors are meant to be applying but having to rebrand. Which would be true of Sauchie Community and Linlithgow Rose Community. Who might just find it easier returning to the Ams.

Syngenta seem like they may still have the same problem as last time they applied with no fixed abode since leaving Dunipace.

 

[Burnieman]

Whitburn announced they were applying to go senior but were coy about whether it would be East of Scotland or West of Scotland leagues. With the clarification on geography that came out yesterday that means Whitburn will apply EoS.

Whitburn applied to the EoS last month, as did Pumpherston.

[tamthebam]

It's nice to see West Calder applying. West Calder was a hotbed of football in the late 19th century and IIRC a West Calder team competed in East of Scotland FA competitions. Take a look at the old photo from the 1890s in the Cauther boardroom if you get a chance.

Before the Pyramid the bounds of the East of Scotland League were elastic. Arbroath reserves and Queen of the South reserves competed for a couple of seasons in the late 1960s. I'm not sure if, say, Lochee United could make an argument to join based on the Arbroath A precedent.

When I first started following Ed City in 1995 the EOSL was mainly made up of Lothian and the Borders clubs. The furthest west club was Heriot Watt, the furthest north was Civil Service Strollers and Annan Athletic were out on a limb down south. We'd had one recent defector from Junior football- Preston Athletic. Later on Threave and Dalbeattie joined and then Gretna 2008 and there was a rumour at one point that St Cuthbert's Wanderers were interested. Stirling Uni were accepted and it felt like the League was stretching westwards at the time. Now there is Dunipace and Luncarty, St Andrews and Tweedmouth and part of me wishes City were still in the EOSL for all these interesting away days we could have.

[Spyro]

7 minutes ago, tamthebam said:

I'm not sure if, say, Lochee United could make an argument to join based on the Arbroath A precedent.

No

7 minutes ago, tamthebam said:

part of me wishes City were still in the EOSL for all these interesting away days we could have.

Give it time

[Marten]

10 hours ago, tamthebam said:

Before the Pyramid the bounds of the East of Scotland League were elastic. Arbroath reserves and Queen of the South reserves competed for a couple of seasons in the late 1960s. I'm not sure if, say, Lochee United could make an argument to join based on the Arbroath A precedent.

AFAIK, no Tayside clubs have applied to the EOS. That doesn't mean nothing is happening in Tayside, I know for a fact talks are ongoing between different parties re. the Tayside issue but it's not up to me to say what's going to happen. Nothing is official yet anyway so let's wait for news to come out.